30.
Tame Impala, ‘Currents,’ 2015
Man, I know that it’s hard to digest
But maybe your story ain’t so different from the rest
And I know it seems wrong to accept
But you’ve got your demons, and she’s got her regrets
Tame Impala’s third studio album, Currents, is rooted in themes of change, personal growth, and self-discovery, serving as a metaphorical narrative of Kevin Parker’s own transitional phase in life. The opening track, Let It Happen, introduces the theme of surrendering to the forces of change, a recurring concept throughout the album. Parker’s lyrics reveal his introspections on isolation, the complexities of modern love, and the bittersweet nature of personal transformation. It’s a cathartic exploration where he allows listeners to witness his evolution from solitude into the ambiguity of new beginnings. This transformative arc is expertly crafted through tracks like Yes I’m Changing, where Parker confronts his own fear and acceptance of change head-on. The lyrics demonstrate a layered emotional depth, interweaving feelings of vulnerability and resilience as he navigates the dissolution of a romantic relationship. Songs like ‘Cause I’m a Man employ playful self-deprecation, revealing Parker’s understanding of masculine stereotypes while capturing his struggle with vulnerability and accountability in relationships. Tame Impala’s lyrics balance poetic introspection with tangible emotion, inviting listeners into Parker’s psyche as he navigates personal trials and realizations. The album is rife with sentimentality and self-reflection, capturing universal emotions in the context of contemporary romantic and personal experiences. Eventually is a standout track that addresses the inevitability of change in relationships, finding space for melancholy while maintaining a hopeful outlook. The composition of Currents marks a departure from the guitar-dominant sounds of earlier Tame Impala records like Lonerism and Innerspeaker, venturing into synth-driven soundscapes. This switch from guitars to synthesizers is both daring and strategic, as Parker expands Tame Impala’s sonic repertoire to include influences from R&B, pop, psychedelic rock, funk, and electronic music, which manifests in the album’s crisp and polished sound. The album infuses rich textures, syncopated rhythms, and melodic synth layers, crafting a sound landscape that is both atmospheric and intimately engaging. Tracks like The Less I Know The Better and New Person, Same Old Mistakes serve as excellent examples of Parker’s ability to fuse genres, blending disco-funk baselines with psychedelic overtones to create infectious, danceable tunes that maintain a distinct Tame Impala identity. Moreover, Parker’s intricate layering of sounds evokes a sense of nostalgia through its dreamy synth pads and reverb-soaked vocals, reminiscent of hazy summer days.
29.
Father John Misty, ‘I Love You, Honeybear,’ 2015
I Love You, Honeybear, the sophomore album by Father John Misty, an alter ego of Josh Tillman can be described as both a concept album and a personal reflection. At its core, the album explores the multifaceted nature of love. It is a satirical yet sincere dive into Tillman’s personal life, including his marriage to his wife, Emma. From the outset, the self-titled track I Love You, Honeybear presents this dichotomy by juxtaposing declarations of enduring love against a backdrop of a world in chaos and despair. I Love You, Honeybear is noted for its dichotomous approach, successfully weaving themes of romance, vulnerability, self-loathing, and dark humor. The album features a juxtaposition of its sweet melodies against the often caustic and self-aware lyrics, a strategy that further emphasizes the album’s intent to expose the absurdities and truths about love. Described as both whimsical and caustic, Tillman’s lyrics serve as a double-edged sword, using irony and satire to explore the darker sides of love and intimacy. The album’s narrative voice doesn’t shy away from uncomfortable truths, presenting a raw and unfiltered perspective of romantic relationships. Songs in the album often weave poetic tales filled with vivid imagery: “mascara, blood, ash, and cum”; drawing listeners into moments of intense intimacy. Tracks like Bored in the USA exemplify Tillman’s ability to critique societal norms through personal experience. It takes sharp aim at the disillusionment of the American dream, using a laugh track to underscore the absurdity of its themes, thus neutralizing the discomforting realities presented. In The Night Josh Tillman Came to Our Apt., Tillman paints a scathing picture of superficial relations, mixing humor with biting commentary on contemporary relational dynamics. I Love You, Honeybear is steeped in lush arrangements, including strings, horns, and layered vocals, that draw from a wide array of influences. Every instrumental choice seems deliberate, from the delicate harp in Strange Encounter to the scuzz-infused ambiance of The Ideal Husband. The album’s orchestration lends a sophisticated and immersive quality to the listening experience, enhancing the emotional depth of Tillman’s introspective storytelling. Tracks like Chateau Lobby #4 (in C for Two Virgins) employ a tender mariachi rhythm, while True Affection shifts into hypnotic electronic spheres, displaying Tillman’s adeptness at genre-blending.
