What is there to say about Australian band Tame Impala that hasn’t already been said? “These goblins make a terrific tiramisu.” That probably hasn’t been said about the band. “I love their twirly sweet potato fries with the spicy mayo.” That probably hasn’t been said either, but who knows. I mean, a lot of great things have been said about the psychedelic project of musical mastermind Kevin Parker and I’m sure if he were to dress up as a goblin and make tiramisu, it would be out of this world. Ask anyone who knows me what my favourites bands are and Tame Impala is sure to be mentioned. Modern psychedelic rock is really a hit or miss, especially if you’re emulating sounds from the 60’s. They can sometimes sound like a poor recreation of songs left behind by the Grateful Dead or Jefferson Airplane. In other words, these are musicians who are living in vanished dream of the past. Then theres bands like Tame Impala, who instead of recreating the music of the 60’s, borrow the dreamy guitar riffs and echo’d voices and use it as a base for innovation. Their sound is at once retro and modern, dipping into sounds of the past to create something new, fresh and incredibly tasteful.
Throughout their past releases they have never disappointed, and their last album Lonerism propelled them into a whole new realm of popularity. Big fans of American pop music, they have been known to cover artists like Outkast and Kylie Minogue, so a Michael Jackson cover was bound to happen at some point. If you’re looking for that dreamy Kevin Parker sound, then you’re in luck, this cover has it in heaps and it’s got my knees shaking with excitement for their next album. And after listening to this song, I can truly say “Kevin Parker is a goat with dreadlocks,” because, well, I know it’s never been said before and after all, that’s what matters most.
Ron Johhnson 