Review of Tame Impala's Self Titled EP (courtesy of Tainted Media)

Long time no speak my internet companions. Despite the GFC, dwindling cd sales and more bushfire benefits than you can poke your walking stick at, the faux hard-emo wheels are falling off bit by bit, and Australian music is growing more mature, one step at a time.

Here's a review I recently wrote for the wise prophets over at Tainted Media in Queensland

In what we have so far experienced of the 21st century, there have been visible cracks of sunlight shining brightly out of the Australian music industry.

Tame Impala, from the world's 4th most liveable city (that's Perth for those who haven't ever looked up Perth on Wikipedia), are part of a new generation of groups being ushered upon the Australian public by Modular Recordings, a hip and happening record label that has an incredible knack for discovering talent (and currently running on the adrenalin generated by international success for artists Cut Copy and The Presets). These three Perth musos have produced an EP of psychedelic-esque rock and roll that emulates great 60's bands like The Doors, Cream and pushes it into the aural senses of a youth brought up on My Chemical Bromance and Sarah "Let's see how many pussy jokes I can fit into half an hour" Silverman's attempts at comedy.

I'm not sure if it's enough to make the Lords of Psych (Ray Manzarek, I'm looking in your direction) wet their metaphorical pants in appreciation of homage to the art that they crafted 40 years ago, but it provides Australia with someone other than Adelaide's Wolf & Cub getting their fuzzy psychedelia onto the national airwaves (and gaining the attention of The Living End it seems).

Gone are the embarrassing days of Perth being associated with Little "Still in the Sleepy shadows" Birdy, Jebediah (also known as "We'll just keep releasing records even if no one notices") and their ilk, and in has come the lyrical hip hop stylings of Drapht and Downsyde, the ethereal, delicate rock of The Panics and Australia's most popular hippie John Butler seems to still be getting his ugly mug around.

Moving onto the record at hand. As alluded to before, Tame Impala are a band surely well on the road to international successes and whenever their debut album hits stores, this reviewer expects the band to reach even higher ground, with heavier sounds and louder live shows (if their set at Yeasayer in Melbourne was anything to go by, it's hard to see them getting much louder).

The EP is barely over 20 minutes long, and the longest track is a measly 4 minutes and 27 seconds, but it feels far longer. Opening track "Desire Be, Desire Go" takes its time to build from a foot-tapping 60's pop song into a fully fledged stoner rock jam. "Skeleton Tiger" has an opening riff not completely unlike the Stones' 'Gimme Shelter', but the song itself would be better compared to early Doors tunes, for its swirling melodies and antique tape-deck vocals.

Track number three and debut single "Half Full Glass of Wine" is the standout. If you weren't already convinced that Tame Impala could easily have released this album under the band name 'The Gratetful Dead' , this is the penultimate track. Right from the riffs that kick off the song, through to the Bonham/Moon drum solo that rounds off the track in definitive style.

Tracks four and five ("Forty One Mosquitoes Flying In Formation" and "Slide Through My Fingers" respectively) are much of the same, but nevertheless leaves you feeling like Australian rock and roll is in good hands.

So you say you want a revolution? This is the best place to start.

B+

http://www.taintedmedia.net/reviews/music-reviews/tame-impala-tame-impala-ep.html