Ty Segall : Ty Segall

You pretty much know what to expect when jumping into Ty Segall’s musical world. You should, as he creates these worlds on a pretty steady basis. Whether it’s his own albums or with projects he started with pals like Mikal Cronin and Charlie Moothart, Segall is in constant creative cycles. A year ago Segall dropped Emotional Mugger, a flat out bonkers rock album that was filled with both his signature guitar growls and a steady stream of arty weirdness. With his newest endeavor titled simply Ty Segall, Ty leaves the weirdness at the studio door and just writes some clear-eyed rock and roll goodness. This is classic Ty Segall.

I’m going to start with the third song in as it’s the anomaly this album cycle. “Warm Hands(Freedom Returned)” is a balls out grenade of a song, shooting guitar jabs and metal riffs like shrapnel. It’s over ten minutes of cow bell, time signature changes, and almost progressive rock moves that makes good use of fuzz boxes and an almost Stooges vibe with some doom-y metal overtones. Midway through the song gets some wurlitzer organ thrown in that makes you feel like you just walked into a Doors recording session circa 1969. Not too many people can jump the tracks as well as Ty Segall. He’s made an art out of “going for it”. He goes for it here. Does he get it? That’s up to you(he gets it, man. he gets it.)

So back to the beginning, “Break A Guitar” is full on fuzzy garage rock. Think Detroit, 1968. Think bleeding eardrums and split fingertips. Think glitter bombs and Orange amps on fire. You get the picture. “Freedom” is groovy fuzz bass, tribal beats, and an undercurrent of psychedelic groove that gets you right in your gut. “Talkin'” is a twangy barroom slow dance number. Shuffle beat, piano crawl, and some sweetly strummed acoustic. This is as Stones-y as Segall has gotten. It’s a hat that fits him quite well, and one he should wear more often. Who’s “Mr. K”? I don’t know, but Segall thanks him on the pedal to the metal barn burner “Thank You Mr. K”. It’s classic Segall weirdness mixed with some heavy melody punk rock. “Orange Color Queen” is an acoustic-driven track that flows beautifully, like T.Rex guesting on a White Album track. “Papers” is an oddly catchy song, pushed along by piano and some great vocal melodies. It’s an endearingly odd song. Maybe some Emotional Mugger ideas that got the revamp for the new album’s vibe? Possibly.

Ty Segall isn’t a grand statement like Manipulator, or the melt-your-face masterpiece that was Twins. It is, however, Ty Segall in master songwriter mode. He seems to have taken the complexity of his last two albums and combined them into a tight shot of grand fuzzed-out garage/pop rock, with some newer shades of vulnerability thrown in. Ty Segall will get you where you need to go, and then some.

8.1 out of 10