Lonerism
by Tame Impala
  • Record Label: Modular
  • Release Date: Oct 9, 2012
User Score
8.8

Universal acclaim- based on 500 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 460 out of 500
  2. Mixed: 18 out of 500
  3. Negative: 22 out of 500
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  1. afar1
    Nov 27, 2012
    5
    Be above it,
    Elephant,
    EndorsToi
    Feels like we only gobackwards Mind mischief Music to walk home by
    The rest of the songs avoid.... I was hoping for this cd to be amazing instead I struggled with it.
  2. LetzTalkMoveez
    Dec 21, 2012
    6
    Reverb is a dangerous thing to dabble in. Tame Impala has found an interesting sound that doesn't just dabble in reverb, it's dead-in-the-water drenched with it. The life in some very good songwriting and catchy guitar riffs is almost drained by it. Props for sticking with a general aesthetic, guys, but sometimes it's more interesting to hear what the hell you're actually doing.
  3. DanAbnormal
    Dec 17, 2012
    5
    I wanted to love this album like the critics seem to, but it really did nothing for me. All the songs are meandering, lacking strong melody, and they all sound the same. I guess I just don't get it.
  4. axelkoch
    Dec 16, 2012
    6
    It's not as fascinating as their debut album, but that doesn't change their enchanting style. Whoever says something like there's nothing like Pink Floyd anymore needs to listen to these guys. Alas, they don't crow with good lyrics and the tunes all sound pretty similar. Innerspeaker was better, in this release everything sounds so analogical. Regardless, their style is great and I enjoyedIt's not as fascinating as their debut album, but that doesn't change their enchanting style. Whoever says something like there's nothing like Pink Floyd anymore needs to listen to these guys. Alas, they don't crow with good lyrics and the tunes all sound pretty similar. Innerspeaker was better, in this release everything sounds so analogical. Regardless, their style is great and I enjoyed the atmosphere of Lonerism.… Expand
  5. Mattydigs
    Feb 6, 2013
    6
    I find the amount of overwhelming praise for this album absolutely ridiculous. It has some obvious, glaring flaws which I will show you. Let's get into it. The whole thing SOUNDS great (wonderful production and choice of everything, really) BUT the song structures are often weak and the melodies are pretty mediocre at points. When you break down the songs themselves they often are veryI find the amount of overwhelming praise for this album absolutely ridiculous. It has some obvious, glaring flaws which I will show you. Let's get into it. The whole thing SOUNDS great (wonderful production and choice of everything, really) BUT the song structures are often weak and the melodies are pretty mediocre at points. When you break down the songs themselves they often are very blase and repetitive. Some songs even putter out in the middle and just cruise to the endpoint. Like he just didn't know where to go with the song and just said it, I'll just extend the current part for 2-3 minutes and add in a couple solos. They won't notice'. Some entire songs are like that. When you get past all the gorgeous sounds there's not an awful lot of meat on these bones. I will say that 'apocalypse dreams' and 'elephant' are wonderful. 'Gotta be above it' is great too. The rest is ok but it's too repetitive to last for me.

    Now I'm going to talk about random songs

    'Mind Mischief' is pretty good. It relies heavily on effects and studio trickery like many of the other songs but it definitely works on this one. The melodies are good too and the song itself 'travels' just enough to satisfy. Don't think I'll be coming back to it that often but it's good.

    'Music to Walk Home By' could have been immense. I can easily see how this song could have just launched into a whole 'nother dimension but it doesn't really travel far. It's still ok to good but again, repetitive (without very strong melodies to fancy it up).

    'Why won't they talk to me' is SO ****ing annoying. How many times do we really need to hear the chorus ffs (it's not that amazing to begin with) and if he is going to reach a 'cathartic' moment of realization by saying "But I don't even care about it anyway. I wouldn't listen to a word any of them say. They just talk about themselves all day. One day Ill be a star and they'll be sorry" then he shouldn't ruin that moment by relegating back to the chorus which makes it seem like he doesn't really believe what he just said. For listeners relating to his experience this could have been therapeutic but instead it just wallows in self-pity and shallow fantasies of revenge.

