Garage rocker Ty Segall can’t seem to go a month without releasing something new, and the latest is the debut album from GGGS, his project with Fuzz collaborator/guitarist extraordinaire Charlie Moothart and Chris Shaw (Ex-Cult), who sings. Segall’s live band members Cory Hanson (Wand), Mikal Cronin and Denee Petracek (VIAL) also appear on the album.
Recorded in Los Angeles during the summer of 2015, the 10-song release is noisy, messy stuff. What sets it apart from Segall’s other numerous bands is Shaw’s contribution: he brings a punky, tough sing-shout to the lo-fi, overdriven tunes, while Moothart and Segall (on drums here) go in for a thrashy vibe. It’s a little bit hardcore punk and a little bit rock ‘n’ roll.
Segall’s philosophy seems to be putting stuff out quickly without ever coming near over-thinking territory, and that approach benefits and hinders this particular release. On the one hand, the songs sound totally alive – like a downed electrical wire whipping around the sidewalk and spraying current. On the other, it’s more tossed-off-sounding than thoughtful, cohesive or remarkable. Final Notice, for instance, sounds like an experimental outtake that didn’t necessarily need to make the cut: a soundtrack to your nightmare fuelled by background wailing, alarm-like synths and trashy drums.
But then Smoke The Wurm, in addition to its great name, has a captivating gothy nihilism, the title track grooves along on a loose and memorable riff, Assassinate The Doctor is spare and weird, and single Glendale Junkyard is a tight, fist-pumping beast. The tunes are studio creations – the band still hasn’t played their first show (which is scheduled as part of psych/rock label In the Red’s 25th-anniversary event in July) – but sound like they’ll likely be best experienced live, mosh pit circling and bodies flying.
Top track: GGGS
