Tame Impala’s last album, Currents, was a songwriting masterclass that explored the agitation, jealousy, and reluctance surrounding a breakup. Now, with the recently released Currents B-Sides & Remixes EP, Kevin Parker—the project’s sole recording member and songwriter—shows us pieces from the cutting room floor. It’s largely a hodgepodge of scraps—including a fuzzy instrumental and Soulwax’s previously released “Let It Happen” remix—but the opening track, “List of People (To Try And Forget About),” proves a captivating listen.
In a recent interview, Parker explained the song was written at the end of 2012’s Lonerism sessions, making it a bridge between his sophomore album and the most recent one. In a way, the song is almost a practice run for Currents: Parker explores themes that run parallel to the gut-wrenching single “Eventually.” “And as the years go by/Your name will fade out gradually/Don’t think my heart will try/But it was waiting here,” he intones, exploring the lower range of his vocal register. The gorgeous melodies are relentless, and Parker writes every section like a potential hook.
“List of People” does lack some of the laser focus of Currents’ best tracks. Synths meander without purpose, and the bridge half loses the plot before trailing off. Hindsight is 20/20, of course, so it’s pretty simple to argue that Parker made the right call in relegating this one to an outtake. But then again, according to him, there was a point when he figured “List of People” might be a single. As a B-side, at least, “List of People” offers an intriguing glimpse at the Tame Impala that could have been.
