After five long years, Kevin Parker, better known as Tame Impala, finally returns with “Deadbeat,” a 12-track album that explores feelings of self doubt and anxiety. Blending soothing synths with upbeat rhythms, this record will make your entire week 10 times better. Here’s our review of each track in order.

“My Old Ways”: 10/10

This is the catchiest song on the album, starting it off with a quiet guitar that leads into Tame Impala’s falsetto voice that works so well with the dance/tech style of music he creates. All of his best songs come with this style, and “My Old Ways” doesn’t shy away from it. This song takes the best parts of electronic music and combines them with the best parts of Tame Impala, easily making this a top contender for the best song on the album.

“No Reply”: 7.5/10

“I apologize” for a rating of 7.5. This song lacks enough energy to rank it higher, but the consistent flow makes this song extremely fun to listen to. We love every part of the song, but there is something missing. The last two minutes are very disappointing, taking away the ecstatic energy from earlier in the song and replacing it with despair. While we understand why Parker makes this decision, it’s one that subtracts from the song, playing a major role in the rating.

“Dracula”: 10/10

Arguably one of the best tracks on the album, Dracula’s catchy, repetitive lyrics make it stick in your head all day. Repeating the phrase “run from the sun like Dracula” out loud might earn some side-eyes, but the addictive melody makes even mundane tasks, like doing homework or washing dishes, feel more fun. With its undeniably spooky vibe, this track is a perfect addition to any fall playlist.

“Loser”: 10/10

Parker truly has a talent of storytelling reflected in his songs, especially in “Loser”. He uses introspective lyrics to explore specific emotions like self-doubt and vulnerability. The track reflects on self-sabotage and feelings of unworthiness, even as success surrounds him. It makes the song relatable and emotionally impactful. Lyrics like “That’s how my life is, you couldn’t write it” and “Desperate times call for desperate measures” perfectly capture the tension between confidence and insecurity.

“Oblivion”: 8/10

Oblivion comes at a tough spot, behind the two best songs in the album. Despite this, Oblivion does not disappoint, with a strong intro that makes you feel like you’re in a dream. The middle is action packed, and the guitar riff at the end is so satisfying. When we picture this song in my mind, it looks like a sea of soft, comfortable clouds. Factor all of these together and “I would” add this song to my playlist.

“Not my World”: 5/10

This song takes a big shift from the rest, and while we still get a magical feeling, it is more sorrowful than gleeful. It feels like an interlude in a play, a moment to stop and reflect. It has a very slow start that feels boring to listen to. However, it kicks in around the two minute mark, a small little switch that breathes some life into it. It’s not that this song is bad — in fact, we think it deserves a good rating. However, due to the cons listed above, this song just doesn’t work for us.

“Piece of Heaven”: 8.5/10

When we first heard this song, we genuinely hated it. The lyrics felt off and the rhythm wasn’t our feel. However, after a few more listens, we started to appreciate the lyrics and how the melody fits the meaning behind the song. The more we listened, the more we enjoyed it. This song is like Tame Impala’s love letter to music itself, with Kevin Parker using dreamy synths and layered vocals to create his own version of paradise. The song feels light, floaty, and kind of like the moment when you’re lying on your bed with headphones in, staring at the ceiling, with endless thoughts in your head. It’s got that classic Tame Impala vibe: hypnotic, groovy and relatable. It may take a few replays to fully enjoy the song, but once it does, it feels like you’ve found your own piece of heaven.

“Obsolete”: 8/10

The intro as a prelude to the ending riff is pure genius, something that we think is underutilized in songmaking today. The foreshadowing to the end doesn’t just bring the song together, it connects it back to the rest of the album. The little details like the ones present in Obsolete make this album feel like an album, not a random collection of songs. Obsolete jumps off to a great start that never ends, and this easily wins the award for most underrated song on the entire album. If this song had been released earlier, we think it would have been a huge hit — but most of the focus goes to “Loser” and “Dracula.”

“Ethereal Connection”: 3/10

This is the album’s only low point, a track built around a drum machine that feels like little effort went into it. To be fair, we are hyperanalyzing the album, but this song is just not it. The long instrumentals are something Parker enjoys, as shown by the fact he plays those types of songs on his current tour, but the song straight up has no vocals and feels like a DJ was just having fun with their soundboard. While the rest of the songs have deeper meanings with catchy lyrics, this song feels empty in comparison.

“See you on Monday (You’re Lost)”: 5/10

“See you on Monday” starts off slow, and honestly, that’s not a bad thing. A lot of great songs build up from a slow beginning and turn into masterpieces. But with this one, we kept waiting for that moment to appear. As he repeated the words “And it happens,” we kept on wondering if anything was going to happen.

Unfortunately, nothing ever does.

The melodies are beautiful and the song has a dreamy-like feel, but without that big payoff, the song is left feeling unfinished.

“Afterthought”: 9/10

This song is truly incredible. The fast beat combined with the slurred lyrics creates a unique and powerful rhythm. The song touches on the feeling of being a second choice, though it doesn’t sound like any other ordinary sob song. It feels upbeat and positive, even though it’s really about sadness and feeling unappreciated. The song is very repetitive but not in a bad way. It’s catchy, meaningful and definitely worth a listen.

“End of Summer”: 9.5/10

While “End of Summer” might be the last on the album, it was released early on July 25, making it the preview and first song for “Deadbeat.” Parker picked the perfect song to introduce his new album, as “End of Summer” has the best instrumental throughout the album, making it feel like a new version of “Let it Happen,” a song from his previous album, “Currents.” This catchy song might have come out at the End of Summer, but that doesn’t mean it couldn’t be the song of the summer. The only complaint I would have about this song is the time, because we never have the attention span to sit down for seven minutes and listen to one song.

Overall, Parker has produced an impressive album. “Dracula” and “My Old Ways” stand out as the top of the album, although “End of Summer” and “Loser” are close behind. While some tracks did not live up to the expectations, they are overshadowed by the best of the album.

Our final rating for “Deadbeat” is 8.5/10.