Review Summary: A few melodic gems, and a few too many wasted ideas.
Simply put, Kevin Parker, the melodically driven Aussie behind Tame Impala, is a master in his ability to craft his own signature blend of psychedelic rock and candied pop. This blend finds itself appealing to quite the wide variety of listeners, with both seasoned classic rock fans and younger pop fans appreciating and lauding his output. Both of his previous LPs "InnerSpeaker" and "Lonerism" have received widespread acclaim, with much of the praise directed at the production and the quality songwriting.
Currents, the newest offering, is a clear step outside of Tame Impala's signature sound. At first listen, one can immediately tell that this album is synth and electronic-based, with Parker almost entirely ditching the electric guitars and acoustic drums that were the foundation of his first two LPs. I applaud him on taking this risk, although I can imagine he knew from the get-go that his pop stylings would fit the new direction like a glove. The psychedelia is there, the production is there, everything appears to line up.
So where does Currents fall short?
This album is comprised of a few too many filler tracks. Not filler tracks in the normal "throw-away" track sense, rather, most of these tracks seem to be the seedlings of potentially great songs. 3 of the songs are under two minutes; this itself isn't negative, but these three tracks, being "Nangs" "Disciples" and "Gossip", are completely underdeveloped. They go nowhere in their running time, and simply serve as a bridge between tracks. I can understand and appreciate wanting to fill a gap between songs, but it's a disservice to the so called "bridge song" itself when the track is a fantastic basis for a more fully-fledged piece.
On the bright side, the full length tracks are solid as ever. "The Less I Know the Better" is a fantastic track, with electronic drums, glittery clean guitar lines and an equal-parts gritty yet smooth and intelligent bass line tying the whole tune together. The opening and closing tracks, "Let It Happen" and "New Person, Same Old Mistakes" respectively, are lengthy and dynamic. They showcase Parker's ability to twist and wind through a set melodic idea, whilst keeping the listener ensconced in the trance-like qualities of the tracks. "The Moment" and "Cause I'm a Man" both do a great job at shamelessly worshipping the sound of 80's pop, with Parker simultaneously reinventing it and putting his own creative spin on it.
Overall, this album displays Parker's willingness to try his hand at new sounds and nuances, but many of the album's ideas are not fully formed enough to be palatable.
