THE SLOW RUSH | TAME IMPALA

3.10.20 To me there are a number of sounds it is reminiscent of, the obvious listed in the review below (Stone Roses, Daft Punk, Pharell and Washed Out). It also, at times, reminds me of 70s Bee Gees, Supertramp (especially “It Might Be Time”) and ELO. And, call me crazy, maybe 90s The Flaming Lips The Soft Bulletin.

Tim Sendra at Allmusic writes: In the years after the release of Currents, Tame Impala's mastermind Kevin Parker dedicated himself to the art of the collaboration, working his magic on tracks by artists like SZA, Travis Scott, and Lady Gaga and even co-writing with Kanye. All the while, Tame Impala's fan base kept growing to the point where they were able to headline big festivals and fill stadiums. One might assume that Parker would latch on to the mainstream-friendly elements that seeped into Currents, double down on them, and join his friends in the modern pop machine. Amazingly, that doesn't happen on The Slow Rush. Instead, Parker made an intensely personal album that deals with romantic disappointment, the death of his father, and questions about his place in the world, all set to a soundtrack of shimmering disco, trippy Madchester beats, gleaming synth pop, and epic neo-prog balladry. The album's first song, "One More Year," sets the template for the rest of the record with its vocoder harmonies, bubbling house pianos, echoing atmosphere, rubbery beats, and Parker's heart-felt falsetto. It's a mix of the Stone Roses, Daft Punk, Pharrell, and Washed Out made magical thanks to Parker's melodic gifts and production mastery. The bulk of the album treads similar ground, sometimes building the songs out to feel epically windswept ("Instant Destiny"), sometimes turning them inward like on "Tomorrow's Dust," one of the few tracks to feature prominent guitar. . . . .