When looking back at the last 20+ years of rock, Ty Segall’s name is bound to show up quickly. Raised in Laguna Beach, CA, Segall was at the forefront of the California Garage scene. A collection of tan, surf-addicted bands that seemed to rule alternative airways of the late 2000s and early 2010s.
Starting his solo career in 2008 Segall was taken under the wing of “Thee Oh Sees” frontman, John Dwyer. His self-titled debut album was released at the tail end of 2008 on Dwyer’s record label Castle Face. Since then many iterations of Segall’s act have come and gone, yet one thing remains the same. Segall is seemingly in complete control of his creative process and output.
15 studio albums later Segall has departed from the usual distorted guitars and vocals that have garnered him so much acclaim in the past. With the release of Love Rudiments, Segall opts to reign his focus in on one element. Percussion.
This is not completely unexpected as Segall has a history of playing drums in some of the many bands he has been a part of. Yet this album is so surprisingly jazzy and drum-forward that one might find themselves wanting to rewatch “Whiplash” afterward. Again this is an artist whose main inspirations are ’90s garage bands like The Mummies and The Gories, however, he has also noted his love for one of the kings of weird Frank Zappa. This connection to Zappa becomes obvious when listening to the tracks. While over thirty minutes of drum solos with keys snuck in here or there might seem monotonous to some, maybe even painful to others, this is an album made for fans of the weird and abrupt. And it is more than effective in its mission.
Thematically this is a work about the life cycle and the endgame of love itself. The spontaneity of the drums could be interpreted as resembling the racing thoughts and various emotions one experiences at this step in a relationship. Overall, Segall took a huge risk in making something so out of left field and it seemed to have paid off.
Love Rudiments was released on all platforms on August 30, 2024.
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