K
EVIN PARKER is a
prog-rock wiz with
a heart of pop gold,
spooling out resplendent psy-
chedelic symphonies in Tame
Impala, a studio project that’s
blossomed into a band big
enough to headline Coachella.
With his long hair and spacey
jams, he can recall a bygone
era of art-rock conjurer, those
Seventies studio druids holed
up in sound caves, subsisting
on psilocybin tea and holding
philosophical discourses with
their beard fleas. But Parker’s
a modern guy, and his music
works because he balances
pie-eyed grandeur with sug-
ary sleekness; it’s part of the
reason Rihanna covered one
of his songs, and why he’s
been tapped to work with
Lady Gaga, Kanye West, and
other stars.ILLUSTRATION BY
Janelle BaroneTame Impala
The Slow Rush
UNIVERSAL
#Psychedelic-pop
conjurer Kevin
Parker opens up
his massive bag
of sonic tricks
By JON DOLANMusic
TAME IMPALA
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