When an artist shifts genres, it’s always controversial among fans at best and alienating at worst. For instance, Post Malone had a solid career in rap, seeing commercial success in every project, and songs launching up the charts every two seconds. But now, because of his switch to country music, the group of his fans that enjoyed songs like Congratulations or Rockstar cannot enjoy his newer music, or find it harder to do so. It’s not just an isolated event, either. With Lil Yachty going from boastful rap on projects like “Lil Boat” to an alt-rock sound on “Let’s Start Here” or Radiohead shifting from alt-rock/post-grunge on “OK Computer” or “The Bends” to cold, dead, dystopian electronics on “Kid A” or “Amnesiac,” they both pushed away hardcore fans of their previous works. That pattern was bound to repeat for Tame Impala.

Known for his psychedelic, synth, and bass-carried harmonies, Tame Impala received both critical acclaim and commercial success in his career. He built his brand on re-inventing the psych rock wheel, choosing defined and concise sounds instead of the distortion indicative of classic psych rock, such as Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, or the 13th Floor Elevators. This heavy leaning on uniqueness made Tame Impala stand out from others, making similar music. It’s not just his solo career either, though. Tame Impala, under his real name of Kevin Parker, also produced several rap songs that have charted and/or received billions of streams. Travis Scott’s SKELETONS, a standout in both Astroworld and Travis’ career, was partly produced by Kevin Parker, and it shows. The ambiance and full sound are a Tame Impala signature.

“Currents” is by far Tame Impala’s most successful project. Yes, “Lonerism” got him his core fans, and yes, “The Slow Rush” contains one of his biggest songs, but there’s no denying that “Currents” is the torch-bearer of his career. With a Wild cover, wild sounds, and being wildly good, “Currents” is what he’s known for. The album cover is stunning, and the songs have such a fluid feel that only that project can have. With how big “Currents” is, it can start to feel like Kevin Parker himself is that ball winding through the field of purple. It’s all he is, and all he will be, which is why “Deadbeat” has flopped so far in critic circles. When Radiohead released “Kid A,” it received mixed reviews from fans and critics alike. It was seen as too harsh and not worthy of following the generational album that was “OK Computer.” The empty, cold, dystopian feeling put listeners off when all they really wanted was another post-grunge record. The same is happening currently for Kevin Parker.

“Deadbeat” wasn’t made for the psych rock audience. A contemporary of mine said, “All the people who hate ‘Deadbeat’ expected another ‘Currents’,” and I think that’s very true. Deadbeat is an electronic/house record. The genre is a complete switch-up, but that’s not to say it’s bad. The reason it’s flopping is because it feels like a letdown compared to “Currents,” but it isn’t. It’s still the same talent and songwriting ability that the fans are used to, just in a different format. It still has the atmosphere and fullness that Tame Impala usually has, but instead of being led by robust bass lines, it’s led by drum machines and house-style production. It seems he picked up a couple of things from his rap production. 

Tame Impala is known for being successful in re-inventing the wheel when it comes to whatever he touches. His ultimate goal, it sounds like, is to be different and succeed. Looking at the placings of many of his songs on Billboard charts and the numbers on sales counters, Kevin Parker seems to take a cool thing and makes everyone enjoy it. He’s rebuilt public perception of psych rock and reintroduced it to the masses. With “Deadbeat,” he does none of that. Sure, he meshes psych with house, but that’s been done before. It’s not new, but it’s new for Tame Impala. A man who reinvents the wheel every album needs a break and a second to reinvent his own personal wheel. Known for pushing the envelope, it can feel dissatisfying when he doesn’t, and that’s why everyone is disappointed. But this time, Tame Impala pushed his own envelope and tried something new for himself, not for others. The lyrical content suggests a shift in personality, so why wouldn’t the music shift as well?

This is all to say “Deadbeat” wasn’t made for Tame Impala’s fans of “Currents” or “Lonerism.” It’s for a new fanbase of house music enjoyers, and it’s for Tame Impala himself. It’s a step back from the genre he’s known for. Musical quality-wise, it’s still above average; the songwriting is still there. There wasn’t a moment I was bored throughout the whole project. There are skips, but that’s normal for any album, especially a house one, where all the songs can end up melding together and sound homogenous. Tame Impala does well to differentiate the songs and retain the signature feel of Kevin Parker while switching it up. There’s criticism to be made, but the majority are by and for people who wanted another “Currents.” I guarantee, let this record sit for the next couple of years, and it’ll grow on people. It happened with “Let’s Start Here,” it’s happening for “F-1 Trillion” (Post Malone’s Country Debut), and it happened with “Kid A.” It’ll happen with “Deadbeat.” After all, it’s really not that bad.