Following the release of his fourth studio album The Slow Rush, in 2020, Kevin Parker, known as Tame Impala, had a daughter in 2021 and a son earlier this year. The Australian singer and multi-instrumentalist reflects on these events in his latest album, Deadbeat, explaining how his experiences shape his newfound life as a father.
Deadbeat is a hit or miss album torn between exciting, relatable songs and superficial tracks that fall into the typical sound of Tame Impala.
The first album since the birth of his children, Tame Impala features a warmhearted, black-and-white picture of Parker holding his eldest child, Peach Parker, on the cover; a new take on album covers for the singer compared to The Slow Rush and Lonerism that displays colorful landscapes.
The first song on the album, “My Old Ways,” opens with a solemn piano. “Don’t think I would forgive myself / I tell myself I’m only human,” Parker sings, a feeling inspired by the reality of going through life’s ups and downs. Despite the soft piano, Parker maintains his usual electronic sound, keeping the melody upbeat.
In late September, Tame Impala released his TikTok viral hit single “Dracula,” a fun melody to dance to. Just in time for Halloween, “Dracula” offers mysterious and eerie vocals that classify the song as the perfect Halloween anthem. But keeping with the warmhearted theme, the bittersweet song shows the ins and outs of a relationship.
“The morning light is turning blue, the feeling is bizarre / The night is almost over, I still don’t know where you are,” Parker sings in the track.
Although revealing moments in Parker’s life, Tame Impala’s melodies feel stiff and follow electronic music’s status quo. “Oblivion” is only one example, feeling very similar to their other albums with heavy drums and synth. Many of these songs feel like throwaways, not showing the full potential of the experimental, thoughtful side of Tame Impala.
The caboose of the album, “End Of Summer,” similar to “Oblivion,” centers a heavy electronic rhythm. However, the lyrics come full circle, reflecting Parker’s personal life as he sings, “I just hope it’s enough to say my words don’t come with ease / And I’m sure that you won’t believe, but you’ll be on my mind / I waited till the end of summer and I ran out of time.”
Despite the evergreen theme of relatable experiences, Deadbeat is an album with some skips and some substantial tracks that dig deeper than intense dance music, demonstrating that electronic music can be introspective.
3 peaches out of 5
