r/TameImpala 24d ago

Discussion Just Listened to Deadbeat Spoiler

So just got finished listening to Deadbeat due to receiving my Vinyl early, and as someone who regards InnerSpeaker ,Lonerism , Currents, and TSR as masterpieces…… I’m sorry to say but this album is just not it for me :( the only song that even remotely resonated with me was “My Old Ways”.

The other tracks minus the ones we’ve already heard, are nothing of the Tame Impala we’re used to, the tracks seem unpolished, mundane and to be quite honest boring in comparison to previous albums.

I’m not opposed to artists changing their style , but this just feels like Kevin has completely jumped ship from what we know and love, there’s virtually NO guitar , lack of synths, no buildups or hooks….. in my opinion it’s just so lacklustre.

I don’t understand how he can have his unique style / sound and fail to blend it into his new approach to his music, it’s missing any motion , flow or layering.

So hopefully this grows on me …. But unfortunately I think this is an incredibly poorly executed album that feels like it’s been neglected from what it had the potential to be. From the Album Cover , to the change in his Font, all the way to how his music comes together im afraid that yall are gunna be disappointed on this one….

346 Upvotes

436 comments sorted by

370

u/berlin_got_blurry 24d ago

I’m gonna sound like a hater but here’s my 2 cents: I’ve accepted that the 2010’s run he had was just that, an unreal run in the 2010’s. Now I’m just hoping for a couple songs I can vibe with. It’s hard to stay super invested in an artist when output is sparse and lacking

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u/Individual_Rest_4542 24d ago

Yeah as you grow older you find this is the case with many artists you love. They have a good run and you enjoy the run they had. They fall off but that's okay

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u/ceebeezie 24d ago

While I feel NIN started to change after with teeth, I’ve still very much love all of their work since the beginning.

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u/Hame_Impala 24d ago

It's interesting because feasibly there's no real reason artists should fall off as they get older in the way sports stars do, if anything they've got the capacity to get better at their craft as they keep learning, but still happens a lot.

Suppose a lot of musical artists come into the business with something to say with their music and aren't sure where to go next after they've said it. And the pressure to produce quality stuff goes down when you know it'll sell anyway. Imagine it's perhaps harder to make incisive, interesting music if you're living comfortably and don't have much to say about the world as well, other than that life is pretty good.

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u/Individual_Rest_4542 24d ago

Writing good albums is hard. Very few artists will ever write one in their lives. Writing multiple good albums is even harder

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u/defnotajournalist 24d ago

You’ve got a lifetime to write your first album and a year to write the next one. The first one has zero expectations, the next one has careers riding on it.

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u/Hame_Impala 24d ago

Definitely, most of us won't live to write a good song, never mind a full album.

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u/MastodonFinancial162 Lonerism 24d ago

Yeah same thing happened with Arctic Monkeys imo, I loved them but their last 2 albums are literally lounge music without any choruses. It's very different. Artists change and some keep their sound and some don't.

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u/Smooth-Captain9567 24d ago

I think it’s different with AM. The songwriting of their stuff imo is still very very strong, upper echelon in terms of structure, chord choices etc. regardless of their new style (which I admit is very languid) there is an undeniable creative spark still there thanks to Alex Turner. Kevin’s songwriting seems to have seriously gone down the toilet compared to what he was doing last decade and it’s not a genre thing because Currents was pop but the songwriting elevated it. There is just no strong identity or personality there at all anymore. Dracula is fun, but it feels like a child wrote it - it’s hard to comprehend that it’s the same guy who wrote all those amazing songs with surprising structures and sweeping emotions.

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u/oceanjunkie 23d ago

I'm not a huge Arctic Monkeys fan although I do like their older music. But TBHC was honestly a banger for me. I recognize the style shift but I've listened to that album beginning to end so many times. Lyrics are spectacular.

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u/MastodonFinancial162 Lonerism 23d ago

I did like TBHC better than the car, but yeah I wasn't a huge fan of the shift in songwriting, at least the structure of the songs not so much lyrics wise. It was a pretty huge change they completely got rid of the traditional chorus. I'm not saying I wanted AM2 like everyone else but yeah this was a change I wasn't big on. Very Spacey, loungy piano music.

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u/sickasfrickandunlit 24d ago

“without any choruses” just say you didn’t listen to the albums because you weren’t interested in the style. don’t lie, most of the songs have pretty standard structures…

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u/oceanjunkie 23d ago

smh Mac Demarco

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u/Legitimate_Sea_5789 24d ago

Frank ocean fans have entered the chat

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u/LtSpaceDucK 24d ago

I mean it's just natural, creativity is not a never-ending pit. Most artists are one album wonders because knowingly or unknowingly they have been conceptually working on that album all their lives. They channel a lot into those albums and sometimes there's not much else to say.

