The LP tells the story of a year of trial and error in interpersonal relationships. Kevin Parker, the creative maestro of the group, makes this clear in the opening track “One More Year.” He isn’t subtle in laying out the message—a low, computerized voice repeats the title over an electric current of a beat. However, to emote the feeling behind the lyrics, he uses a reverb on certain lyrics. Specifically in verse three, it becomes apparent that the emphasis of the beat and reverb are on the end of the line. These words show the audience that Parker is sharing the story of his relationship. It’s fitting considering the album’s release date.

It would be easy for the rest of the album to be sappy or saccharine, but Parker does not take us through a tunnel of love. He keeps it raw and honest. On the track, “Borderline,” he reveals his fears about the commitment of marriage. Vulnerable lines like “Will I be known and loved” instill a deeper understanding between Parker and the listener. All of this internal strife is set over a light, tinsley funky beat. He dives deep into the feels on “Posthumous Forgiveness,” and he shares the pain associated with not having his father around. But then we jump out of these troubles back into the relationship struggles on “Breathe Deeper.” This song is a disco revival—it’s catchy and infectious. While listening, it’s easy to catch yourself dancing alone in your room as if it was Studio 54. The irregular, syncopated beat and the house piano lighten the mood as Parker tells us that he and his love are going to take some space. “So do this and get through this/And come find me when you're done/So we can be as one.”

The story of the next three tracks is one of rumination in the past spaces of the relationship. The most noteworthy of this throuple is “Lost in Yesterday,” a glorious ode to your rose-tinted lenses and delusions of nostalgic grandeur.

Once we finish the trip down memory lane, we come to “Is It True,” a song that Parker recounts an argument that he has with his significant other to the audience in a way that it seems like the listener is real chummy with Parker and his lover. “We started talkin' 'bout devotion...And I tell her I'm in love with her.” The change from “we” to female pronouns signifies that the other party of the story is not part of the present conversation, thus creating a friendliness and relatable-ness to what he is sharing lyrically.

The Slow Rush photography x Neil Krug — *The Slow Rush* photography *x Neil Krug*

After conflict with his lady, Parker has got inner doubt going on in “Might Be Time,” the single he dropped in October of last year. The chorus is emotionally, heavy lyrics “It might be time to face it/(You/It) ain’t as fun as it used to be, no/You’re goin’ under/You ain’t as young as you used to be.” As Parker drops these thoughts, there’s an aggressive beat and siren-esque addition to the instrumental to show the urgency of his thoughts.

“Glimmer” is a filler song. Lyrically, this is the most basic song on the album. Parker’s voice repeats “I wanna let it all go” every ten seconds. This leads into the closer: “One More Hour.” It brings us back to the discussion he has with his fiancée on the opener. In an interview with Zane Lowe on Beats One Radio, Parker revealed that the idea behind the song is that this is the final hour of the year. It ends with a conversational outro between the couple as they step into the future and the unknown.

It could be argued that Parker’s lyrics throughout his career have struggled to match the bravado of the instrumentals and the production, but the narrative of “The Slow Rush” lies within the lyrics. This reviewer would say he’s finally done it: made two become one to create something beautiful. This is the album where Parker manages to meld his instrumental and editing prowess with lyrics that match that energy. The depth and breadth of the lyrics allows each song to flourish.

The Slow Rush: Tame Impala's Fourth Studio Album Makes Things Personal

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