Tame Impala & Savages Review

Australian psych-rockers Tame Impala perform live in the studio. Later, Jim and Greg review the debut album from buzzed-about post-punk band, Savages.

Band Photo of Tame Impala
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Slayer is undoubtedly one of the most important metal acts ever. Heck, in any genre. And one of its founders, Jeff Hanneman, died recently at age 49. As Greg explains, this guy really brought the riffs. He and fellow guitarist Kerry King were like race car drivers, both playing lead guitar and then zooming out ahead. It was especially amazing to witness this live. Unfortunately Jeff didn't join his bandmates for a visit to our studios a few years ago. But we remember him through Slayer's music. Check out "War Ensemble" from 1990's Seasons in the Abyss.

Say you're Hollywood heavyweight Harvey Weinstein. Who do you turn to in order to bring Led Zeppelin back together for a Hurricane Sandy benefit? Why former President Bill Clinton of course! He's brokered many a deal-both foreign and congressional. So why not a rock and roll deal? Well, turns out the Golden God was not so easily moved by Clinton's charms.

Tame Impala

Last year Lonerism took top slots on both Jim and Greg's Best of 2012 lists. Now we've got Tame Impala performing those new psychedelic classics live in our studio! And along the way, lead singer Kevin Parker talks about the band's influences, both expected (The Flaming Lips) and not (Supertramp), and his desire to work with producer Dave Fridmann. The Australian musicians also debate whether actual psychedelic substances contribute to a psychedelic sound. Certainly you don't need them to enjoy the result.

Silence Yourself Savages

Album Art

Last year, London-based quartet Savages burst onto the indie scene seemingly fully formed. Jehny Beth, Gemma Thompson, Ayse Hassan, and Fay Milton had been a band for less than a year when the UK music press caught on to "Husbands," the group's debut single. Critically acclaimed performances at CMJ, SXSW, and Coachella followed (In our own SXSW wrap-up, Jim declared he had "seen God" at Savages' set). So do they deliver on their Matador Recordsdebut Silence Yourself? Jim's answer is an unequivocal "Yes!" Not only does he stand by his previous claim that Jehny Beth is the most compelling rock frontperson since Kurt Cobain, he extends the Nirvana metaphor. Just like that legendary nineties  grunge band, Savages take familiar ingredients (post-punk and minimalism) and make them fresh. Greg agrees. This is a serious band, he says, with the album cover manifesto to prove it and the songs to back it up. Silence Yourself gets an enthusiastic double Buy It.

Jim

Tame Impala's Kevin Parker wasn't afraid to declare his love for the admittedly un-hip Supertramp during this week's interview, and neither is Jim. Jim celebrates the British band's signature mix of prog and pop during this week's DIJ. He says "Take the Long Way Home" from 1979's Breakfast in America is characteristic of the band's simultaneously sunny and threatening take on orchestral pop.

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