How many people rise and think
“Oh good, the stranger’s body’s still here, our arrangement hasn’t changed
Now, I’ve got a lifetime to consider all the ways
I grow more disappointing to you
As my beauty warps and fades
And I suspect you feel the same
When I was young, I dreamt of a passionate obligation to a roommate?”
28.
Mitski, ‘Be The Cowboy,’ 2018
At the heart of Mitski’s fifth studio album, Be the Cowboy, lies her exploration of identity and desire, captured through the metaphor of the cowboy, a figure traditionally viewed as independent and stoic. Mitski drew inspiration for the album title from a college acquaintance who embodied a “cowboy swagger” on stage, prompting her to internally urge herself to “be the cowboy.” This notion of becoming what one admires weaves through the album’s narrative, where characters strive for independence while yearning for connection—a duality Mitski has adeptly portrayed through her songwriting. Thematically, Be the Cowboy delves into changing identities, self-actualization, and the complexities of relationships. Mitski imbues her lyrics with vivid portrayals of solitude and introspection, crafting stories of ex-lovers and emotional entanglements that resist easy resolutions. This thematic thrust is reflected in the album’s artwork, where Mitski is styled as a mid-century showgirl, hinting at themes of artifice and the multifaceted nature of personal presentation. The album opens with Geyser, a track that encapsulates the swell of emotions through lyrics that reflect both dependency and empowerment. On this track, the lyrical refrain, “You’re my number one” is repeated against a backdrop of building instrumental intensity, setting the stage for the emotional journey that ensues. The lyrics throughout Be the Cowboy are unflinching in their honesty, often juxtaposing vulnerability with a facade of control. Songs like Nobody and Lonesome Love articulate the visceral pangs of loneliness and existential yearning. In Nobody, Mitski ruminates on solitude with the deceptively cheerful “disco vaudeville” backdrop, highlighting a playful yet poignant lyricism that permeates the album.
Be the Cowboy sees Mitski navigating a broad spectrum of styles, from synth-pop and disco to country and chamber pop, often within a single track. This genre-hopping is exemplified in songs like Pink in the Night, an operatic composition, and Washing Machine Heart, a synth-driven pop spectacle. Mitski, along with producer Patrick Hyland, employs a meticulous approach to instrumentation, incorporating piano, horns, and synthesized elements while retaining her signature guitar work. The album’s experimental nature is also evident in its structure; many tracks eschew conventional pop-song frameworks, opting for brevity and concentrated expression reminiscent of miniature suites. The album favors clean, crisp soundscapes over the denser, fuzzier textures of her previous work, thereby placing Mitski’s poignant vocals at the fore.
27.
Arcade Fire, ‘The Suburbs,’ 2010
Arcade Fire’s third studio album, The Suburbs, stands out as a cohesive concept album, exploring the existential and cultural isolation often associated with suburban life. Frontman Win Butler’s attempt to revisit his youth and the changing landscape of his upbringing serves as the album’s backbone, capturing a moment just before it fades into oblivion. At the heart of the album lies a profound narrative that reflects the tension between the mundane reality of suburban living and the nostalgic longing for a seemingly simpler past of childhood and adolescence. The thematic exploration of The Suburbs extends into broader commentary on globalization, commercialization, and technological advancements, which threaten to erode the unique identity of suburban communities. This environmental backdrop amplifies a sense of disillusionment and loss, capturing the essence of temporal shifts that resonate with listeners who have witnessed similar societal changes. Drawing inspiration from George Orwell’s essay on writing, Butler’s lyrical approach emphasizes vivid imagery and precise descriptions, making the personal universal. The title track, The Suburbs, encapsulates the bittersweet essence of revisiting formative years through the lens of maturity. Lines such as “Sometimes I can’t believe it / I’m moving past the feeling” echo the nostalgia and inevitable passage of time. Songs like Suburban War encapsulate these themes with poignant lines such as “Now the cities we live in could be distant stars / And I search for you in every passing car.” Such lyrics underline the pervasive sense of longing and searching that the band conveys so adeptly.
