Recently found out about these guys, currently listening to Innerspeaker.

Interesting:
Google Trends

I think MGMT already sucked up that hype, but they may only have young people down. You could have a point though.

Incidentally, I've been studying the chords of two of their more popular songs - Feels Like We Only Go Backwards and It's Not Meant To Be, and there's some interesting stuff going on. I had started writing a long description of something in Backwards, but I'm not sure the website I was looking at had the right chords, so I'm going to have to chew on that one a bit longer.

In It's Not Meant To Be he does a great job of using off-chord tones in the melody in the right spots. For example, in the lines:

She doesn't like the life that I lead,
She doesn't like the life that I lead

The chords are just:

Am - D - Am - D
Am - D - Am - D

However, beginning with the 2nd "like" the melody lands on a B when playing a D chord and again he sings that same B when singing "life" in an Am. However, the note of B occurs neither in D or Am. It would be one thing if the melody was just "passing through" that B, but he actually lands the melody on it, emphasizing that note. It's as if the melody would suggest something like:

Am - D - Am - D
Am - G - Em - G

Or perhaps:

Am - D - Am - D
Am - Em - G - Em

But, since that's not what the actual chords are, this creates a bit of tension between the melody and the background chords and makes it sound "sad." He does this throughout the song. I'd be interested to know if he's astute enough to do this deliberately, or if he's just sounding it out and doing it more by "instinct."

DriveYourCarDownToTheSea thanks for you for getting me into Tame Impala :)

Your welcome. :)

And spread the word, I'd like to see my Oasis/U2 prediction come true. :D

I'd imagine it's instinctive, but such complications aren't so far fetched since his primary inspirations are the Beatles, who I imagine had some pretty distinctive techniques such as this.

Hmmm, sounds like we may have to wait a bit for the next Tame Impala album.

LINK

1. Kevin Parker has grown a beard (and I notice the comments section has lots of references to him being God or Jesus :laughing:)
2. Until recently he honestly did not understand the constant references to the Beatles. He's finally gotten himself detached enough from his own music that he's finally listening to it as others might hear it - something I find interesting.

Why won't they talk to me? is one of the best songs I have heard in the past 13 years.

So far, so good. :cool:

Concert review from Chicago, mid-October
Am I smart, or what? :cool: I'm gonna have a lot of fun bumping up that prediction over the next several years. :cool:

I saw them open for Flaming Lips last night for a Halloween show, never heard anything by them before hand. They dressed up as the Spice Girls and played a stoner metal cover of If You Wanna be My Lover. Good show, scored some posh weed off some dude behind me for 20$- made my night. Flaming Lips were kind of a let down though, I was bummed. I may have bumped into Amy Poehler, an Amy Poehler look-alike, or someone dressed as Amy Poehler. I will never know because I couldn't get around to asking but she looked exactly like her.

Amy Poehler actually sells primo dank at Flaming Lips shows for that pay.

I saw the photos of their dressups on their Facebook page - funny buggers.

I was reluctant to listen to their second album, Lonerism, after their first, Innerspeaker, was such an integral part of my life for a year. I listened to it everyday whilst travelling throughout Europe, then once I started to live in London, I worked in a pub - where I sole control over the playlist. Played Innerspeaker everyday and got all the locals into it. Subsequently, I started to get into that psych sound and discovered another aussie band (still indie) called The Walking Who - who are great - check em.

... I was then introduced to a duo who were a little more trippy called Peaking Lights.... they're great too.

..but yeah, Tame Impala, what a great band, with that voice like Lennon it really makes you wonder who it's been so long for a band with their sound to start making waves - if anyone know's other bands with a similar vibe please let me know :):wavey:

KP's voice is just pure perfection!

try melody's echo chamber (KP's girlfriend!!) or deep sea arcade, also from aussie

Lonerism nominated for best alternative album in the Grammys.

Tame Impala
 

I love Lonerism so much. Such an elegant album. I haven't listened to Innerspeaker yet though... considering Lonerism was great, is Innerspeaker and their early EP worth listening too?

Personally I like Innerspeaker a wee bit more than Lonerism.

Tame Impala
 

I shall take a listen then. What about their EP?

Their EP was the first thing they released and wasn't supposed to be anything more than a demo. Most of the songs on it are repeated on Innerspeaker, though a few aren't. And the ones that are, the versions on Innerspeaker are much more polished ("It's Not Meant To Be" in particular comes to mind).

They (he?) also released a single after Innerspeaker came out, which is pretty darn good ...

"Sundown Syndrome" is a really smooth, jazz-inspired piece. Hints of Dave Brubeck.



"Remember Me" I think is a cover of ... I'm not sure.

Oh, I was referring to 2008's "Tame Impala EP", if that's what this isn't. Doesn't look like any songs you listed are on it.

:)

The 2008 EP was the demo. I just thought I'd mention their SS/RM single as well. Separate work from the EP.

Tame Impala
 

Oh, right-o. Thanks.

In fact, "It's Not Meant To Be" is almost in the same jazz-esque vein.

This is the only song I know of which sounds simultaneously like a bit of the Beatles, and a bit of Dave Brubeck!

Tame Impala
 

Yes... a lot of their songs sound like Beatles. He sounds a lot like Lennon, although you've probably heard that a million times.

^
Read the comments on their Youtube videos, and yes, a zillion people note that he sounds like John Lennon.

Some comments from Kevin himself on what his next album will be like.

I hope this includes some acoustic pieces.


Kevin Parker talks new Tame Impala: "instead of a supreme pizza, it's gonna be a margherita"

May as well post it in here

har har!

I'm nearly ready to consider Lonerism as the best album from the 21st century. Of course Smile, both versions, is better, but it does not count, right?

Tame Impala would struggle to get a free gig in a pub in most of the UK.

How does that relate to the goodness of their music, may I ask?

I guess its because we have choice and appreciate quality.

Why would a band like Tame Impala want to play a small pub? There's a reason why they're playing arenas in the UK, see can you figure out why. You claim to be a smart guy Oxy, I presume you know how to research stuff before you post. If you need any assistance doing research please let me know and I'll be happy to help.

You miss the point wonderfully.

And, oh, yes I am very smart, but thank you for your offer.

Oh Oxy you fail to convince me. I'll give you some clues, they had both their albums reach No. 14 in the UK album charts and they're playing an outdoor gig with Arctic Monkeys in Finsbury Park in London next year. You're claiming that a band with that level of success won't get a gig in a pub in most of the UK. In a way you're right. I don't think most pubs in the UK will have the capacity to cater for the crowds that they'll bring to the venue.

Don't worry, he was too smart for as. Anyway it is hard to imagine that kind of music played in a bar anyway. But maybe I'm just too old-fashioned.

As much as I like Tame Impala, I'd still say Merriweather Post Pavilion and Veckatimest are better - by sizable margins, I might add. However, I think Tame Impala is going to have broader appeal than either of the other two bands - certainly more than Animal Collective (Grizzly Bear is harder to judge).

And no, Smile doesn't count. ;)