Ty Segall - "Freedom's Goblin"

Ty Segall is, quite frankly, one of Garage Rock and Psychedelic Rock's most prolific acts and biggest work horses.  I mean, this guy stays busy almost constantly.  Through his solo career, his other bands like Fuzz and GØGGS, split albums with Mikal Cronin and White Fence, Compilations, Live albums and more, Ty has literally released dozens of albums.  Now, getting into Ty is honestly a little overwhelming, mostly because he just has so MUCH material.  So let's chat about Ty's discography, I'll go easy on y'all!  Ty's first solo album, 2008's "Ty Segall", not for nothing, is a little bit sloppy.  Don't get me wrong, there are countless great moments here, like "Don't Do It" and "Untitled" which come off as classic Blues covers, or "You Should Never Have Opened That Door" or "The Drag" which we see Ty perfecting his very jittery, eclectic Garage style.  But there are also moments on here like "Watching You" or "Dating" which seemed a bit rushed and probably should have been saved for one of his later albums.  But overall, this album is a solid start to Ty's career, and "You're Not Me" to this day is one of my favorite Ty tracks.  Ty started making his sound much more sonic and upped the production in a big way on 2009's "Lemons".  Tracks like "Drop Out Boogie" and "Die Tonight" showed Ty beginning to blend genres, bringing in elements of Garage Rock and Psych Rock, as well as Punk and Blues.  Still, though, Ty obviously had a lot of room to grow.  His slower tunes like "Johnny" were painfully boring sadly, but, Ty showed so much promise.  However, with Ty's late 2010 release "Melted", he started to really turn some heads.  The tracks on this album were much more accessible and even melodic in parts.  But Ty did this without really sacrificing any of his loudness or his musical eccentricities.  "Melted" was also a much more polished production, and it sounded like Ty really put so much time into this release.  Now I hope you're buckled up, because Ty's about to do a LOT in a little amount of time.  In 2011 Ty dipped his hat into the Folk Rock sound with his "Goodbye Bread" album, which once again really worked out nicely.  Sure, tracks like "You Make The Sun Fry" and "The Floor" showed that Ty was THE hardest working dude in Psych Rock.   But other tracks here showed that Ty was much more than just some merry prankster.  2012's "Twins" showed Ty returning to his very Jittery Garage-Punk of the past, but with a crunchier sound.  Like, the guitars on tracks like "Who Are You" and "Thank God For The Sinners" are absolutely massive, showing Ty was most certainly still the Garage Rock titan he started as.  2013's "Sleeper" once again showed Ty rolling back the clocks and going for a truly old school Psych Folk sound.  But it didn't end up coming off as dated as all, just the opposite, "Sleeper" was a seriously tasteful throwback Folk record, mostly because it always seemed to me that Ty had plenty of Classic Rock in him.  Then we have Ty's 2014 release "Manipulator".  This album took a while for me to truly enjoy, and trust me I'm not the only one.  The main reasoning behind that is just how glamorous this album is.  The production here is just so flashy, and often makes Ty sound like a totally different artist.  Which of course, lead to some tracks that I still to this day am really not into at all, like "The Singer".  But so much of the rest of the album has grown on me.  I love the hazy Glam Rock of the album's title track, and I love just how bluesy and unhinged Ty sounded on tracks like "Feel" and "The Faker".  Buy for my liking, I love to hear Ty at his weirdest, which is what we got with 2016's "Emotional Mugger".  This album is bizarre, with Ty bringing in ridiculous imagery, as well as a slew of the heaviest tracks that we've gotten from him.  Obviously, Ty has a wide variety of sounds he's worked with.  Ty gave us a little bit of a mixed bag with mix results however with 2017's "Ty Segall".  This album had most of the usual suspects, like the grungy "Break A Guitar", the chaotic "Thank You Mr. K", and the beautiful folk ballad "Take Care (To Comb Your Hair)".  But outside of that, Ty seemed to be a little too much on his best behavior.  These tracks were fine, and Ty was writing much more personal lyrics which was commendable.  But these tracks to me didn't have nearly as much lasting power.  However, Ty is back and he's absolutely on his more experimental side, because these new singles have been completely freakish in the best way.  It's one of my most anticipated album's of the entire year, let's dive deeper.

(A personal favorite of mine from Ty)

