Tame Impala

NovasoniC · 10-14-2013, 05:00 PM

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

DriveYourCarDownToTheSea · 10-14-2013, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DriveYourCarDownToTheSea

BTW I'm going to make a daring (longish-term) prediction: Especially if this band can come out with a really good album their next album, I think they might become as popular as Oasis, or even U2. All the ingredients are there, not the least of which is a sound even a lot of Baby Boomers can get into.

You heard it here first.

Interesting:
Google Trends

Surell · 10-14-2013, 10:49 PM

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

DriveYourCarDownToTheSea · 10-15-2013, 12:37 AM

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."

Taxman · 10-16-2013, 08:46 AM

DriveYourCarDownToTheSea thanks for you for getting me into Tame Impala

DriveYourCarDownToTheSea · 10-16-2013, 11:42 AM

Your welcome.

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

Surell · 10-16-2013, 10:25 PM

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.

DriveYourCarDownToTheSea · 10-25-2013, 02:39 PM

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

LINK

Quote:

The recording of the EP, which Parker said was done spontaneously while on the road, brings up the question of when Tame Impala might get back into the studio to put down some new material. For now, there’s no rush to record a new album, Parker said. With some time off over summer he plans on working on his disco-funk band with bass player Cam Avery and exploring worlds other than Tame Impala.

“I’m liking it in this up-in-the-air state,” Parker said. “In the past I’ve been so focused and had my gaze fixed on an end product. Now I’m just letting it on its own path.”

DriveYourCarDownToTheSea · 10-28-2013, 12:16 AM

1. Kevin Parker has grown a beard (and I notice the comments section has lots of references to him being God or Jesus

)
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.

Thinkofthechildren · 10-28-2013, 04:50 AM

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

10-15-2013, 12:37 AM	#44 (permalink)
DriveYourCarDownToTheSea AllTheWhileYouChargeAFee Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Kansas City Posts: 1,178	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." __________________ Stop and find a pretty shell for her Beach Boys vs Beatles comparisons begin here

10-16-2013, 11:42 AM	#46 (permalink)
DriveYourCarDownToTheSea AllTheWhileYouChargeAFee Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Kansas City Posts: 1,178	Your welcome. And spread the word, I'd like to see my Oasis/U2 prediction come true. __________________ Stop and find a pretty shell for her Beach Boys vs Beatles comparisons begin here

10-28-2013, 12:16 AM	#49 (permalink)
DriveYourCarDownToTheSea AllTheWhileYouChargeAFee Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Kansas City Posts: 1,178	1. Kevin Parker has grown a beard (and I notice the comments section has lots of references to him being God or Jesus ) 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. __________________ Stop and find a pretty shell for her Beach Boys vs Beatles comparisons begin here

10-14-2013, 05:00 PM	#41 (permalink)
NovasoniC Groupie Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Ohio Posts: 9	Recently found out about these guys, currently listening to Innerspeaker.

10-16-2013, 08:46 AM	#45 (permalink)
Taxman watching the wheels Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Finland Posts: 470	DriveYourCarDownToTheSea thanks for you for getting me into Tame Impala

10-28-2013, 04:50 AM	#50 (permalink)
Thinkofthechildren Music Addict Join Date: Nov 2012 Posts: 135	Why won't they talk to me? is one of the best songs I have heard in the past 13 years.