My birthday was a few weeks ago. An old, dear friend of mine called me up to wish me a happy one and tell me he had emailed me some songs by Ty Segall. I was a bit skeptical because I constantly "judge books on their covers" so to speak. I heard the name and I'm thinking "Sweet, this name sounds like it may as well be Jason Mraz Jr." Of course this preconceived notion made it an even sweeter surprise when I actually listened to him. Segall has been all over Orange County and the Bay Area in various notable bands since around 2005 (my personal favorite named Party Fowl). He began releasing solo work in 2008 and has done so, seemingly, non-stop. Ty still collaborates with other artists on his records but does his own guitars and drums for the most part. The sound and style on each record varies, but adheres to Segall's homemade, first-take vibe. Goodbye Bread (Drag City) is his latest record and probably the best example of what a prolific songwriter and musician he truly is. The songs have undeniably catchy hooks and while staying relatively simple, the changes are epic in an understated way. With every new release, Segall's grasp on writing and recording gets even tighter while the hypnosis he casts on listeners is even more cathartic and enchanting. Malkmus would pat this dude on the back and tell him, "You are a light".
This is the video for the title track to Goodbye Bread.