This album starts off with “Fanny Dog” and right off the bat, I’m shocked with just how glamorous this is.  Ty has toyed with Glam Rock before in the past, but this is next level, I feel like I’m watching some Garage Rock variety show.  It’s colorful, and the horn section adds a real bulkiness to this track that I can’t get enough of.  Lyrically, it’s just as wild and bizarre as you would expect Ty to be aiming for, always being one for cryptic lyrics.  But this may just be the most epic and gigantic intro track that Ty has ever presented to us.  “Fanny Dog’ is lavish, and at the same time it’s easily just as chaotic and whacked out as everything else he’s been dishing out lately.  Between that, the intense guitar solos, and everything else here, this is wild.  On the other hand, Ty approaches “Rain” a whole lot more delicately, which is something he rarely does.  But I love his Psychedelic lyrics here that just have enough of a dark twist to really make this one stand out.  But to hear Ty really slow down his sound for a ballad, it’s refreshing honesty.  Compared to the intro though, the instrumental pallet on this one is completely different.  The instrumentals on the last track were so lavish and flamboyant.  But “Rain” on the other hand has such a pained and bluesy feel, and Ty’s performance is just as emotional.   Then we have “Every 1’s a Winner”, and the off-kilter funk of this one is immediately an absolute blast.  I mean, Ty here sounds like an absolute madman, even during the verses when he’s focused on doing this very hushed and “sexy” voice.  Obviously, a little disco and funk carried over from the original version of this one by Hot Chocolate.  But Ty makes it work wonderfully, with colorful instrumentals, as well as some truly out there effects.  Needless to say, I absolutely love everything about this one.  Not to mention, the fact that his entire backing band gets to show off how talented they all are is icing on the cake.  Not to mention, this one has such a swagger to it, it’s fantastic. The disco vibes continue on “Despoiler of a Cadaver”, this time being a little more up front and easier to pinpoint.  The funky bass lines however,  just seem to me to practically belong in Ty’s music.  It’s a bizarre track, with Ty going back and forth between a more “sexy” tone and a Frank Zappa “Central Scrutinizer” tone.  But at any rate, this track just makes me want to do more freaky, bizarre Disco pronto.  In a way, this also almost reminds me of something off of Beck’s “Midnite Vultures”.  It’s got some serious humor in the bizarre lyrics, especially with just how aimed every instrumental is on the dancefloor.  Ty’s all out Psych romp between genres continues to have amazing and incredibly entertaining results.  Then we have “When Mommy Kills You”, easily Ty’s most straightforward and edgiest track yet.  And while I do love the Punk attitude of this one, as well as the bizarre vocals, I can’t shake the feeling that this is sort of a sore thumb on the album.  It just sticks out way too much, sounding like a crappy leftover from last year’s “Ty Segall”.  Sadly, “When Mommy Kills You” lacks the personality that the rest of this album does amazing with, and lacks the glossiness as well.  And while if this really is a sort of travel through the years, this is probably his punk phase, but there are other tracks here that do THAT so much better.  

    “My Lady’s On Fire” is up next, and once again we have Ty going for a more ballad tone with this one.  Honestly, though, tracks like this are coming off incredibly emotional and a nice change of pace.  Obviously, this does sort of come off like his Folk Rock and Psych Folk days, but a little shinier and sounding a little nicer.  In general, this track is just so smooth, and the way Ty bounces back and forth constantly on this album between genres has gotten so seamless.  Not to mention, that last soulful sax solo is genuinely stunning.  Now, leading up this album “Alta” was one of my favorite tracks.  I love just how quiet and delicate this one starts off, just for Ty to answer that with this absolute wall of sound for the chorus.  But it’s more than just the usual fuzzy guitar layered 10 times.  It’s keyboard, drums, bass, and plenty more.  Not only is this album a celebration of different genres over the years, this is a celebration of Ty’s genres he’s touched through the years.  “Alta” is absolutely hulking and muscular, but at the same time, Ty is just so passionate within these instrumentals.  What you need to realize is, Ty has evolved so much over the years, from a guy with a love of noise and a guitar who was an outsider, to a full-fledged musician.  And this album may just be his swan song.  Now, I do like a lot of elements to “Meaning”.  I love the much more intense playing and hectic vibe.  But I just feel like the production really took a nosedive on this one.  Plus, the transmission from the very wild interlude to the more chaotic verses is quite frankly a little awkward.  I do think it’s really great to hear Ty’s wife Denée take lead vocals on this one as well, and if you read the whole story behind this one it’s absolutely adorable.  But I just can’t get 100% into this.  I want to hear Ty freak out and play his guitar as much as the next guy, which is here in spades.  But this one is just alright, even structure-wise.  On “Cry Cry Cry” however, Ty once again goes for almost a Blues or Folk Rock feel.  But Ty in his older years has gotten to be so much more of an emotional singer.  I love the very soulful guitar licks on this one, which go so well with Ty’s more downtrodden performance.  But Ty makes it all work wonderfully, as this one easily comes off just as smooth as some of the best tracks here.  However, I will say this, “Cry Cry Cry” is one of the album’s most straightforward tunes, almost coming off like a cover.  On the other hand, “Shoot You Up” has a whole sort of different swagger to it.  This one has some actually bluesy, confident guitars, alongside some of the weirder backing vocals.  I love Ty’s much more sinister, disturbing performance here.  “Shoot You Up” is easily one of the album’s darkest moments, but it really just shows that Ty really can conquer just about any sound.  There’s even almost a Socio-Political aspect to this that Ty handles well.  It’s just the sort of grizzly garage tune that’s totally right up Ty’s alley.  

