GØGGS - Gøggs

Not a side-project, but a necessity.

That, at least, is how the latest - and all things considered unexpected - new incarnation of Ty Segall should be understood, according to the words of Ex-Cult frontman Chris Shaw. The reasons behind a collaboration that was born, at least in embryonic form, back in 2013, when the Memphis band was picked to open several dates on the "Slaughterhouse" tour, can be traced back to the two singers' long-standing friendship. The embryonic idea turned into an actual band as soon as Segall spotted a whole free week in his schedule and asked Shaw to come record at his home studio in Los Angeles alongside the usual Charles Moothart, working mostly from instrumental demos previously sent to his Tennessee colleague. The Californian then coined a name devoid of any particular meaning, handed his guest exclusive rights to the microphone, and carved out a role for himself as guitarist and producer, splitting bass, keyboard and drum duties with his trusty partner-in-crime Charlie, companion in a thousand adventures.

Rounding out the cast and making everything more compelling, the usual crew of guests hand-picked from today's garage-rock star's inner circle couldn't possibly be missing: Cory Hanson of Wand, Together Pangea and Meatbodies (bass and synth on a thoroughly deranged title track that reeks pleasantly of Coachwhips), the ever-present Mikal Cronin (bass on the big single "Glendale Junkyard") and Ty's girlfriend, Denée Petracek of Vial, enlisted to scream on a "Final Notice" that's nothing short of ragged and fluttering.

This eponymous collection asserts itself from the very first instant as a fierce, feral little record that's nonetheless recommendable beyond the strict circle of die-hard Segall-watchers, and it had a flattering preview in the closing track, "Glendale Junkyard", all granite blows and gushing impetuosity. It's a record dedicated to the city of Los Angeles, drawing inspiration from its most damaging imagery (the open-air junkyards, the corrupt B-movie cops of "Needle Trade Off") or from local bands who made history, X and Germs above all. It's no accident that the sonic imprint is blatantly hardcore punk, with Gøggs positioning themselves as Segall's armed wing for a personal rereading of that world and its everyday epic.

If the approach rings true, much of the credit goes to a Shaw who, with his frontal assaults, his schizoid streak and that tone hovering between apathetic and vicious, proves perfectly suited to the part, while the rest of the gang works away in the background amid a decent weirdo-punk racket. As with the Fuzz project before it, the unruly, true-amateur stamp of Ty and his cohorts is easy to spot, but the unmediated impact and the choice to always, fittingly, stay one step back speak in favor of a new outfit clearly put together out of sheer passion, with the necessary purity, hefty doses of nastiness and madness, plus a guitar finally free to run riot in raw, untamed noise-filth (the blazing postcard that is "Smoke The Würm").

All things considered, it's a game where everybody wins: Shaw, on the verge of a third chapter with the negligible Ex-Cult, gets the writing of his life, Moothart finds the best possible launchpad for his new record under the moniker CFM, “Still Life Of Citrus And Slime”, while Ty, who in more conventional territory for him seems to have somewhat exhausted his drive and, even more so, his will to have fun, regains his shine and a healthy enthusiasm with the right diversionary stimuli.

However off-the-cuff it may be, it's an experience that's not bad at all.

Ride the wave of great music

Add OndaRock to your favorite sources on Google Discover. Don't miss our reviews, milestones and latest news straight in your feed.

Follow on Google

12/07/2016