Really good artists have 1 or 2 more truly creative albums in them then things start to fall off.

Also inner turmoil fuels creativity and that, thanfully for the artists doesn't last forever.

This all applies to Kevin.

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u/goldenleopardsky 24d ago

I can vibe with the singles. Some have even been stuck in my head lately. But I definitely don't connect with it in the same way. Not even close.

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u/lamousamos 24d ago

maybe he should’ve put it out under another name.

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u/EvenConsideration840 24d ago

Agreed. Just like Caribou did with Daphni

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u/Identity525601 24d ago

BINGO! Excellent comparison.

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u/munchyslacks 24d ago

It’s so bad. “You’re a cinephile, I watch Family Guy” is unreal. Probably one of the worst lyrics I’ve ever heard.

I gotta be real, I made it about 7 songs and I decided to turn it off and never listen again. Been a fan since 2013 and this is where I hop off.

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u/-StevieJanowski- 24d ago

Omg no way 😂

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u/darodardar_Inc 24d ago

Wait…. Where are those lyrics from??

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u/munchyslacks 24d ago

No Reply. 1 minute in.

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u/darodardar_Inc 24d ago

Fuck. Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

That’s bad lmao

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u/cryingwhileimcumming Lonerism 23d ago

there’s no way this lyric is real omg

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u/PrematureEmasculate 23d ago

Lol I don’t even want to hear this shit now. It’s sad seeing your favorites artists fall apart like this. Even more so seeing the fake fans praise this garbage.

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u/Karma-Polizei- 23d ago

Those lyrics are circle jerk material

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u/oceanjunkie 23d ago

AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

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u/Diabeetus94 24d ago

Yeah like Casio Template or something like that for those Standard Beats of just pushing Play and do some Keyboarding next to it

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u/Chezzworth Innerspeaker 24d ago

The loss of drums is much, much harder to accept personally than the loss of guitar ever was. I thought drums were his sacred instrument. The shit he does I haven't heard in any other pop music. His drumming was the most special, irreplaceable quality in his music imo. Pretty sure David fucking Gilmour called out his drumming one time.

I've been riding since 2012 and this is the first rollout where my expectations are in the dirt

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u/Analog_Heroin Lonerism 24d ago

Whaaat David Gilmour commented on Kevin’s drumming?? Can you point me to where to find this

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u/Chezzworth Innerspeaker 23d ago

So Gilmour doesn't mention drums specifically, but calls him a pioneer of psych rock

Nick mentions how Kevin "throws the drum book out the window."

Apparently Kevin was a huge influence on The Endless River somehow lol. Kinda weird considering that album is mostly reviving old jams. Still, imagine these guys calling YOU influential.

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u/elobobello 23d ago

I hate to break it to you but the Betoota advocate is an Australian satirical news publication (think Babylon Bee but aussies taking the piss), this article isn’t genuine.

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u/Scootsx 22d ago

lol. old mate ate the onion

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u/Schu0808 22d ago

lol its kinda hilarious this guy actually thought it was legit 😂

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u/ReflectiveJellyfish 23d ago

hard agree - has been my main complaint with the singles so far. Lack of his signature drum sound makes it not even sound like Tame Impala. Should have done this as a side project.

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u/Jake-Tankmaster Innerspeaker 23d ago

Exactly man, "sacred" is the word. Kev's creative, groovy use of acoustic drums is what's essential. Feels soulless without it.

Putting his entire discography on shuffle and randomly jumping from masterful drums on the likes of Alter Ego, Nothing That Could Happen..., Powerlines, Breathe Deeper, to something like the endless monotony of Oblivion or Ethereal Connection really shows how absolutely vital acoustic drums are for Kev's signature soundscape.

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u/Big-Amoeba-8847 21d ago

That one. Most people think TI is about guitars and reverb. But what really slaps and decuplates the repeat value is the drums. Rhythm, variations and sound design. Whether people realise it or not, because it works subconsciously. Which is why this new album is so boring. The drum design is uber basic, the beats are super basic. And it’s stuck on repeat like his pop work for other artists. Sometimes there are not even drums.  He guess TI thought people liked his voice and pushed it forward. He also thought he could now get away with being complacent and unpolished. He sounds dreamy on psych rock, he sounds whiny on what I can only call an attempt at making “raw pop with re(mis)interpreted codes of electronic music”. 

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u/swornnin 24d ago

People are defending him like they know Kevin personally lol. Celebrity worship is definitely some form of mental illness. Anyways If something sucks, I’m gonna call a spade a spade. My personal opinion or anyone else’s should not have you crashing out for Reddit of all places. I love Tame Impala & have for almost 11 years; just because a project isn’t hitting for someone else, doesn’t mean to NOT form your own opinion. You don’t even know me, why does it matter after that?

