Ty Segall - Freedom's Goblin (2018)

Ty Segall - Freedom's Goblin

In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Ty Segall made it clear that he doesn’t think his music is better than anybody else’s. This modest appraisal of over 10 years of near perpetual work is central to understanding how a Segall album should be viewed. Ty doesn’t let the gravity of fame or expectations change what he wants the album to mean. He gathers songs and releases them incessantly and sometimes these releases happen to be inconsistent.  But this is often not such a bad thing. Without putting too much weight on his releases he is allowed to maintain a fresh and off the cuff quality that many artists seldom pull off.  Ty can release an album of T. Rex covers that can be held in casual conversation with his studio discography without seeming an outlier or excess, and he has involved himself in so many side projects and production duties with the same steady group of musicians, that studio albums can almost seem an afterthought. But despite this they have long been a priority, an area where Ty can assert creative control and maintain consistency among his chaotic discography. While the albums remain constant the songs on these albums often are anything but.

Freedom’s Goblin sees a return for Ty to the more “White Album”-esque genre hopping that can be found on 2014’s fantastic Manipulator and last year’s choppy Ty Segall. When he’s focused, these exercises work for him and he can fill out a record or two with shifting ideas that wouldn’t belong on one of his more homogeneous releases. When it doesn’t work, the good songs lose weight when sandwiched between the lousy ones he was able to spin out.

Ty’s always been a workhorse, keeping himself busy with his various projects and a seeming obligation to make the most of his talents while he can. Segall has found the perfect mix for himself as an artist. He has released a studio album on the 4th Friday of January for the last three years and has been able to use this routine to keep his studio releases separate from his other activities. When an artist commits himself to release an album every year he is often met with either ambivalence or cultish obedience. R.E. The 2017 slog that saw both the devaluation of King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard as well as the group developing an even more fervent and obnoxious fan base.

Segall has never been a technicality snob like the KGLW but has no doubt maintained somewhat of an overlapping fan base. Instead, Segall has always felt compelled to thread his knack for pop hooks throughout which ever album he released. Whether it is the 2010’s fuzzed out Melted that presents some flute noodling from John Dwyer on a career single “Caesar”, or on his new album which opens with the catchy earlier 70’s drive of “Fanny Dog,” Ty has long been adept with his pop roots. Lately he has become infatuated with incorporating his ideas into as wide a range as possible, moving through thoughts quickly and according to Segall, using his last two releases to focus on song strength as well as freedom in the studio. This albums loose fell could be a reaction to 2016’s Emotional Mugger, perhaps his most thematic and unified album and also possibly, in response to the lukewarm reviews awarded to last year’s self-titled release that posed a much similar style to this new album. Ty uses each song to delve into a different aspect of his own established quirks and talents if not blowing through every influential moment in the classic rock cannon he was reared on. What comes out might be the Rorschach test for his discography. Do you like “Fanny Dog?” Try Manipulator, is “Every1’s a Winner” more your style, then check out Emotional Mugger.  It’s easy to pick out the different genres but Segall manages to fit each together in a cohesive display without ever seeming to be too much of a show off.

Fanny Dog: Setting the pace with a fun and lively horn filled dog song. Ty’s band is full and emphatic. Backing Segall through his verse-chorus-verse-solo and lavishing the song with distinctive mid-seventies flourishes.

Rain: Pulling back to a quiet piano piece with an occasional drum fill. Segall’s lyrics have never been more principle to the weight of a song. And when Ty and his band break into the chorus, you really believe the rain is ending.

Every 1’s a Winner: The guitars trudge along until he’s “satisfied” before fuzzing out over and over and over through a galloping drum beat. Exactly how you would imagine Ty Segall covering Hot Chocolate.

Despoiler a Cadaver: A sly guitar wiggle where Segall sings at his sleaziest. With call and response guitars that pulse like a deformed skid row club hit.

When Mommy Kills You: The nostalgic memories that drive this Who chorus and the kill you’s, do you’s make for another left turn. You’ll be surprised how much Ty can squeeze into 2:47.

My Lady's On Fire: On the comedown we get a beautiful restrained pop turn. Complete with no no no’s and some sax ripped right out of Moondance.

Alta: A love song that holds its own with the sludgier stuff. The quit loud dynamics work so well for Segall (especially when you have Steve Albini working in his wheelhouse) you thank god they don’t push too hard.

Meaning: Like any good mixed bag you’ll get a different vocal turn. Ty’s wife, Denée Segall pushes through to steal the show around the half way point. Her casual yet jarring delivery of lyrics that seem pointed right back at Segall’s face enhance the sting while his band plows through this thrashy turn.

Cry Cry Cry: Segall brings in slide guitar to elevate a classic Ty melody, tying it together with a cry cry cry refrain that echoes the Johnny cash song of the same name.

Shoot You Up: Again Segall uses harmonies as a way he can advance this straightforward “eat you up, shoot you up” rock n’ roller to something more memorable.

You Say All The Nice Things: Chiming guitars bounce along thanks to a solid drum section.  A melancholy Segall pairs nicely.

Last Waltz: You can just imagine some drunk teenagers putting this on in the garage as a goof. A not very memorable trip to a scary saloon sing-a-long.

She: Part of me keeps wanting to hear “She” become “Shake Appeal”. This one stumbles at the beginning but because Ty is being such a bad boy he decides to lay into his prowess and flash his guitar god crown around. At 6:23 you wish he got to the point sooner.

Prison: Because he knew we wanted a little more. Except this one doesn’t have a song attached.

Talkin 3: Once Ty starts freakin out the horns can’t help themselves. Pretty solid way of keeping this album out of a dinner party but hard to believe there were two other “Talkin’s”

The Main Pretender: Lends some single status to this late album guitar fun run. Right about when you turn the volume back up.

I’m Free: Another pop twist. As Ty tells us, there’s more than meets the eye from him. “Have you ever thought you might not be what you believe, you might be someone different“. Also “I’m free.. (of you)”

5 ft. Tall: A big chorus coming in at just the right time to really lift this cut into being the kind of anthem you can imagine busting out at the shows.  The listeners get one last taste before the finale.

And, Goodnight: Basically just the song sleeper from five years ago with an early 70’s Neil Young jam bookending. But who can argue with the results.

~8.5