Using equal measures of psychedelia and sonic breathlessness, Bay Area–based singer/songwriter Ty Segall evokes a new California dream with Manipulator.
At 17 tracks, Manipulator is massive, yet light as air with an effervescent ’60s vibe. Frothy layers of guitar give songs an anthem-rock feel, while Segall's falsetto lends a sort of aristocratic rock bravado.
At 27, Segall's known for melding genres, from garage rock to glam to space rock to psychedelic rock, around the bend and back again.
On "Tall Man Skinny Lady," fuzzy reverb and lo-fi noise support upbeat flashes of acoustic brilliance. The wacky, sonic "Connection Man" takes a cue from an unnamed early Beck tune with reckless abandon. Bold fuzz guitar leads "The Singer" into a delicious Beatles-Bowie mash-up. But ’70s rock is also not far from Segall's mind, as "The Hand" recalls Neil Young in its classic-rock glory, while "The Clock" offers intricate and rich Jimmy Page–style acoustic tapestry.
The fire continues to burn for the prolific Segall, and with that passion he's conjured an eclectic, infectious collection, playing as if he’s at the top of his game — and everyone else’s, too.
Using equal measures of psychedelia and sonic breathlessness, Bay Area–based singer/songwriter Ty Segall evokes a new California dream with Manipulator.
At 17 tracks, Manipulator is massive, yet light as air with an effervescent ’60s vibe. Frothy layers of guitar give songs an anthem-rock feel, while Segall's falsetto lends a sort of aristocratic rock bravado.
At 27, Segall's known for melding genres, from garage rock to glam to space rock to psychedelic rock, around the bend and back again.
On "Tall Man Skinny Lady," fuzzy reverb and lo-fi noise support upbeat flashes of acoustic brilliance. The wacky, sonic "Connection Man" takes a cue from an unnamed early Beck tune with reckless abandon. Bold fuzz guitar leads "The Singer" into a delicious Beatles-Bowie mash-up. But ’70s rock is also not far from Segall's mind, as "The Hand" recalls Neil Young in its classic-rock glory, while "The Clock" offers intricate and rich Jimmy Page–style acoustic tapestry.
The fire continues to burn for the prolific Segall, and with that passion he's conjured an eclectic, infectious collection, playing as if he’s at the top of his game — and everyone else’s, too.