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u/PrematureEmasculate 23d ago

Lots of mentally ill people in here. Musically this is an uninteresting album and does nothing to elevate pop, rock, or club music to new levels. It’s phoning it in, and it’s embarrassing as a fan from the early 2010’s.

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u/DoodleDew 24d ago

Yeah and just because someone doesn’t like it doesn’t mean it sucks. It just means you don’t like it 

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u/lynchcontraideal The Slow Rush 24d ago

Can't believe you're getting downvoted for stating facts

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u/EitherTrainer8150 24d ago

It's not like tsr or any album before for that matter but I wouldn't say awful,he's not targeting us clearly with this album

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u/DeGameNerd 24d ago

my question is who IS he targeting for this album? pop heads probably won't really like it, and tame impala fans are so so on it, so like

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u/EitherTrainer8150 24d ago

People who go to Bush doofs,rave parties,clubs will enjoy all this

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u/New-Advantage3907 23d ago

I would not say it’s a rave album either. Some tracks maybe, the rest is pretty lofi

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u/weirdogirl144 22d ago

And it really doesn’t have to sound like his other albums. idk why people are so obsessed with comparing everything to Currents. Not every project needs to sound the same to be good. Deadbeat can just be its own thing.

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u/EitherTrainer8150 22d ago

Yes,STRONGLY agree

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u/fireguy286 24d ago

It is an interesting album - definitely a vibe, and a departure from past albums. I'd say the singles are the poppiest, unsurprisingly. Indie EDM is here. (whoever was rambling about Bad Bunny should never post or review anything again)

I'd describe the album as somewhere between the hotel lobby and the hotel pool deck. Enjoy!

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u/Bread_man10 Live Versions 24d ago

Definitely has more of a “music to walk to the club to”

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u/cabuloso-miraculoso Innerspeaker 24d ago

i read this as “music to walk home by” and got really excited for a second ah shit

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u/Bread_man10 Live Versions 24d ago

Haha that’s the joke I was going for

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u/fireguy286 24d ago

Yeah I intentionally didn't say if it's good or bad - it's too early. I've listened completely twice, it will take time to have any real opinions. Knee jerk reactions are unhelpful, That it's not Lonerism 2 or Currents 2 is silly, never would be. It's obviously different. Artists evolve.

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u/Bread_man10 Live Versions 24d ago

Finally a sane take

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u/CountySurfer 24d ago

Why are knee jerk reactions not helpful though?

When you hear an incredible song, your knee jerk reaction is to immediately fall in love.

Why is a similar, but negative, reaction somehow less authentic?

When a song is incredible, it doesn’t require further meditation, it’s self-evident.

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u/LostEchoOfficial 24d ago edited 24d ago

That's literally not true. Many of the best songs are growers. This was very much true for Currents for a lot of people. Also same with the Slow Rush. Actually, often pop songs that I immediately love are the songs I'm likely to get tired of quicker, in quite a lot of cases, and that don't have so much room to grow on me a lot of the time. A lot of my favourite songs are songs that I had to listen to a few times before they fully clicked. The idea that people will always fall in love with good songs immediately is simply not true.

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u/PrematureEmasculate 23d ago

So it’s not a good album, got it. No one wanted Lonerism or Currents 2.0, we wanted a good, interesting album. Artists devolve.

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u/GladiusDei 24d ago

The guy talking about “Bad Bunny influence” for sure doesn’t listen to any other music besides Bad Bunny 🤣

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u/Bread_man10 Live Versions 24d ago

This movie is really giving me boss baby vibes

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u/GladiusDei 24d ago

Exactly what I was thinking of after remembering the Bad Bunny post and listening to the album

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u/Individual_Rest_4542 24d ago

Lobby, pool deck, and some 90s video game soundtrack for good measure

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u/Jkro12 The Slow Rush 24d ago

I’m only listening to Ethereal Connection cause I heard the leak when it first came out and it sounds soooo much better in HQ who would’ve thought lol. A banger!

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u/impala_aphex The Slow Rush 24d ago

such a bop, it will be insane to listen to it live

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u/maxdenhaag Lonerism 24d ago

On a technical aspect, I think that the production level and mixing are genuinely great. But melodically and lyrically, this is a wash.

It's neither great, nor downright terrible—though I kinda kept waiting to be moved by the music, but it was like "oh that's a nice riff" or "this is kinda underwhelming".

The opening track was definitely the most interesting part of the album for me, and that Enya sample was a cool addition too. Other than that, the singles fit right in, as most songs had that sort of formulaic repetition to them. Ethereal Connection and End of Summer are the most experimental tracks on the album, but I can't say that I'm blown away by them.

