Of course, Parker's ear for infectious pop melodies still recalls Lennon and McCartney circa 'Revolver,' as do most melody-centric psych bands worth their weight in salt. But 'Lonerism' features synthesizers playing as integral of a role as the walls of fuzzed-out guitars, and this adds a whole new dimension to their sound (or maybe I should say "his" sound, as Parker once again handles all songwriting, instrumental, and vocal duties). The spaces between riffs are taken advantage of as well, with ethereal atmospherics and intertwining melodies filling those gaps, and when combined with the virtual myriad of musical styles and influences contained within, results in one of the most ambitious, absorbing--at times even blissful--albums I've heard in recent memory.
The tripped-out, early-Floyd vibe of "Apocalypse Dreams" is the perfect evidence of this bliss, when--after a dreamy, chugging 3-minute buildup which abruptly cuts off into silence for a brief moment--a euphoric symphony of sounds erupts from the speakers, sending this listener off into deep innerspace, a journey I didn't come back from for a good 45 minutes, when the last notes of the album unfortunately faded. The melancholy "Why Won't They Talk to Me?" is another example, with Parker's multi-tracked, reverb-laden voice harmonizing with itself over an infectious, bouncing drumbeat and swirling synth and organ sounds, resulting in one of the most hypnotic headphone trips you're likely to ever hear. His lyrics here, and throughout the album, are despair-filled yet hopeful, matching the overall musical vibe of 'Lonerism.'
While most albums released these days are front-loaded with the best tracks (now that I think about it, this is nothing new), this album really hits it's groove in the second half, imo. "Feels like We Only Go Backwards"--while upon first blush seems like a low-key, middle-of-the-road dreamy ballad--was totally embedded in my brain last night while I was trying to sleep, with it's insanely catchy and melodic chorus repeating itself over and over until I finally had to get up and listen to it, resulting in my listening to the entire album yet again. Which in turn resulted in my writing this review at dawn in a somewhat manic state, and on less than an hour of sleep.
The centerpiece of the album for me, however, is without question the near-epic penultimate track, "Nothing That Has Happened So Far Has Been Anything We Could Control." It's probably the one most undoubtedly Beatles-y song on the album, and yet it's one of the most original, progressive, and just-plain-mindblowing tracks in modern psych, blazing it's own trail while using mid-late period Beatles as a launching pad. It's a masterpiece of obsessive production, with melodies snaking around melodies, weaving in and around the main hook to the point that it's nearly impossible to absorb it all on the first--or even second or third--listen. This song more than any other requires headphones for maximum effect, and is the perfect climax to a nearly-perfect album, with the whimsical, piano-laden "Sun's Coming Up" serving as the perfect coda.
'Lonerism' is about as close to flawless as there is in modern rock music, imo, and should be a sure-fire contender for album of the year with most hard-core music aficionados, much like 'Innerspeaker' was two years ago. Though, unbelievably, this makes that album seem like a mere warm-up--an early, black and white predecessor to this high-definition, 3-D masterpiece. I have no idea where Kevin Parker (and co.) will go from here, but I can now guarantee you that I'll follow, no matter where the road takes him. Right now it's hard for me to imagine him topping this anytime soon, but after witnessing the creative leap made with 'Lonerism,' it certainly wouldn't surprise me.
Verdict: 80/100
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