At only 23 years old, Ty Segall’s career is impressive. Having pressed out releases with at least four other bands plus other general collaborators, and not to mention already being five albums deep into the world of solo recording, this is a man whose work ethics are not to be scoffed at. Or put simply, Segall is damn prolific. But what sets Segall’s latest work ‘Goodbye Bread’ apart from this already large catalogue though, is it’s confirmation of Segall’s progression from DIY garage rocker to genuine top notch musician.
If it was ‘Melted’ which began to hint at Segall’s growing maturity (recruiting band members and dropping the one man band act) and which brought together much of his recent influences into a more standard format – ‘Goodbye Bread’ does it ten times over. After all, although ‘Melted’ was most definitely a good time, it felt more like a half hour rock binge, something almost disposable. And though ‘Goodbye Bread’ achieves little more in longevity, there is a greater feeling of something serious going on here, each hook and turn arriving with clear intention. Opening on the album’s title track, this song lays bare the record’s design. It is one of the album’s slowest songs and certainly it’s simplest, the latter really being the key here. No skuzz, no low-fi and no attribution to current trends, just solid, straight forward songwriting. This attitude doesn’t pervade through the entire album, and neither would we necessarily want it to, it’s still Ty Segall and the man’s got his sound, but the record does somewhat turn away from targeting specific musical cultures. Rather than a sign of the times, ‘Goodbye Bread’ feels more like a classic alt album, accessible and unadulterated.
This openness similarly brings outs Segall’s current influences, most notably, Marc Bolan and John Lennon. The links are clear throughout the record but never overwhelming or cheesy. ‘You Make The Sun Fry’, displays tribute to both these greats particularly well with Lennon on the verses and Bolan taking the chorus. This track is one clear high point of the album. The lines “Wont you take me up the hill, put me in your Coup Deville, tell me that you love me still, we could get out of here” will be sure to stick with long after the album stops spinning.
That said, this is no glam album, nor is it one of Lennon-esque balladry, these influences are simply ideas, not pre-made templates. Essentially, ‘Goodbye Bread’ is a day time album, made for the sun at least, if not the beach. ‘Comfortable Home’ and ‘I Can’t Feel It’ are perfect companions to summer days intentionally spent lazily. And given Segall’s standard of output, these tracks will be sure to keep you covered until he is heard from again. Which I imagine could not be far off.