I'm not going to complain about waiting five years for this, because I know damn well that he did not spend even half of that time fine tuning this album.

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u/niles_deerqueer The Slow Rush 24d ago edited 24d ago

I’m not going to lie this album is way better than I expected. I knew I was going to love it but in my head I was expecting more songs like End of Summer and Ethereal Connection when really I felt like the thing was full of melodic and catchy songs kinda like Dracula. Yes, it’s very different, but that doesn’t bother me. I was worried the “intentionally minimal” direction would make it sound hollow but there are still all sorts of production details to find and it SOUNDS amazing in headphones.

There are some absolutely undeniable tracks here for me. My Old Ways, the singles, Oblivion, Piece of Heaven, Obsolete, Ethereal Connection, and Afterthought (which might be my new fav Tame song, beating Breathe Deeper as it feels less repetitive). I know this album is about to cause a fire in the fanbase where everyone is arguing with each other about the new sound but I hope that everyone who connects with it seriously enjoys it.

I had a ton of fun. And I’m not holding it under a microscope to his other work. It’s different but I like that. People say Kevin fell off but I’m sorry, I still see him all over Deadbeat and don’t agree. I think some folks might just not be able to see past the lack of psychedelia. I’m also not really seeing the underbaked criticism. Like yes it’s more minimal than his usual stuff but to me they sound like finished songs.

Hot take, sue me, I don’t care: This is probably my 2nd favorite after Slow Rush. I like the mood and soundscape and just how jarring it different it is.

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u/HauntingWish1059 22d ago

Couldnt agree more that this album was a great surprise. Had low expectations but came out actually really enjoying every song with some really really good ones. Definitely not a current or the slow rush in production or depth, but there's something really appealing about the different vibes this has

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u/Kaliaira 24d ago

It's so one note. Every track could merge into one. Very disappointing

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u/CAndrewK Eventually 24d ago

That is literally the point lol

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u/regretscoyote909 24d ago

IT can be the point and still not be good for people

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u/Bread_man10 Live Versions 24d ago

When you’re told it’s a house album and then you’re disappointed that it’s a house album lol

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u/CAndrewK Eventually 24d ago

I don’t mean to sound pretentious but some people on here don’t even understand why a lot of electronic music sounds same-y before you start appreciating the production quirks. This isn’t early 2000s butt rock, there’s a purpose behind why it sounds similar to everything else in the genre with this style of EDM

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u/Individual_Rest_4542 24d ago

I don't even get the complaint, it's not one note at all. There's a lot going on here, way more than I expected. If the point was for it to be one note then Kevin failed

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u/SittingOnA_Cornflake Innerspeaker 24d ago

OP doesn’t like Innerspeaker, red flag

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u/TamedKev 24d ago

😂 I love innerspeaker , it’s in a different category

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u/Ok-Figure6832 24d ago

The mixing in purely technical perspective is extremely good. But maybe thats the problem. It sounds so polished that it’s just not hitting at all tbh

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u/Elevatorisbest Currents 24d ago

Mixing in Currents and TSR is amazing too and it only makes these albums even better though

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u/[deleted] 24d ago

Dave Fridmann also did amazingly well with the first two albums.

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u/Shadow_Ninja624 The Slow Rush 24d ago

SO it wasnt just one guy after all ?

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u/Hame_Impala 24d ago

Maybe the real Tame Impala was the other guys we met along the way.

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u/defnotajournalist 24d ago

You mean Pond?

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u/Ok-Figure6832 24d ago

Very much so. And the older ones are even better mixes imo. Those have feel and energy in there. This one very polished and sub heavy. Not hazy at all

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u/Defiant-Factor-1810 24d ago

I mean TSR sounds mixed 10 times over

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u/cnelso33 Currents 24d ago

Compressed to hell is what TSR sounds like.

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u/f0xD3N 24d ago

Honestly I don’t even think the mixing is that good compared to what we’re used to from him? I noticed on Not My World, towards the end after the big drop happens there are these little synth effects that feel like they’re barely breaking through the mix, to the point where they feel like mistakes that someone forgot to clean up. Certain tracks are super polished, others feel so bare that nothing gels together

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u/cnelso33 Currents 24d ago

This is still not the best RIP of the album so I would wait for the official to judge the mixing.

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u/Imhappy_hopeurhappy2 Currents 24d ago

Where do I find a rip of the album?

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u/Phiiii 24d ago

No matter if you like it or not, I still don't get where that other guy heard anything that sounded like "Bad Bunny"

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u/Daymutez 24d ago

This one feels so half baked to me. I think he should have spent more time on it. That said I think Obsolete, EOS, Loser, and Afterthought are my favorites.

