"Let It Happen" was a lovely single. It was also an announcement of a change that seemed almost inevitable for Tame Impala. The song is extremely groovy and drenched in synths. While it wasn't a world away from past Tame Impala songs it was definitely not strictly within the psychedelic rock label one could apply to Tame Impala's first two albums. This shouldn't have come as a shock, as Kevin Parker had always spoken about his admiration for pop music in particular. His recent masterpiece, Lonerism, was clearly more pop-leaning than Innerspeaker or the past Tame Impala EPs.
Keys have been present in Tame Impala's music to some extent but Currents is full of synths - arguably to its detriment. This is an album that makes it clear that Parker is not stagnant artistically. He wanted to try his hand at different sounds, which is fine and a natural desire as an artist. However, new things do not always lead to better results. Notably - and to be frank, annoyingly, the guitar has taken on a minimal, at times almost non-existent role in the Tame Impala sound. Those who enjoyed the catchy guitar riffs in songs like "Mind Mischief" or the occasional solos and psychedelic guitar noodling on tracks such as "Keep On Lying" or "It's Not Meant To Be" will be left wanting.
The reception the listener has to this album will depend entirely on whether they prefer Parker when he is focusing on a rawer, more psychedelic sound. Currents is a clean sounding album that is informed by the eighties as opposed to the hey-day of psychedelia. That said, even if it is nowhere near as good as Lonerism, it is still a decent album.
Outside of "Past Life", which has an irritating robotic voice coming in and out of the track, nothing is horrible. There are particularly bland moments like "Yes I'm Changing" or "Eventually". These songs do not do anything particularly interesting to the point where they sound as if any indie band could've come up with them. There are also moments like "Disciples" and "Nangs", which sound like the beginning of good ideas, but would have benefitted from being fleshed out a bit more.
Despite the aforementioned complaints, Currents can be very good. "Cause I'm A Man" is a nice tune that, with a little tweaking, could easily be an R&B or soft rock track from the eighties. "The Less I Know The Better" is an incredible tune with an infectious bassline and perfect pop hook. "New Person, Same Old Mistakes" is another great track with an extremely strong melody. Vocally, Kevin Parker is still solid on Currents, but his voice seems a bit lighter than previously, which is likely a conscious effort to have it fit in better with his new style. Currents isn't a bad record, but the change in style may yield diminishing returns to those who preferred Parker's more rock-oriented work.
