Lonerism review

This is the second and highest rated album by the Australian Psychedelic Rock Band Tame Impala. I heard this band performing from across the road in Portugal on the same night as Radiohead, and since that night they've become one of my favorite bands- and in the aftermath of Everything Now, they've taken Arcade Fire's place. Here are my thoughts on Lonerism.

Tracks:

1. Be Above it: 8/10 a slightly repetitive but beautifully mixed opener. The looping drums are awesome.

2. Endors Toi: 9/10 this song was supposed to represent psychedelic bliss. It doesn't. Why? Because it is psychedelic bliss.

3. Apocalypse Dreams: 10/10 in a word, genius. 6 minutes of pure, unrestrained and blissful psychedelic musical heaven.

4. Mind Mischief: 9/10 another dream of a song.

5. Music to Walk Home By: 8/10 an occasionally incoherent but otherwise lovely track that's as wonderfully chill as ever.

6. Why Won't They Talk to Me?: 9/10 a wonderful aural representation of isolation.

7. Feels Like We Only Go Backwards: 10/10 still a classic to this day.

8. Keep on Lying: 8/10 not as a good as the previous number, but still a well-crafted psychedelic gem.

9. Elephant: 7/10 I'm not a massive fan of this since it differs from what makes the band special and sounds more generic, but there are plenty of cool elements still.

10. She Just Won't Believe Me: 8/10 lovely stuff. If only it were longer.

11. Nothing that has Happened So Far has Been Anything We Could Control: 8/10 another awesome if overlong track.

12. Sun's Coming Up: 8/10 a good ending with some interesting instrumental moments, though slightly anticlimactic. I've got a hunch that was intentional though, given how clever Kevin Parker is.

Best song: Apocalypse Dreams
Worst song: Elephant

Summary: A towering, near-flawless masterpiece of psychedelic genius, this is a dream to listen to. Complex, endlessly enjoyable, haunting and stunningly beautiful, this is modern music at its very, very best. It may just be sound, but this music will take your mind to so many different places, and it makes for a transcendental, overwhelming and masterfully crafted album. You'll immediately want to listen to it again.




Final rating: 10/10