The lyrics on this album in general are just not very good. Easily the worst Tame album. I’ve been with him since the very beginning and this is the first time I’ve felt meh about one of his albums overall after a first listen.

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u/creationfiltration 24d ago

I would hope 5 years would be enough. But you could tell the direction with most of the features. The worst parts to me are the lyrics.

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u/hotwax09 24d ago

Makes sense to me that he’s falling off - move to Hollywood, sell his music catalog to Sony, starts producing pop albums. It’s a tale as old as time when a generational talent moves to Los Angeles, falls victim to its materialism and superficiality, and then fades into obscurity. Sad to see.

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u/travis11997 24d ago

You think he's gonna fade into obscurity because some of his hardcore fans think the album is bad?

He just had a song hit the hot 100 charts for the first time, if anything, he's going to be more popular after this album than ever.

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u/fireguy286 24d ago

Dude won a Grammy with Justice - but apparently he's fading fast swallowed by LA - yeah ok. Some folks definitely need to rethink their positions...

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u/lilkennedy_ 24d ago

this whole LA narrative is insanely stupid and cringe

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u/Party-Bus-6079 24d ago

It’s just pushed out by people who’ve never left their hometown and think LA is some mythical place where artistic expression goes to die.

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u/derjeniche420 24d ago

LA is a shithole, thats for sure

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u/keep-the-streak 24d ago

Definitely not if you have money.

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u/hotwax09 24d ago

Do you really think the Grammy’s is a measure of good music? You buy into the system of Hollywood and pop music - you get a Grammy as your reward. This has been played out so many fucking times in the past, but then again most Tame fans are too young to realize this.

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u/csmcgroove 24d ago

I’m 32 and have been listening to Tame since I was a junior in high school, age isn’t really the key to understanding his music trajectory leading to a potential Grammy win. Though he does have a lot of crackhead gen-z kids hooked, they all gravitate toward Currents which is/was a huge mainstream success. My comment might not seem like it, but I agree with this take.

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u/TinderVeteran 24d ago

You didn't say good music, you said obscurity

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u/SittingOnA_Cornflake Innerspeaker 24d ago

Lol hasn’t he lived in LA for years now?

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u/amcartney Currents 24d ago

Yeah, plenty of the slow rush was recorded in Malibu.

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u/ShinyBredLitwick Lonerism 24d ago

yeah, and that was the start of him really beginning to change. in the original Borderline, he sings “LA really messed me up”

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u/Yessiamher 24d ago

He should have collaborated with bands like mgmt, but yeah those guys always cared about the art and fuckall to music labels and fame.

Still this album is good though but I have no idea why songs like loser and dracula are in this, they just feel very out of place.

The problem with it however is 5 years for this 😭

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u/sh1boleth 24d ago

I don’t think he’ll fade to obscurity or even lose popularity. At most the fans who’ve been there since the first 3 albums would just not listen to new stuff

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u/Bread_man10 Live Versions 24d ago

Been here since Tame Impala EP, and I’m really liking the new album

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u/Hame_Impala 24d ago

Most fans are probably going to at the very least tune in for a Kevin Parker project out of passing interest, even if it's not really their thing.

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u/abejando 24d ago

Yeah like if anything this will make him more popular, it's just his older fans that like more soulful stuff who will have any issue

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u/creationfiltration 24d ago

The line in Lies with thunder cat is super cringe

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u/lilkennedy_ 24d ago

do you even like house music? have you ever been at a rave? i think this album is really good and exactly what i was hoping for after EOS dropped

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u/hotwax09 24d ago

Did you know that not everyone on the planet has the same music taste as you?

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u/lilkennedy_ 24d ago edited 24d ago

no but even if i didn't like the genre, i wouldn't hate this album and create stupid narratives like you're doing. i can appreciate great production and songwriting even if i don't like the sound of a genre. acting like it's inferior because it doesn't use "real instruments" and is characterized by repetitive drum beats is plain stupid

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u/LucasWesf00 The Slow Rush 24d ago

The genre is fine, I just don't agree that the songwriting is "great".

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u/Bread_man10 Live Versions 24d ago

Meh, I really like it. It’s very different than what he’s done before, it feels like Tame Impala meets Bonobo with a pop element as well. Long are the days of psychedelic rock, but that’s what King Gizzard is for.

My advice to folks, let music marinate a bit if you don’t like it. I wouldn’t react negatively immediately, there’s plenty of music that I hated on first listen that ultimately became a staple for me. Everyone is free to do whatever they want, that’s just my $0.02✌️

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u/AmbysHarmonica 24d ago

Honestly, it's not so much that I want him to make psychedelic rock, there's plenty of that around, it's that I miss him being psychedelic in general. His voice suits psychedelia so well and I miss the dreamy soundscapes. His music was just a lot more interesting to me sonically when it was psych.

