Loaded Album of the week
By Fred Spanner
TAME IMPALA: Deadbeat ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Kevin Parker’s back from his psychedelic sabbatical, and he’s swapped guitars for glow sticks. Deadbeat finds the Tame Impala mastermind ditching his trademark fuzz for four-on-the-floor beats, bush doof basslines, and the occasional existential meltdown. It’s half dance record, half therapy session. It’s very much like watching a genius producer wrestle with burnout while throwing a rave in his own head.
Some tracks soar (Ethereal Connection, End of Summer), others drift like Sunday comedowns, but it’s never boring. Less a reinvention than a wobble on the tightrope between euphoria and exhaustion, Deadbeat proves Parker’s still chasing transcendence, even if he sounds a bit knackered doing it.
Parker could’ve phoned in another Currents 2: Electric Boogaloo and everyone would’ve clapped. Instead, he went bush, got weird, and came back with something brave, groovy, and occasionally brilliant.
If you’re after instant hits, stick with The Less I Know the Better. But if you want to get lost for an hour and maybe confront your inner loser while dancing alone in your kitchen, this one’s for you.
Summary: Kevin Parker goes clubbing in the desert, cries a bit, and makes his best hangover album yet.