Ty Segall: Sleeper (Drag City)
Anyone who’s seen Ty Segall live knows his ability to quickly turn any song into either a lightning-fueled scream-fest or a sludgy, feel-good head-banger. But what happens when you unplug him? Sleeper, apparently.
Comprised of mostly acoustic tracks, Segall’s new album journeys into a quieter weirdness, exploring the side of his 1970s-rock influences that were more ballad-prone. The material remains on par with the best of Segall’s back catalog and has the same crunchy chord progressions and soaring vocals, except that it occasionally features (gasp!) string arrangements.
And though Sleeper isn’t as crusty as Twins or as raw as Slaughterhouse, it’s a fresh, delightful album highlighting another side of an artist who’s constantly tweaking his sound — as all good artists should.