Need to Know: The Slow Rush
With our column, Need to Know, the Redefining Records team aims to give you exactly that. An extremely short, and concise review of a new release that only gives you the absolute bare-minimum you need to know in order to determine if it’s worth listening to.
TAME IMPALA
The Slow Rush
IS IT WORTH LISTENING TO?
Absolutely. While the reviews for this album are somewhat mixed, this seems to be undisputed. Our boy Kev Park has presented us with quality work here on The Slow Rush.
BEST SONGS
“Breathe Deeper”
“Lost in Yesterday”
“Tomorrow’s Dust”
WHO’S IT FOR?
I think new fans and casual music listeners are the biggest winners here. Without the burden of high expectations, a listener will probably be really impressed with this album. Several of these songs will play well on top indie and dance playlists with a sound that can get anyone’s feet moving. Old fans will be generally satisfied but left in a state of slight disappointment.
It’s safe to say there’s more than a few tracks on this album that we can reasonably expect to hear in TV and film soundtracks, as well as commercials in the near future. The thing I noticed most about this release was the energy and hype surrounding it. It’s clear Parker is reaching the prime of his career, and possibly a peak in popularity. It feels like these songs were formulated with an awareness of that. The Slow Rush will be a hit in front of festival and stadium arena-sized crowds.
WHAT’S GOOD?
It’s cohesive. Every song plays a role and fits its place in the flow of the album perfectly. There are a few highlights, songs you may be able to classify as ‘bangers’ (at least as much as an indie song can be).
I love the way Parker incorporated so many new sounds and instruments (timpani, saxophone, acoustic guitar.) This album sounds like the result of a lot of jam sesh experimentation as if every song on its own might be considered an outlier, despite the cohesiveness I just mentioned. Every aspect, whether it be the songwriting, instrumentation or production, seems to be presented with a more dance, disco-like sensibility. This is done with success! The baselines and beats are incredibly groovy and funky, on top of signature synth sounds and wistful guitar solos, Parker’s talent is undeniable.
Another thing that was cool was the whole Time Warp experience on Spotify. Giving track by track commentary isn’t really a new idea but considering how long we all waited for this album, it felt right that Parker added a bit of his own personality into the listening experience.
THAT’S A BUMMER:
Initially, I felt like the singles were solid but almost exactly what I expected, which is something I’m not used to experiencing with Tame Impala music. Every album in Parker’s discography has felt like a step forward, but usually, the path follows many directions, zig-zagging through genres and a variety of vibes. The Slow Rush certainly continues this trend as a step forward, but it felt more like a step directly in front of Currents.
Also, did anyone else feel like there were phasers going fucking wild on almost every second of this thing? It got to be a bit much at times.
ALL IN ALL:
I don’t think almost anyone is disappointed with this release. More than anything we’re all stoked we have some new Tame Impala to jam out to and overanalyze, but that being said, many of us were hoping for something… more.
