After five years, Tame Impala is back with their new album – “Deadbeat”. I’ve loved every Tame Impala album so far, and so I listened to it start to finish the moment it released.
I don’t want to spoil my review straight away … but I have some thoughts.
Before we begin, you can check out some of my related blog posts below:
Meh
12 – Piece Of Heaven
The worst song on the album for me was easily “Piece Of Heaven”, a soppy love song with cringey lyrics.
It goes for an “Orinoco Flow” kind of synth but it doesn’t sound as good as that song.
Okay
11 – No Reply
The second song on the album is a huge step down from the first.
I don’t find its verses or choruses catchy at all. There’s a Minecraft-esque piano in the background, which is kinda neat I guess.
10 – See You On Monday (You’re Lost)
Coolest title of the bunch, but the song in comparison is quite disappointing.
“See You On Monday (You’re Lost)” has a lovely warm synth but the songwriting hardly goes anywhere.
9 – Oblivion
Kevin Parker goes for a Latin Trap style of beat on “Oblivion”. It doesn’t really suit him.
8 – Ethereal Connection
Seven and a half minutes of Club Techno. This will appeal to some, but this isn’t the Tame Impala sound I was looking for.
Good
7 – Not My World
A better Techno track. This album has a lot of them (more than I would like …), but there are some decent melodies here.
6 – Loser
“Loser” was the first single released, and I immediately had some doubts about the upcoming album.
I guess it’s the most “Tame Impala” of all the songs on the album. It’s lazed and vaguely psychedelic, and I suppose the chorus is quite catchy.
5 – Dracula
The other lead single, and I thought it was slightly better than “Loser”.
I like the spookier atmosphere, and the chorus is much catchier.
4 – Obsolete
Good groove, hefty bass. “Obsolete” is a nice gem later on in the album.
3 – Afterthought
The penultimate song on the album “Afterthought” is the new Techno approach at its best.
It moves quickly and has a nice bounce. Maybe some hints of Disco in there, too.
2 – End Of Summer
The final song on the album is more of that Techno style I don’t really like, but it’s at its best here.
Kevin’s vocals cut above the thumping drums. It’s a bit longer than it probably should be.
Great
1 – My Old Ways
From the moment I booted up the album and listened to its first track – “My Old Ways” – I thought I was in safe hands.
I love the piano / demo intro, and that drop into the fully produced part is excellent. It has the best riff on the album, the catchiest chorus, and it’s the kind of Techno-adjacent Club song that I can get behind.
Unfortunately, this is the only song from the album I truly like … so yeah. “Deadbeat” is easily the worst Tame Impala album yet, as much as it pains me to say.
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