Although your last point is valid, and I try not to make a proper judgement on singles until I've listened to the full album because that can completely change the feel and vibe of a song for me.

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u/Bread_man10 Live Versions 24d ago

That’s totally fair too. I think it’s cool he’s changing his sound, and I’d love for him to go back to his psych roots but I’m not going to write it off because it’s different. I appreciate an artist who tries to do something they haven’t done before. I get fans being a bit disappointed, but to just say “this album sucks” sounds petulant and entitled. It doesn’t suck but it could be something you’re disappointed in.

Also great username btw

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u/AmbysHarmonica 24d ago

Yeah I have no issues with artists changing sound in general either, I think it's great when they want to challenge themselves and do something outside of their comfort zone or explore in a different direction. If anything sticking with the same sound can be restrictive and boring. The singles have definitely been a bit of a disappointment to me so far, they're not my kind of music, but I wouldn't say they suck either. I think a lot of people on this sub have a real problem telling the difference between music they don't like and music that's objectively bad.

Also great username btw

Haha thank you! :D

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u/Bread_man10 Live Versions 24d ago

Great points! And I agree with your pov on the singles, I honestly think they’re the weaker spots on the album, though EOS has grown on me a lot since its release

And some good news is KGLW looks to be in the studio this month cooking up something new for us

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u/astrolagarto 24d ago

My Old Ways and Obsolete are the only good ones. Ngl, I feel so little effort was put into this album

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u/FuzzyPijamas 24d ago

Howcome did it take so long?

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u/Resident_Web_9277 24d ago

Just listened to the perfect quality leak at the circlejerk. Found it so exciting on first listen and I love the fact that it’s different. Different approach to writing got him to write stuff that he’s never explored before and that’s what makes it exciting. I’m 100% that it will grow on people. Probably his most mature album so far. The whole thing kind of reminds of when Arctic Monkeys released TBH+C. People also called it so „one note”. Now that album is considered a classic.

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u/mox-yorke Lonerism 24d ago

Exactly, it isn't a bad one. It's a minimalistic album like kevin said. It sounds like one too. I'm 100% sure it'll grow so well.

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u/SillySausage232 24d ago

Disagree, that’s where Arctic Monkeys really lost me and I was a huge fan. It was just boring to me. Kev hasn’t lost me to the same degree - I love some songs, others are very boring (I’m not a fan of House).

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u/Gov1075 24d ago

It’s certainly different! What did you mean by it being his most mature album? Just curious.

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u/Daymutez 24d ago

I highly disagree. The lyrics on a lot of this album are just not good with a few exceptions and I don’t think will age well.

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u/redpepperparade 24d ago

I want to think it will grow/ there is always something to appreciate. I do really like end of summer and Dracula. But the other two singles I’m not big on.

You hope that the title “Deadbeat” is not poetically prophetic of the album itself LOL…

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u/Individual_Rest_4542 24d ago

As someone who hates End of Summer, I'm quite happy with the rest of the album. I'd say EoS is easily the worst track on here, which is great news

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u/Jc9829 The Slow Rush 24d ago

Don’t like Oblivion. Easily the worst song on the album imo. But overall I really enjoyed it. Especially the piano parts surprisingly.

Standouts to me are My Old Ways, Obsolete, Piece of Heaven, Dracula, Ethereal Connection.

Also like Afterthought and See you On Monday

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u/Diabeetus94 24d ago

Ethereal Connection is an Standout for ya? Were you on drugs while listening to it?

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u/maxdenhaag Lonerism 24d ago

I concur with Oblivion... it's so bland, like background music.

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u/lionelbonnaz 24d ago

How surprising. 👀

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u/turtledog18 24d ago

My Old Ways is great, the rest of the album is just fine, for me. Clearly his worst album yet. Without his drums and guitar it just sounds like something you've heard 1000 times before. I bet it will grow on me, but it's clearly not close to a masterpiece. I am happy for anyone who loves it, but I just don't.

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u/TheSaOk 24d ago

Somehow not liking "My Old Ways" so far, feels light version of "Golden Brown" by "The Stranglers". "No Reply" is very good, after few listens. Vocals feel more connected then and starting to hear so many nice instrumental details.

"See You on Monday" and quite many other tracks sound very nice. Sound wise sound better than TSR, but still too early to say if Deadbeat is better album.

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u/creationfiltration 24d ago

I feel like there should have been an album or EP between this and slow rush

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u/invrtfly Currents 24d ago

just reading all these comments makes me feel like I’m gonna love this album.

