There's no denying that Ty Segall is a prolific guy. Capable of scorched-earth acid rock, and a mellower variety, everything he does -- every single thing -- is worth at least a listen. There's always something good on a Ty release, and, thankfully, "Hello, Hi", the latest is even better than that.
As I sort of hinted above, there are multiple sides to Ty's art, and this new Drag City record favors the trippy one. Opener "Good Morning" eases us into the skewed folk-rock of "Cement", one of the real highlights here. This suggests something like Led Zeppelin III if Syd Barrett had joined the band. Elsewhere, "Looking at You" continues that vibe, even as "Blue" maps out a melody not entirely dissimilar to that found in numerous songs on David Bowie's The Man Who Sold The World album. Segall, wisely, uses that point of inspiration in harmony with many others, such that he never sounds like he's making lazy references to past geniuses of the form.
While the title cut and "Distraction" get weird and loud, I'm happy to report that the mood of most of "Hello, Hi" is sort of laid-back, tripped-out fuzz rock, and I loved all of it. Maybe it's a result of Ty recording this one mostly on his own, as a result of the pandemic and all that, but I see what's on "Hello, Hi" as set of indications of yet another variation of Segall's prodigious gifts, and a sign that he can take what he does best and vary it enough that it remains wildly interesting.
"Hello, Hi" is out on Friday via Drag City.
[Photo: Denée Segall]