Tame Impala Live and On Record Led by multi-instrumentalist Kevin Parker, Australian psych-rockers Tame Impala made huge waves in both hemispheres with the release of their album Lonerism in 2012. They join Jim and Greg for a discussion and live performance. Then, Jim and Greg review the band’s new release Currents. audio player Download Subscribe via iTunes

Music News Since the mass shooting at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in downtown Charleston, South Carolina earlier this summer, debate over the use of the Confederate flag in American popular culture has become even more heated. The flag has been featured in rock lyrics and performances for decades, most notably by the Texas heavy metal band Pantera in the ‘90s and also in performances by Tom Petty, Blake Shelton, and Zach Wild. Musicians such as Kid Rock and Patterson Hood of the Drive By Truckers have joined the debate surrounding the flag, with Rock dismissing the issue and Hood criticizing the flag’s continued presence in modern music and culture. Apple Music, the new music streaming service from Apple, launched on June 30th, making it yet another competitor in the global streaming market. In order to attract new users, Apple has offered a three month free trial to any iOS user interested in testing out the service for no cost before committing $10 a month for a subscription. While early reviews of the service have been mixed, two general complaints about Apple’s latest innovation have emerged, including criticisms of its somewhat jumbled presentation and its lack of the social networking features that have made Spotify such an attractive streaming option. Jim thinks we’ll have to wait and see how many trial users decide to commit to the paid subscription to really get a sense of how Apple Music stacks up against its many fierce competitors.

Tame Impala Australian psychedelic band Tame Impala made a huge impact on the US with their 2012 album Lonerism. Jim and Greg were particularly smitten with it, as the album took top slots on both critics’ Best of 2012 lists. Tame Impala stopped by our studios in 2013 for an interview and live performance. This week we’re revisiting that conversation, just in time for the release of the band’s new record Currents. Lead singer Kevin Parker talks about the band’s influences, both expected ( The Flaming Lips) and not ( Supertramp), and his desire to work with producer Dave Fridmann. The musicians also debate whether actual psychedelic substances contribute to a psychedelic sound. Certainly you don’t need them to enjoy the result.

*Currents* Tame Impala On the heels of their 2013 appearance on Sound Opinions, listeners will hear a new sound with the new Tame Impala album Currents. Lead singer Kevin Parker has taken the band in a new direction laden away from classic psychedlia and towards sounds that previous albums didn’t touch upon, namely Soul and R&B. Greg thinks this change in sound along with more pointed, introspective lyrics has led to a step forward for the band, especially in a live setting. He gives the album a Buy It. Jim agrees and compares Parker to another pop auteur, Brian Wilson. Jim thinks that the album displays Parker’s ability to take different elements across the musical spectrum and make them orchestral and moving. He too gives Currents a Buy It rating.

Greg Greg has been enjoying the live return of the British punk band, The Mekons. He in fact wanted to play a Mekons song, but Jim stole his thunder with his pick from show 191. Greg decided to play a track by Mekons offshoot band, The Three Johns, featuring bon vivant Jon Langford. Langford and company took the idea of protest music and gave it a twist, making it less precious. In honor of the Mekons and Langford, Greg plays the track Teenage Nightingales to Wax this week.

Featured Songs Kid Rock, Rebel Soul, Rebel Soul, Atlantic, 2012 Taylor Swift, Style, 1989, Big Machine, 2014 Red Hot Chili Peppers, Scar Tissue, Californication, Warner Bros, 1999 Tame Impala, Solitude Is Bliss, Innerspeaker, Modular Records, 2010 Tame Impala, Apocalypse Dreams, Lonerism, Modular Records, 2012 Tame Impala, Eventually, Eventually (Single), Interscope, 2015 Tame Impala, Why Won’t You Make Up Your Mind? (Live On Sound Opinions) Innerspeaker, Modular Records, 2013 Tame Impala, Why Won’t They Talk to Me? Lonerism, Modular Records, 2012 MGMT, Electric Feel, Oracular Spectacular, Columbia Records, 2008 Tame Impala, Elephant (Live On Sound Opinions), Lonerism, Modular Records, 2013 Supertramp, Breakfast in America, Breakfast in America, A&M, 1979 Tame Impala, Feels Like We Only Go Backwards (Live on Sound Opinions), Lonerism, Modular Records, 2013 Tame Impala, Endors Toi, Lonerism, Modular Records, 2012 Tame Impala, Let It Happen, Let It Happen (Single), Interscope, 2015 Tame Impala, Cause I’m a Man, Cause I’m a Man (Single), Interscope, 2015 The Three Johns, Teenage Nightingales to Wax, Atom Drum Bop, Abstract, 1984 Pete Rock, Dilla Bounce (R.I.P.), PeteStrumentals 2, Mello Music Group, 2015 Phoenix, Long Distance Call, It’s Never Been Like That, Astralwerks, 2006 T. Rex, Jeepster, Electric Warrior, Reprise, 1971 The Raspberries, Cruisin’ Music, Starting Over, Capitol Records, 1974 P-Funk All Stars, One of Those Summers, One of Those Summers / It’s Too Funky in Here (Single), Hump Records, 1982 Urban Dance Squad, Deeper Shade of Soul, Mental Floss for the Globe, Jean-Marie Aerts, 1990 MoZella, Thank You, Belle Isle, Universal / Motown Records, 2009