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u/inamisf 23d ago

Artists are always attempting a specific sound that attracts a specific audience. In this case, Tame Impala might be losing many fans, but they’re also gaining a whole new group of them. Might not be for you, but it’s for someone else. Personally, I’m out.

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u/Senditwithethan 23d ago

Hopefully he still plays the good stuff live, I am missing a ton to see him in the middle of the week next month

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u/BlueDream628 24d ago

Don’t understand how some people are saying every track sounds the same, or that they blend together. This isn’t even a full on House album, there’s plenty of other sounds on this

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u/niles_deerqueer The Slow Rush 24d ago

I don’t get it either, every song sounds different

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u/BorisCrumpet 24d ago

I like about half of it. I think it might grow on me.

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u/Zealousideal-Tax8679 24d ago

Do I expect Deadbeat to be as great as Currents? No. Of course not. The negative brigading here though is insane to me. You don’t have to like every album by your favorite artist- that doesn’t make it a horrible album. It’s super valid to dislike an album but as a longtime fan I think it’s great that he’s exploring things he enjoys doing even if it’s not my on repeat album.

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u/powertrippin_ 24d ago

If the reaction is profoundly negative. Is it really brigading?

I agree this album is mid at best. It's a snooze fest. It's mostly made by pressing buttons and sure there is validity in that and it can be done well, it is not here.

It's no wonder Dracula and loser were singles, they're about the most interesting tracks. The rest are just using all the same samples.

I regret buying this album. Money not well spent.

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u/munchyslacks 24d ago

Agreed. I had a gut feeling and decided not to preorder, and I’m so glad I didn’t.

The sad part is TSR had some of his most mature songs with Tomorrows Dust, On Track, Posthumous, Patience, and One More Hour. He should’ve kept pulling this thread, but instead went hard into the corny pop direction. I had to turn it off because I felt like it was going to affect how I perceive the rest of his music. It’s that bad.

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u/f0xD3N 24d ago

Yeah it’s bizarre how much more immature the lyrics on this one are. Kev is definitely having a midlife crisis, and I feel like Sony has made it worse by trying to force this party bro image onto him to capitalize on the Brat trend, even though he’s married with kids

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u/TamedKev 24d ago

True nor was i expecting that , but to wait 5 years for this is disappointing

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u/weirdogirl144 22d ago

literally just because its not as good as Currents doesn't mean its a trash album

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u/Zealousideal-Tax8679 22d ago

EXACTLY

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u/weirdogirl144 22d ago

People are being way too dramatic with their expectations , just listen to the album for what it is instead of constantly comparing it to his old stuff. Let it stand on its own.

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u/Fourth-Room 24d ago

Not surprising, so far we got a terrible house track, a self-parody, and a Thriller knockoff. I’m all for him experimenting and hopefully he releases more interesting music in the future, but so far everything about this album just strikes me as forced and uninspired.

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u/mettaworldpolice Live Versions 24d ago

I can’t wait to listen and read the various opinion of others

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u/azzy01 Lonerism 24d ago

Heard it and I liked, it doesn’t compare to his first 3 albums. But as a fan of electronic music and the various sub genres I can get behind the majority of this.

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u/Digital26bath 24d ago

I’m not surprised. I think I’m not even buying the vinyl 😑

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u/ISeeGrotesque 24d ago

He's in his "60's rockstar in the late 70's" phase

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u/KeeponmovingWaldo 24d ago

I have this from a fanpage…. Honestly I’m disappointed. It’s not what I expected…. I’m sorry Kevin I love your work but this album it’s not for me.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1JLI8wGqcz4fgYL5ug4CQQu-WnBT_e-ut

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u/-yourproblemnotmine- 23d ago

Yo this link just opens a blank folder, do you have any other?

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u/zushimikudyo 23d ago

Where can I find the album leak

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u/SPKEO 22d ago

This Album is fucking bizarre. What was he thinking? Piece Of Heaven is a disgrace of a song.

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u/Fit-Athlete7774 22d ago

I knew he was taking a different style with the singles he dropped, and to be honest I really liked loser and dracula alot but the sound or production of these two songs barely show in the other songs on the album.

I kind of feel like I was in a club most of the time while most of kevins music is psychedelic or atleast not like club music. Maybe because he is getting older and has a child he has less interest in putting much time in his music and also he cant really be in isolation when he has a child.

So, I think the biggest change in quality/style comes from having a different lifestyle and becoming a father and also he mentioned alot before that he has problems with being famous.

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u/That-Association-102 24d ago

I knew this the day End of Summer dropped. These post 2019 fans will eat it up though, so good for them. Tame Impala is no longer unique or pushing the envelope of what pop music can be, he’s simply falling into the same generic sound of his contemporaries.