    “You Say All the Nice Things” is up next, and this one is a whole lot more on the lighter, folkier side.  But it’s tracks like this that once again, really sort of stick out like a sore thumb.  Ty just sounds so out of place, especially in his vocals that just come off a little goofy.  I think there are some really great elements to this, like the sweet melodies and the very smooth instrumentals. But I just feel like Ty has done so much better tracks in this style over the years.  And it’s a shame because I DO really love some of the very soulful and bluesy breakdowns towards the end.  But Ty bounces back, which quite frankly I have no words for, in the best way.  I love hearing Ty at his most freakish and out-of-control, and that’s what this is.  Just, you know, this time Ty is trying to tackle Ragtime.  This track is nothing more than Ty, sitting behind a keyboard, and playing away while rambling.  But it works so well.  It’s hypnotic, outrageous, and sort of comical as Ty completely sounds wasted.  But it seemingly fits completely snug in this very broad, colorful album.  Honestly, I wouldn’t have minded Ty taking “The Last Waltz” further.  “She” however, is the track that I needed to hear.  This one is determined, scruffy, and totally Ty.  He sounds so fierce and determined here, and absolutely completely unhinged in his performance.  But it’s just so great to hear Ty freak out and give us an absolutely raucous rocker.  I love just how bluesy this is as well.  Once again, Ty just seems to be taking elements from all over his illustrious and wild career, but it’s been working wonderfully.  Plus, it’s been so long since we’ve really heard him rip on the guitar.  Obviously, “She” is a welcomed track indeed.  Not to mention, even with a 6 and a half minute run time, this track is a joy. But of all the tunes on here, “Prison” does seem grossly out of place.  It’s a short instrumental, which I’m fine with.  But it doesn’t add anything to the album, especially after that stunning guitar jam.  Not to mention, it’s just seriously ugly.  Ty though bounces back big time with the absolutely bizarre “Talkin 3”.  This track is completely off the rails, from the outrageous and quirky saxophone to Ty’s performance which may be his most manic yet.  As far as an absolute freak-out goes, this is one of the best here.  And while it’s only 2 minutes, it really does pack a wallop.  

    The funk returns in a big way on “The Main Pretender”.  The amount of swagger in this tune, to be frank, is off-the-charts.  Ty’s very sleazy and steamy performance makes this one an absolute blast all around.  But outside of that, this one is just so bluesy and soulful.  It continues to show, however, just how much of a creative streak Ty is on.  Every track here seemingly has its own personality, and they’re all so interesting and different.  It makes this an incredibly exciting album to listen to and makes me wonder where Ty is going to go next. Sadly, I can’t excuse tracks like “I’m Free”.  While the majority of this album is wild and experimental even by Ty’s standards, this one is just bland.  But it’s more than that, this just sounds like a bland rewrite of a track he did years ago, with a little less passion.  Thankfully, the rest of this album is good enough to excuse this.  But with “5 Ft. Tall”, it becomes obvious that Ty still has a TON of energy.  This is his most triumphant and explosive track here yet, maybe in years.  The verses are thunderous, the acoustic guitars are a really nice touch, and Ty’s vocals are passionate as hell.  Everything about this one is just so gigantic, and Ty clearly isn’t playing to any gimmicks.  Not to mention, this is one of the most classic Ty Segall tracks here.  Obviously, you can hear that with just how comfortable and emotional Ty’s performance is.  This easily could have been a single from the sheer fact of how exciting it is.  But it’s more than that, it shows that Ty never slows down until the shows over.  After all of the adventurous turns this album took, Ty seems to finally have come full circle and returned to his own sound.  Now, when I see a 12-minute finale on any album, it worries me.  And when I first heard the intro of “And, Goodnight”, I was worried even more since Ty was working with a much slower ending.  But let me just say, this track is nothing short of a masterpiece.  I’ve never heard Ty work with such a straightforward blues sound.  But dear LORD, can he ever nail it. The guitar solos here are absolutely blistering and hard to keep track of, even though they literally float through the entirety of the 12-minute track.  Also, when I first heard Ty’s vocals here, to be frank, I teared up a bit.  Yes, for all of you Ty enthusiasts, “And, Goodnight” is a disguise for a 12 minute extended version of the title track from Ty’s classic “Sleeper” album.  But I’ve never heard it played with this much passion or emotion.  in an album filled with questionable slow jams, Ty saved his biggest and best for last, and it sort of blows me away each time I listen to it.  

Rating: 8.9/10

Give A Listen To : "Alta", "She", "5 Ft. Tall", "And Goodnight"

Genre: Garage Rock / Psychedelic Rock / Folk Rock / Blues Rock / Indie Rock / This album is all over the place

Overall Thoughts:  This may be Ty's most in depth, out of control, and experimental album yet.  And if you've been following him as I have for years, then you know just how big of a statement that is.  This however, is a little different then your average, yearly album from Ty.  No, this album as it goes on is a celebration of modern music of all sorts.  Ty touches down on Disco, Punk, Rock N Roll, Folk, The Blues, and countless other genres.  But more than that, this is a celebration of Ty, of every sound he's ever touched, and bringing them to the table in a way that I can only describe as some sort of colorful, freaky, Garage Rock variety show.  There are a few moments on here that are a little weak, but for a double album this album flows almost too smoothly.