2. Background
The band originally originated in Perth, Australia is well established within
the UK audiences for it’s psychedelic rock. The band was created in 2007 and
after a list of EP’s they finally released their first album innerspeaker in
2010. Their career started off with a number of local gigs and demos posted
on myspace.
After iTunes accidentally leaked their first album a month early, they
started their first touring gigs, being the opening acts for the band MGMT.
From there, their band went for twenty headline dates, involving with them
being sold out in areas such as los Angeles new York and Toronto.
After creating their second album ‘lonerism’ in 2014, Parker felt that the
album "represents a departure from his previous work by incorporating an
expanded sonic palette, more emotional song writing, and a more
pronounced narrative perspective“. It was during this time they did a collab
with French singer Melody Prochet, having one of these singles featured in
the album called "Endors Toi“ which translates ‘fall asleep’. The band began
their major tour in 2012, as well as playing at other festivals such as
Coachella and sasquatch festival.
Due to the overload of creative ways to make music within the whole
spectrum of accessing the internet. The band found it hard to stretch their
creative output stating “There are so many possibilities, my brain is
overloading on them all.” not releasing their next albulm until 2015.
3. Members
Kevin parker – vocals and instruments
Jay Watson – synthesiser
Dominic simper – guitar, synthesiser and keyboard
Julien Barbagallo - drums and backing vocals
Rafael Lazzaro-Colon – percussion
4. Albumcovers
Currents The slow rush
Lost in yesterday
Interspeaker
When taking a lot at the album covers which the
band has created. They all have the same design
layout in terms of where the title is represented.
As well as the colour as the colour aesthetic, the
album has vibrant bright colour which are
unnaturalistic to the human eye.
The images contain strong colours and range of
graphics which contain dreamlike images. As shown
from two of theme albums. Sand seems to be a
common use. As well as using vortex shedding to sho
distillation to time. With Kentucky artist, Robert
Beatty, describing his work as "based on turbulent
flow, the way liquid or air flows around objects.
Tame impala EP
5. Feelslikewe’re
onlygoing
backwards
The main word to link up with this music video is psychedelic
which is a perfectly good representation for the band as a
whole. The vibrancy and colours link with the band’s natural
but visuals are immensely stunning. Using a selection of
different colour pallets. Creating a droste effect of images. This
music videos consistently uses the silhouette of a side profile
image of a face but using different patterns and shapes to
surround it to make the images pop out more. The visuals
don’t align with the lyrics that are being said but look to have
been perfectly pained and used in a stop motion affect. Giving
the video a childlike innocence. Almost in a clay like motion
the visuals in the videos expand, join together and get larger.
Looking like different lifeforms.
As for the lyrics of the music video when deconstrucing the
lyrics are kept much more simpler. With the premise being
about a one sided relationship. With one of partner not feeling
the same as the other and feeling like things weren’t how they
were. The lyrics aren’t about pessimism. They are about the
constant feelings of feeling let down using the lyrics ‘I've got
my hopes up again, oh no, not again.'
6. ThelessI know
thebetter
This music video is by far the most visually striking and engaging
concepted music video they had created. The premise is very simple when
deconstructed but it’s a very intriguing piece. The plot is about a
basketball player who seems to be in a relationship with the cheerleader
but we learn from the start that she is also having an affair with Team’s
mascot who just so happens to be an ape. The bittersweetness of
unrequited love. Spanish actress Laia Manzanares who plays the
cheerleader is particularly memorable for her choreography piece which
are performed on a stage with the ape. The end has the basketball player
defeat the mascot by throwing a ball into his belly. It’s not completely
however as she states in the lyrics for him to wait ten years which keeps
up with his burning perseverance to be a hopeless romantic. Also in
terms of aspect ration it’s shot within a tighter frame. Almost as if it’s
dabbling within the retro TV spectrum.
Searching deeper into the meaning of the song it’s about the regret of
love. How you wish you didn’t know someone because of how much you
love them using the lyric “I was doing fine without ya, ’til I saw your face,
now I can’t erase”. The song’s about parker asking heather whether she
can still see herself in the said relationships with the ape called Trevor.
What I like about this songs is the specifics. It’s not cryptic or anomalous
as to who the characters are or what the story is about. It is a story and
these are actual characters. They are given personalities and names to
know more about them in general and not just the emotions that they are
going through.
Video created by
the Spanish directors collective Canada,
7. Letithappen
The video’s protagonist Michael Instone find’s himself going from
hallucinations to mental breakdown in an airport. This videos is
extremely contrasted compared to the other toe with it’s dark grey
cinematography, lack of vibrant colour and high tension scenes.
Another aspect I found interesting as well is how empty the airport is
that he’s in. Leaving the story solely concentrated on him and no one
else. The video’s main theme however is growth. Some which isn’t
subtext and is more blatantly obvious when communicating the
message to the viewer. Theme of letting and letting things to take
there natural order. Not having so much control over what happen in
your life. Calling them the ‘unstoppable forces’. Development into
someone else, something which the leader singer stated he had a
familiar experience with when going from tour to tour whilst writing
the song. The song’s strong rule is encouragement, almost as if it’s
telling the listener to go somewhere that they have never been before.
That being why it’s set in an airport. The beginning shot of the piece
is by far my favourite. However what I have taken away from
watching this is unlike the other’s. The most important aspect of this
video is the acting and the emotion conveyed by the anger. His
struggle to let go and change into something that he doesn’t know
will be better is really effective and can be seen through the actor’s
eyes whether he’s rushing around or tearing up on the floor.
8. Influences/style
• Michael Jackson – ‘Smooth Criminal’
• The Shadows – ‘Sleepwalk’ – (first time Parker uncovered emotion in songs.)
• Silverchair – ‘Freakshow’
• Cream – ‘Disraeli Gears’
• Air – ‘Walkie Talkie’
• Serge Gainsbourg – ‘Histoire de Melody Nelson’
• Odd Future – ‘The OF Tape Vol.2’
• Late 60’s and early 70’s psychedelic rock
• Fetish for extremely sugary music from pop artist such as Kylie Minogue and
Britney spears
The band ‘my bloody valentine’ contrasting combination of loud guitars and
ethereal melodies.
Supertramp
"I used to draw a lot when I was very young, and I used to get the most immense
feeling of satisfaction from finishing a picture and looking back at it, even though
I wasn't actually that good. When I started playing music, I got the same feeling
from making a song, even if it was just a few noises or drum patterns put
together. It was all about the buzz from making something from nothing. Music
always affected me greatly as a listener anyway, usually from listening to music
in my dad's car or listening to him play guitar“ – Kevin Parker on his influences
on music in general
