Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker Talks New Album + Calls ‘Elephant’ ‘Bittersweet’

As Tame Impala gear up for the release of their third full-length, Currents -- which is due out July 17 -- frontman Kevin Parker recently described the album as a significant and deliberate departure from its predecessor, 2012’s Lonerism.

“Lonerism is such an insular, detached album,” he told Grantland. “I got that out of the way, and now I want to join the world.”

According to the Australian singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, the band has accomplished this by creating more pop-oriented fare. “I’ve always liked pop music,” he said. “I love what it does to my brain, and I’ve shut it out for a long time. The more I question myself about why I think pop is taboo, the more I realize it’s not.”

With that said, according to the interview, Parker seems keen to disassociate from one of the band’s biggest hits to date, Lonerism’s “Elephant,” saying, “It’s a little bittersweet because, like, that song paid for half my house.”

“There was so much top end sonically [on Lonerism] -- that sizzling guitar, sizzling synths, the drums are blasting,” he continued. “I realized you can’t turn it up too loud before it’s just burning your ears. I wanted to make an album that you could just turn up really loud, with a throbbing rhythm to it.”

So far, Tame Impala have debuted four tracks from Currents: “Let It Happen,” “‘Cause I’m a Man,” “Eventually” and “Disciples.” The band will pick up their U.S. tour at the beginning of August in Chicago. Check out a complete list of stops on their website.