Musically, The Suburbs represents an ambitious fusion of indie rock, art rock, and chamber pop, evoking the soundscapes of the 1970s while remaining distinctly modern. From the driving rhythms of Ready to Start to the nostalgic synth-pop of Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains), the band seamlessly blends diverse genres to enhance the album’s narrative. The album’s composition is marked by a diverse palette of instruments, including saxophones, French horns, auxiliary percussion, and a ten-piece orchestral string arrangement. The layered instrumentals are exemplified in the sonic richness of tracks like Deep Blue and Modern Man. The production of The Suburbs reflects Arcade Fire’s old-school approach to album-making. The band utilized 1940s recording technology, mixing the album on vintage consoles to produce a warm, analog sound that contrasts the digital norm. This approach allowed the album to retain a tangible, organic quality, complementing its themes of nostalgia and authenticity.
They heard me singing and they told me to stop
Quit these pretentious things and just punch the clock
Sometimes, I wonder if the world’s so small
Can we ever get away from the sprawl?
Living in the sprawl
Dead shopping malls rise like mountains beyond mountains
And there’s no end in sight
I need the darkness; someone, please cut the lights
26.
Grimes, ‘Art Angels,’ 2012
In 2012, Grimes’ critically acclaimed project Visions cemented her as an innovative force in the electro-pop genre. Her fourth studio album, Art Angels stands out as a testament to Grimes’ maturation as a musician and producer; an album that bridges the gap between avant-garde experimentation and mainstream pop sensibility. Grimes herself indicated a thematic shift from escapism to confronting reality head-on, a departure from the ethereal soundscapes of Visions. One of the central themes of Art Angels is empowerment, particularly feminist empowerment seemingly wrapped in a vibrantly pop package. Grimes explores the complexity of love and liberation with a tapestry of whimsical and layered sounds, as noted in tracks like Artangels, where she balances the paradox of personal freedom against the backdrop of unattainable love. Songs like Kill V. Maim embody assertiveness and defiance, exploring the fluidity of gender roles and societal expectations. Venus Fly, featuring Janelle Monáe, brings a theatrical approach to challenging stereotypical femininity and self-presentation. Moreover, the album often oscillates between showcasing personal introspection and broader societal critiques, as seen in tracks such as California, which critiques media perceptions with lines expressing disillusionment by the industry. The album is also imbued with political undertones and environmental commentary, such as in Butterfly, where Grimes metaphorically addresses themes of self-empowerment and ecological awareness.
Grimes produced Art Angels predominantly by herself, a fact that accentuates the album’s distinctive aura of independence and artistic integrity. Art Angels marks a shift towards a more comprehensive and pop-centric composition. The album traverses across electro-pop, synth-pop, and art-pop, while also dipping into alternative dance genres, showcasing Grimes’ ability to blend high art with mainstream appeal. The compositions are often described as maximalist yet meticulous, embodying Grimes’ ability to intertwine complex sonic textures with catchy pop hooks. Grimes’ use of instruments is noteworthy; this album incorporates real instruments such as the violin, guitar, ukulele, keys, and drums. Learning to play these instruments highlights Grimes’ dedication to expanding her musical vocabulary and allows her to create a more holistic sound. The track Kill V. Maim exemplifies this ambition by fusing aggressive beats with melodic hooks, embodying a unique, cheerleader-like vibe alongside robust electronic elements that are characteristic of Grimes’ signature sound. On the other hand, tracks such as Realiti lean into more atmospheric electronics, representing a nod to her earlier work while being reimagined within the new album’s context.