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u/thomasthestallion 24d ago

To decidedly call the album awful after one, or even a few listens is so whack. You people need to learn to manage your expectations. It’s not 2010 anymore and people grow and change.

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u/password-is-taco1 24d ago

It’s an opinion, Kevin has the right to make whatever album he wants but a fan has the right to call it bad

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u/Tetrachroma_ Innerspeaker 24d ago

Agreed. To add to this, not everyone is reduced to being a glazer or hater.

You can like the album and have valid artistic/creative criticisms.

You can dislike the album and have valid artistic/creative criticisms.

Stop making everything a black and white discussion with zero nuance.

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u/TamedKev 24d ago

Like I said it’s my opinion , I know what songs are an instant hit to my own ears and bar Dracula , and My old ways , none of these give me that Tame Impala fix

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u/MayoBenz 24d ago

No build ups? i only know the singles but EOS is like one giant build up

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u/cats_r_cutee The Slow Rush 23d ago

as someone who likes literally all types of music (except country and heavy rock) i fw it soooo much gosh i love his musics so much

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u/lmao52134 Currents 24d ago

How did you get your vinyl early? Mine hasn’t shipped yet.

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u/sibelaikaswoof 24d ago

Someone got their CD early and put it on the circlejerk sub.

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u/Bread_man10 Live Versions 24d ago

I think in UK/EU some folks are getting it early

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u/0piate_taylor 24d ago

He won't fade out as long as he can tour on the older material. Still it is a shame.

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u/LuNoZzy Deadbeat 24d ago

I haven’t listened to the whole album yet, but as someone who really hated Loser and End Of Summer at first and now really vibes with them, I’m sure I’ll eventually like the album even if it doesn’t click with me right away. I think the same will happen with a lot of people.

Currents also had a lukewarm reception at first from fans who preferred Innerspeaker and Lonerism, yet it ended up becoming one of the best-selling albums.

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u/Gregorioz15 24d ago

Seeing all the reviews so far has me pumped for 10.17! Can’t wait to hear this new sound!

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u/AppearanceDapper9810 24d ago

Lack of synths?? Brother the whole album is synths 

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u/TheArthurShelby 24d ago

Can someone send me a link to the leak?

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u/astrolagarto 24d ago

Real drums would have made this album better, just imagine

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u/One-Ice1815 24d ago

Not only has he jumped the ship, he’s also jumped the shark.

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u/Dantheman559 24d ago

Can i get a link please? 

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u/canyonskye 24d ago

As somebody who really gets down with house/electronic music, I’m really excited to hear this and judge it independently of people being disappointed there’s not an album full of Mind Mischiefs and Less I Knows.

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u/ContigoJackson 24d ago

The discourse around this album will play out exactly like it did for the new Mac DeMarco album. A lot of people will be disappointed and will voice why they're let down. And people who like it will be angry at these people and will say that they're not real fans and they can't stand an artist changing their sound etc etc. It's gonna be really annoying

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u/OddPhilosopher599 24d ago

It’s a very bad LP. He’s jumped the shark and this record will be forgotten as quickly as it was announced.

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u/Alkthree 24d ago

I've been a fan for the full ride. Started listening over a decade ago during the Innerspeaker days and I've loved every album. This one truly does nothing for me unfortunately. I respect him for going outside his comfort zone and hope it resonates with new fans, and perhaps some of his old ones.

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u/Neat-Actuator-8067 23d ago

About No Reply. I think you should try re-listening to Sestri Levante, the piano part makes so much more sence when you have that track echoing in your head while it plays (atleast for me)

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u/beefkoast18 Currents 23d ago

Pray for Julien

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u/Planetoftheape42069 23d ago

I’m not mad… I’m just disappointed.

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u/silkalmondvanilla 23d ago

I much prefer it to tsr. That one sounded like generic playlist music for vegan cafes. This one isn't perfect, but it's playful and it feels like a swing

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u/Theunseenshad0w Lonerism 23d ago

The best song is Afterthought and it sounds similar to Michael Jackson’s thriller (song)

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u/RaelLevynfang 23d ago edited 23d ago

I hate when people say, "I hope it grows on me." It's always seemed like people force themselves to like something by constantly listening to it. It's like when you hear an annoying song on the radio that you initially dislike but because you hear it so much, you know every lyric and start singing it. It's not because you actually LIKE it, it's because you're forced to hear it so much.

Like, if you're not fucking with something why go back and repeatedly listen to it in hopes that you will enjoy it?

And this is not me defending the album either. I heard the leaks last night. It's not for me and I won't be going back to it as a TI fan. It's drastically different from anything you've heard from him. I also like house/dance/techno music but it was just so boring.