    'Feels like we only go Backwards' is the biggest mistake here. They took what could have been an amazing song (with the addition of a part or 2) and just REPEAT THE out of the chorus. That is basically the whole song. It sounds gorgeous and has strong melodies so it is still 'good' though it wears out its welcome quicker because of the overbearing repetition.

    'Keep on lying' is like they took 5 seconds of music and just looped it, threw on some OK guitar and organ solos/drones and called it a song.

    Anything I didn't mention is pretty much OK to 'blah'. I'd give it a 6 based on the strength of the better songs.

    I hear some people throwing around the word masterpiece which is just ridiculous. Something like 'Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots' or even the Ruby Suns 'Sea Lion' is much closer to a psych-pop masterpiece than this.    … Expand
  6. Thomas_Paine
    Dec 21, 2012
    5
    The universal acclaim this album is receiving can only be justified in light of the fact that professional critics often miss the boat on debut LPs and don't want to be caught with their pants down on the follow-up. 'Lonerism' is ponderous, repetitious, and defined by an almost total lack of harmonic development. With a bass-line cribbed from Spacehog's 1996 hit 'In the Meantime, 'FeelsThe universal acclaim this album is receiving can only be justified in light of the fact that professional critics often miss the boat on debut LPs and don't want to be caught with their pants down on the follow-up. 'Lonerism' is ponderous, repetitious, and defined by an almost total lack of harmonic development. With a bass-line cribbed from Spacehog's 1996 hit 'In the Meantime, 'Feels Like We Only Go Backwards' is the only song on the album that doesn't chase its own melodic tail for five minutes before departing as blandly as it arrived.

    In 2010, "Innerspeaker's' Magical Mystery Tour-era Beatles sound was welcome respite from an increasingly facile indie scene, but that album's edge and emotional depth is almost completely absent from 'Lonerism' -with crushing guitars being replaced by the droll sounds of phased synths and vaguely pointless lyrics.    … Expand
  7. tyrell
    Jan 2, 2013
    5
    I've listened to the album about 4 times now. I find Lonerism repetitive and flat, save for two songs (Elephant, Why Won't They Talk to Me). I loved TI's previous album for its diversity of sound within the confines of its retro style. However, Lonerism feels like a band focusing on an even smaller sound stage; preferring only hollow reverb, trippy organ, and hookless plodding through eachI've listened to the album about 4 times now. I find Lonerism repetitive and flat, save for two songs (Elephant, Why Won't They Talk to Me). I loved TI's previous album for its diversity of sound within the confines of its retro style. However, Lonerism feels like a band focusing on an even smaller sound stage; preferring only hollow reverb, trippy organ, and hookless plodding through each similar sounding track. There is no confidence in this outing, only random shooting in the hopes that they will hit something. Still, you should check out "Elephant" and "Why Won't They Talk to Me". These are 2 solid songs with good hooks. Unfortunately the latter overstays it's welcome after the first 2 and half minutes.… Expand
  8. lemuriams
    Apr 4, 2013
    5
    Overrated from begin to the end

Awards & Rankings

7
#7 Best Album of 2012
19
#19 Most Discussed Album of 2012
7
#7 Most Shared Album of 2012

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
88

Universal acclaim - based on 35 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 35 out of 35
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 35
  3. Negative: 0 out of 35
  1. cokemachineglow
    Dec 21, 2012
    80
    The titles and lyrics form a kind of manifesto of loneliness, elevating self-doubt and even insecurity into badges of honour. He struggles but, with the music growing all around him like a protective cushion, we only hear the sound of a deep, blissful sigh.
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  2. The A.V. Club
    Dec 4, 2012
    91
    The band's latest, Lonerism, digs even deeper into those themes and sounds [early-'70s psychedelia, proto-metal, and British pop], and pulls out a masterful collage.
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  3. The New York Times
    Dec 3, 2012
    80
    Tame Impala saves itself from mere revivalism with 21st-century self-consciousness and, tucked amid the swirl and buzz, touching confessions of insecurity.
    Read full review
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