This album has been submitted by a user and is not included in any edition of the book.
Currents is the third studio album by Australian musical project Tame Impala, released on 17 July 2015 by Modular Recordings. It was released by Interscope Records in the United States and by Fiction Records in the United Kingdom, while Caroline International released it in other regions. Like the project's previous two albums, Currents was written, recorded, performed, and produced by Kevin Parker. For the first time, Parker mixed the music and recorded all instruments by himself; the album featured no other collaborators. After the release of his previous album, Lonerism (2012), Parker began work on Currents, largely recording at his home studio in Fremantle. He engrossed himself with writing and recording, and in keeping with his reputation as a musical auteur, laboured over the details of each song, ultimately causing the release date to be delayed by two months. In contrast to the psychedelic rock sound of the project's prior work, Currents marks a shift to more dance-oriented music, with more emphasis placed on synthesisers than guitars. Parker was inspired to seek a change out of desire to hear Tame Impala's music played in dance clubs and a more communal setting. Thematically, the record is about the process of personal transformation, which many critics interpreted to be the result of a romantic breakup. The album's cover art depicting vortex shedding is a visualisation of these themes. Currents was supported by the release of the singles "Let It Happen", "'Cause I'm a Man", "Eventually" and "The Less I Know the Better". The album became the project's best charting release, debuting at number one in Australia, number three in the United Kingdom, and at number four in the United States. As of January 2023, Currents has sold over one million copies in the United States. Like its predecessors, the album received critical acclaim and appeared on various critics' lists of the best albums of 2015. At the 2015 ARIA Music Awards, Currents was awarded Best Rock Album and Album of the Year, and it also received nominations for the Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album and the J Award for Australian Album of the Year. In December 2021, the album was listed at number 12 in Rolling Stone Australia's list of the "200 Greatest Australian Albums of All Time", and in 2020, Rolling Stone ranked Currents 382nd on its list of "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time".
Interesting and original band, but overrated in my opinion. Lots of filler in their albums. Always a great song or two, a few OK ones and rest are simply boring and uninspired. Here, 'Let It Happen' and 'The Less I Know the Better' are the ones to keep
Wow this was great! I can tell Childish Gambino is a Tame Impala fan; I hear a lot of Because of the Internet here.
Giving this one a 5 as 'Lonerism' isn't on the list – while the latter is Tame Impala's magnum opus, 'Currents' is a nearly perfect successor that saw Kevin Parker flexing his musical prowess by merging psych rock with synthy pop sensibilities without batting an eye. There's a perfect push and pull here between the OG Tame Impala sun-drenched guitar and the larger role played by synthesizers (who were already starting to steal the show on 'Lonerism'), the mix absolutely jam-packed with lush, rich melody but not overwhelmingly so. There are so many moving parts instrumentally on each track, but there's never a sense of fatigue or burnout – the drums, bass, and guitar anchor a strong psych-rock basis that allows Parker to experiment with wild synth runs and his now-classic falsetto dancing on top. Most of this experimentation is wildly successful, with 'Less I Know' becoming an instant smash and 'Let It Happen' becoming a modern psych staple of almost prog-like proportions. Much like its cover, the album is an encompassing miasma that flows and envelops everything around it in a way that's distinctly Parker's sound, but in an exciting new evolution. While the album did presage the crushing disappointment that was the sterile 'Slow Rush' (where, personal opinion, Parker sold way the fuck out), it's an amazing note to go out on as the last real Tame Impala LP. Psych-rock meets synth-pop is clearly a winning combination we need more of, at least when Kevin Parker tries his hand at it.
A 2010s classic. A synthy psychedelic pop rock album with a MONSTER opening track and a handful of other bangers. The theme of relationship breakup runs throughout and the lyrics are pretty on-the-nose for the most part. The record gets enjoyably weird in places, especially on 'Past Life' which includes a distorted spoken word story and a layered, ethereal chorus. It's very Flaming Lipsy, which is perhaps why I like it. Geat album, excellent pick. Rating: 4 Playlist track: Let It Happen Date listened: 03/08/24
About a quarter of the user submitted albums that have generated for me have been by Australian artists and I'm not mad about it.
This band is so lame. Just laaaaaaame. 1/5.
It is truly crazy that this didn't make the list but acts that definitely bit Tame Impala did. Good entry.
Obviously 5
Rating: 9/10 Best songs: Let it happen, The moment, Eventually, The less I know the better, ‘Cause I’m a man, Reality in motion, New person same old mistakes
It was shocking to me that this album wasn’t on the original list. It’s one of the biggest and best albums from the 10s. Whoever added this made the right choice. I do love this album. I used to listen to this all the time. I have found myself listening to it a bit less the past few years but it’s still a fantastic album that I’ll listen to whenever. It still is great and the pop synth beats are great. 9.0/10
This was a defining album of my college experience despite it coming out when I was starting high school. I get why it’s not included in the main list but I’d fully expect to see it there 10-15 years down the line because it’s awesome. Let it happen, only go backwards, and new person old mistakes are all classics and the rest is great too.
What an album! Amazing!
A perfect album. The only way it can be improved is to listen to the last track (New Person, Same Old Mistakes) at 1.25 speed.
Currents has the individual earworms and also plays like a mix. Parker's a studio genius, of course, so the funk has no burrs on it. If there was ever a record to get you properly excited about a group in fractal, it's this one.
Really cool album. Although it's a lot of the same sometimes
It's good, however it's perhaps a bit TOO polished and one-dimensional in it's lyrical structure for my tastes.
A dreamy blend of electronic elements with a rock backbone.
Some great moments. Come on Superman say your stupid line Also, I think Lonerism should be on the 1001 for sure
Tame Impala being one dude is the inverse of Steely Dan being two dudes. I think if I had listened to this album when I was in high school around when it came out it would have been life changing but as it is it’s a great album. 8/10
Hey did you guys know
Should be on the original list.
Great listen. Found myself enjoying just about every song.
Really cool, makes me want to go snowboarding
I remember when this album came out but it was not something I listened to at the time. It's a good 2010s indie rock album with hints of psychedelia and synth pop. When this album is good, it's really good, but I find most of the tracks to be forgettable. It's critically acclaimed, but I think it may be overhyped given the date on this album and the greatness of the music that inspired it. Nevertheless, it remains a touchstone of the mid 2010s.
Another good relisten
Classic
I do admire wat Kevin Parker is capable of producing. Some really catchy ear-worm on this album. But apart from those, the other songs tend to be too much on the mellow side for my taste. The previous two Tame Impala records had more edge and urgency to them. Here it all seems to blend into one big sunny festival soundscape.
I really like this. Especially the openingtrack and Yes I'm Changing are one of my favorites. But that's simply not for the entire album.
Nice and trippy great work
No real objection to this other than like most music that is entirely produced by a single person, there is a manufactured feel to it - lacking something of the dynamic energy of the a collective effort. I'd be interested in hearing some live versions with his touring group.
6/10. Someone give me a heads up if they ever make a feral impala, that might be more exciting to listen to.
It’s alright but not super compelling. 3 stars.
Sophisticated electro-pop. Good, but not special.
I really liked this. Sweet, shimmery, easy on the ears. They needed to drop 2 or 3 songs, but overall this was pretty great. Fave Songs: Yes I'm Changing, Eventually, Cause I'm a Man, The Less I Know the Better, Past Life
I feel I should know Tame Impala but I didn’t immediately recognise any of the music. Not too bad though.
Important record of the last decade, but not much of my taste.
Psychedelic pop, synth-pop, disco, R&B. Tostonazo pop. Un 2.