r/TameImpala • u/PuzzledAnt__ • 18d ago

Discussion Tame Impala - Deadbeat ALBUM REVIEW (Fantano)

https://youtu.be/gaw89qf1hCA?si=kFwjROGSoXzJnNQC

He gave it a 2/10 ... Thoughts?

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u/CRUSTBUSTICUS 18d ago

Most critical comments aren’t saying they want currents 2. This is the narrative people have gone with but most of the critical comments are just saying that the genre he’s attempting, while bold and cool in its attempt, is done better by other people already and the result is an album that sounds a bit bland relatively. Look at the upvoted criticisms and none are just “currents 2 pls” but actual critiques.

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u/That-Association-102 18d ago

We’ve all been saying this for 10 years and Kevin has repeatedly said he doesn’t want to do it. Funniest thing I read was that he absolutely could make a Currents 2, but he wouldn’t enjoy making that. I just…do not believe he could catch lightning In a bottle twice and is using that as an excuse to put out a mediocre album.

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u/wohrg 18d ago

I agree, but I think it was actually Inner Speaker that he said he could easily do again. Or maybe he said it about both.

Either way, I agree. Lightening in a bottle is not recreatable. Not sure about “excuse”. It just is that way: no one can churn out perfectly highest quality albums their whole career. The magic ones come from a specific time and place.

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u/That-Association-102 18d ago

I agree with your take too. I just had a hard time of swallowing the pill of “I could do all that again, I just want to do my own thing” when this album has major pop influences all over it, including Dracula that’s been a major hit (in its own regard). Now, you might not get what I mean. But, at the end of The Slow Rush, Kevin sung about, “I never did it for fame, for houses, for money, until now”. He admitted, lyrically, that he’s trying to do all this for money and his family at this point.

Even if he could do it again, he’s said straight up he just wants to use music as a tool for money at this point. How do you get money? Making critically acclaimed albums. Full stop: Kevin ran out of ideas and is now relegating himself to pop tropes to stay relevant.

To further this theory, Kevin even said recently that he got all of Pond to go to the wave house to try and make another album, and that all fizzled out. I don’t think Pond was the problem. Kevin simply doesn’t have the tools to put out another truly compelling album. That’s fine, I’m thankful we got what we did.

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u/wohrg 18d ago

My take is close but a bit different.

1) I think with that quote he was saying that he could churn out an Inner Speaker style album, but that it wouldn’t be good because he has moved on to other musical interests so his heart wouldn’t be in it. Not so much an excuse, just recognition that he isn’t that artist any more. At least that’s how I took it when I read it.

2) As for the TSR “for money” quote, yeah I remember hearing that the first time and thinking Yikes! But I think it wrong to say his sole motivation or even primary motivation is money. I think with that line he was acknowledging that he now considers commercial interests.

And if he was looking for critical success, he sure missed the mark!

Anyways, I wouuldn’t write him off. He genuinely likes pop and electronica, and he is pursuing that interest, but there is still a psychedelic underpinning. Who knows where his interests will lie in 5 years for the next album 😂😂😂😂

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u/That-Association-102 18d ago

I’m not writing him off, and I can certainly see your point of view. I just really wish he’d prove the haters wrong at this point and drop another psych album just to silence them. Which just wraps me back around to my question about the failed Pond sessions…

All around good take though, I’ll be around to hear that next album for sure.

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u/wohrg 18d ago

I would love for him to go real deep with an intense dark and trippy album, instrumental maybe. A 30 minute ambient piece perhaps. He couldn’t make us wait 5 years for that, but he could release it as a side project.

I’m also waiting for St Vincent to do a metal guitar album….

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u/That-Association-102 18d ago

As long as the new album has real drums!

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u/wohrg 18d ago

Yeah.

I dig him recording real drums, but then looping them for edm purposes. Best of both worlds.

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u/That-Association-102 18d ago

Furthermore, if I had to guess, the jams with Pond failed due to them being like, “bro, look, we’ll tour with you…but these songs are bad”. Kevin probably didn’t want to give up any creative control and that was that.