The Best Psychedelic Rock Albums of the Last Few Years
Contents
A list of the best psychedelic rock albums of the last few years, including releases from Tame Impala, MGMT, and The Flaming Lips.
The Revival of Psychedelic Rock
In the last few years, there has been a revival of psychedelic rock. This genre of music was popular in the 60s and 70s, and it is making a comeback. Psychedelic rock is known for its trippy, mind-bending sound. It often incorporates elements of other genres, such as garage rock, folk, and blues. If you’re looking for some good psychedelic rock albums, here are a few of the best from the last few years.
The early days of psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock, often referred to simply as psychedelia, is a style of rock music that was inspired by psychedelic culture and seeking to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. Psychedelic rock developed in the mid-1960s as artists began to experiment with incorporating elements ofpsychedelia into their music.
The early days of psychedelic rock were dominated by British bands like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, who popularized the use of mind-altering drugs like LSD. As psychedlic culture reached its peak in the late 1960s, American bands like The Doors and The Grateful Dead emerged as leading proponents of the genre.
By the 1970s, psychedelic rock had largely fall out of favor with the mainstream music community, but it continued to be popular among underground and independent artists. In recent years, there has been a renewed interest inpsychedelic rock, with many new bands drawing inspiration from the genre’s classic era.
The influence of the Beatles
The Beatles are often credited with being the first psychedelic rock band, although their influence on the genre is more complex than that. The band’s use of feedback, distorted guitars and studio effects like reversal tape and automatic double tracking (ADT) certainly pushed the boundaries of what was considered acceptable in pop music at the time. However, it was also their willingness to experiment with LSD that made them true innovators in the field of psychedelic rock.
The British Invasion
In the early 1960s, a number of British rock bands began to experiment with drugs, particularly LSD. These bands, who became known as the “British Invasion,” included the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and the Who. These bands were influenced by a number of factors, including the work of American psychedelic pioneers such as Timothy Leary and Ken Kesey.
The British Invasion bands brought psychedelic rock to a wider audience, and their success helped to make drug use more acceptable in mainstream society. Psychedelic rock enjoyed its heyday in the late 1960s, but by the early 1970s, it had begun to fall out of favor. In recent years, however, there has been a resurgence of interest in psychedelic rock, with new bands such as Tame Impala and Temples emerging on the scene.
If you’re looking to explore this genre, then check out our list of the best psychedelic rock albums of the last few years.
The Psychedelic Rock Revival of the Last Few Years
In the last few years, there has been a huge resurgence in Psychedelic Rock music. Classic bands like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones have influenced a new generation of Psychedelic Rock bands. These new bands are taking Psychedelic Rock music in new and exciting directions.
Tame Impala and the Australian Psychedelic Rock Scene
Tame Impala is an Australian psychedelic rock band that has been at the forefront of the Psychedelic Rock Revival of the last few years. The band’s debut album, Innerspeaker, was released in 2010 to critical acclaim, and their sophomore effort, Lonerism, was hailed as one of the best albums of 2012 by many publications.
While Tame Impala may be the most well-known band to come out of the Australian psychedelic rock scene, they are far from the only one worthy of mention. Other excellent bands in this genre include The Growl, Lake Briefcase, Pond, and The Babe Rainbow.
If you’re a fan of psychedelic rock, or just looking for some great music to relax to, be sure to check out these fantastic bands from Down Under.
The Black Keys and the American Psychedelic Rock Revival
The Black Keys are an American rock band from Akron, Ohio, formed in 2001. The group consists of Dan Auerbach (guitar, vocals) and Patrick Carney (drums). Their raw blues rock sound draws heavily on Auerbach’s blues influences, and has led to the duo being hailed as one of the revivalists of psychedelic rock.
The Black Keys’ eighth studio album, Turn Blue, was released on May 12, 2014. The album was co-produced by Danger Mouse and features the singles “Fever” and “Turn Blue”. To promote the album, the band appeared on several late-night talk shows including The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Late Show with David Letterman.
The Arctic Monkeys and the British Psychedelic Rock Revival
The Arctic Monkeys are an English rock band formed in 2002 in High Green, a suburb of Sheffield. The group consists of Alex Turner (lead vocals, guitar), Jamie Cook (guitar), Nick O’Malley (bass guitar), and Matt Helders (drums, vocals). Former band member Andy Nicholson (bass guitar, backing vocals) left the band in 2006 shortly after their debut album was released. The band has won seven Brit Awards—winning both Best British Group and Best British Album three times, and have been nominated for five Grammy Awards. They also won the Mercury Prize in 2006 for their debut album, in addition to receiving nominations in 2007 and 2013. Their fifth studio album AM was released on 9 September 2013 and became their fifth consecutive number one album in the UK. It received critical acclaim and topped many year-end best of lists. In December 2013, they were nominated for Best Album Artwork/12″ Vinyl at Rolling Stone’s 5th Annual Record Awards.
The Best Psychedelic Rock Albums of the Last Few Years
Psychedelic rock is a subgenre of rock music that emerged in the 1960s. It is characterized by a distorted and often psychedelic sound. Psychedelic rock often uses elements of other genres, such as acid rock, jazz, and world music. If you’re a fan of psychedelic rock, then you’ll love this list of the best psychedelic rock albums of the last few years.
Tame Impala – Lonerism
In October 2012, Australian psychedelic rock band Tame Impala released their second album, Lonerism. The album was well-received by critics, with many citing it as a significant improvement on the band’s debut album. Lonerism was also a commercial success, reaching number one in Australia and number three in the UK.
If you’re a fan of psychedelic rock, then you should definitely check out Lonerism. The album features some of the best songwriting and musicianship of the last few years, and is sure to get your head nodding along.
The Black Keys – El Camino
El Camino is the seventh studio album by American rock duo the Black Keys. It was co-produced by Danger Mouse and the band, and was released on Nonesuch Records on December 6, 2011. The record was the band’s follow-up to their commercial breakthrough, Brothers (2010), and their first album with producer Danger Mouse. El Camino draws from popular genres of rock music, such as garage rock, hard rock, blues rock, and psychadelic rock.
The album’s title refers to a Chevrolet El Camino that Auerbach bought during the recording process. Its artwork features a classic Chevrolet El Camino surfer wagon covered in surfing stickers.
The album received positive reviews from critics, who praised its raw sound and the duo’s songwriting. It debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 206,000 copies in its first week. It also reached the top 10 of several other national music charts, including Australia, Canada, Denmark, New Zealand, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. As of July 2014, it has sold over one million copies in the United States. Three singles were released from El Camino: “Lonely Boy”, “Gold on the Ceiling”, and “Little Black Submarines”.
The Arctic Monkeys – AM
Arctic Monkeys’ fifth album AM seemed to come out of nowhere. The UK band had been pretty quiet in the years leading up to its release, and when AM dropped, it felt like a completely new sound for the band. But that new sound was incredible, and it led to one of the best albums of the last few years.
Full of groovy, psychedelic rock tracks, AM is an immaculately produced album that sounds like it was made in a time capsule from the ‘70s. The Arctic Monkeys have always had great songwriting chops, but on AM they reached a whole new level, crafting catchy hooks and incredibly catchy melodies. If you’re looking for a great psychedelic rock album from the last few years, you need to check out AM.
