The iconic alternative album “Lonerism” turned ten years old on Oct. 5. The record is a pillar of the alternative genre and was responsible for Tame Impala’s massive success in the music industry. When I saw Kevin Parker’s Instagram post reminiscing about all the ways in which the record affected his life, I thought I should, too.

When I first started listening to Tame Impala, I was in eighth grade. I had braces, acne, scoliosis and a back brace for said scoliosis. I was the small, timid middle schooler who had no clue as to where I fit in. Struggling with the physical and emotional changes that plagued me and every other average preteen, I felt adrift. One thing that kept me anchored, however, was music.

At a mere 13 years old, something clicked when I first heard the mastermind of Tame Impala, Kevin Parker, and his dystopian voice, synonymous to that of John Lennon. This psychedelic, experimental and alternative style shifted my perception of music. Truly, I do not think I have connected with an artist more. When I listened to “Lonerism” in its entirety, I felt a little more understood as an individual. I realized that even though I felt somewhat out of place, there was someone else on the other side of the world who felt the same way.

Starting with “Be Above It,” the record automatically takes ownership of an experimental style by relaying an urgent message through a whisper-voice urging the listener to stay above “it,” a reference to loneliness. Parker then opens the floodgates, letting the concentrated fuzziness of his guitar bleed through. A short introduction to his project, Parker balances both the vague and mysterious with his stylistic essentials, making the listener want to follow deeper to uncover an intimate truth of loneliness.

Tracks like “Endors Toi” and “Apocalypse Dreams” advance the overall tone of the album. Isolated drums contrast Parker’s far-reaching vocals to heighten the album’s intensity, quickly gaining speed. Parker wastes no time by the heavy guitar break in “Apocalypse Dreams.” Here, the anticipation has been set for us. This kind of hard-hitting playing, cultivated by the guitar, bass, synths and percussion, has established the iconic sound of Tame Impala, first shown in his debut album “Innerspeaker” and developed further in “Lonerism.”

“Mind Mischief” reaches further into a more contemplative theme of regret. Talking about a love that has now gone wrong, Parker says he “feels like my life is ready to blow,” and narrates his wrongdoings in his romantic relationship. These kinds of mistakes that Parker hints at, however, seem increasingly accidental, as if he doesn’t know any better. “I just don’t know where the hell I belong,” Parker sings. With the brash guitar and bright synths, the listener gets lost in an immersive wonderland of contrasting emotions.

“Music To Walk Home By” fleshes out a pop-inspired melody while continuing to expand the narrative of self-loathing and questioning. Parker feels alienated from his age group, singing that he is, “trying so hard to be [him]self.” He discusses the conflicts of competing with others, feeling stagnant and handling the ups and downs of love. These struggles, and the attempt to please everyone, plague both him and his happiness.

These ideas contradict the actual tone of the track, as the sound is more fast-paced and witty. Once you take a closer look into the lyrics, it is apparent that Parker is essentially walking us through his inner monologue. This unapologetic, brash vulnerability is what I value so much about the project. It helped to pave the way for other alternative artists to go out of the box and stir the pot in the music scene.

“Why Won’t They Talk To Me?” is a sort of continuation of the last song. Again, Parker balances an upbeat tempo in conjunction with his instrumentals and somber, questioning lyrics that take each one of us back to a memory of isolation. Parker pleads, “Why won’t they talk to me?” repeatedly through the track, but then goes on to realize, “But I don’t even care about it anyway / I wouldn’t listen to a word any of them say / They just talk about themselves all day.”

At 13 years old, this line particularly stood out to me. In the competitive and confusing trial that is adolescent schooling, it is so easy to feel like an outcast if you are a different from the masses. I remember how comforting this lyric felt to me; even though it seemed like I was alone as I grappled with ways in which I could alter myself to belong, I was not the only one trying to.

Eventually, there comes the point of exhaustion, when you start to see that changing yourself is not worth the trouble. Parker embraces ‘lonerism.’ I, too, believe that everyone realizes that being lonely, while upsetting at first, is nothing to be ashamed about in the slightest.

Iconic songs such as “Feels Like We Only Backwards” and “Elephant” are tracks that have brought in new fans to Tame Impala’s listening sphere. “Feels Like We Only Go Backwards” certainly made an impression through Parker’s vocal gloom. The melody is almost addictive, rolling around and around in circles like the lyrics foretell.

I was lucky enough to see Tame Impala live twice. This past April, Parker sang this song to an arena of fans screaming the lyrics back to him as he sauntered around on stage about 15 feet away from me. That was truly an unforgettable, full-circle moment in my eyes.

The gritty guitar and percussion on “Elephant” has caught the attention of marketing and business interests alike. Both Blackberry and Audi have featured this track in their commercials to promote their products. The choice is understandable as the weighty guitar adds so much power and coolness behind it. Parker elevates the entire tone with colliding synths that take absolute control of the song and hijack it to a techno-intense explosion.

“Nothing That Has Happened So Far Has Been Anything We Could Control” is the climax of the record although it is the second-to-last track. It fuses all the emotional and instrumental elements that Parker established throughout the album. Somber yet subversive, Parker heightens the overall feeling with drum breaks, pleading vocals and contrastingly bright synths. There is a stark vividness that contrasts the dynamic choices and rhythmic variation.

The production quality of “Lonerism” is less crisp than in later productions, especially in the first half of the record, but Parker’s style has been established since the beginnings of his career no matter the quality.

As I look back on Parker’s second album, it almost seems more relevant than before. Now, Tame Impala is widely known by this generation. And with technology and social media that consume us on an everyday basis, it is so easy to feel lonely in a world where everyone posts about their successes, vacations and friendships.

The truth of the matter is that no one actually has a perfect life, they just appear to. And when you are scrolling through post after post during a time of isolation, it is important to remember that loneliness is completely normal and universally experienced.

I still find this record to mirror the concept of loneliness in its many nuances. Parker was able to put these feelings into words, sounds and concepts for his listeners to understand. And even though the album was produced ten years ago, there is a timeliness that this record maintains. While we as people change and grow between the years, albums such as Tame Impala’s “Lonerism” will always remain a staple for us through time and space, acting as a lifelong companion that comforts our loneliness without fail.

Caitlin Reardon can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @caitlinjreardon.