LOS ANGELES (AP) 鈥� Much of the virtuosic guitarist prolific career has been characterized by a sludgy, almost primal, intensity. But his 16th LP crystalizes a new, less-aggressive era for the indie rocker, as he trades in his additive synths for strings and horns 鈥� all while maintaining his singular garage-psych.
鈥淧ossession鈥� isn鈥檛 Segall鈥檚 first album to reel in his trademark heaviness. Following the release of his 2021 record 鈥淗armonizer鈥� 鈥� the apex of a electronics-assisted sound he had for years 鈥� the singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist has mellowed out and gone more analog in he鈥檚 released since.
There was his 2022 mostly acoustic album, 鈥淗ello, Hi,鈥� as well as his instrumental 鈥淟ove Rudiments,鈥� an avant-garde, percussion-focused record, which he dropped less than a year ago. But with 鈥淧ossession,鈥� Segall seems to have found a kind of sweet spot that balances force with restraint in this new phase of his discography.
His signature psychedelic sound and distorted guitar solos are still there, like in 鈥淪hining鈥� and the album鈥檚 title track. But the songs are also subdued and refined, with a surprising arrangement of strings and horns on songs like 鈥淪kirts of Heaven鈥� and 鈥淪hoplifter.鈥�
Despite that addition of new instruments, there's a kind of back-to-basics sound to the record, bringing to mind the soulful, easy-listening rock bands of the '70s like and
This album also marks a lyrical shift, thanks in part to the fact that he co-wrote it with his longtime friend, documentary filmmaker Matt Yoka. He brings a clear narrative framework to Segall鈥檚 poetic, sometimes opaque, writing style.
鈥淣eighbors鈥� daughter sentenced dead / her toes directed downward / The washer woman a victim too / the village鈥檚 obsession,鈥� Segall croons of witch trials on 鈥淧ossession,鈥� the only song on the album which Yoka wrote solo.
That emphasis on storytelling also brings a kind of depth to the songs, which often wade into poignant themes like, mortality and success, topics not often overtly broached on Segall鈥檚 previous records.
鈥淲hat you gonna do when the money鈥檚 gone / And everyone you know is dead,鈥� Segall sings on 鈥淔antastic Tomb.鈥� 鈥淲hen you鈥檙e standing naked on the lawn / You think about the life you led.鈥�
And while he brings in highbrow instruments like cellos, pianos and trumpets, there is plenty of discordance. It matches the existential dread of songs like 鈥淏uildings鈥� and 鈥淎live.鈥� And yet, the album maintains a kind of laid-back sensibility in comparison to much of Segall鈥檚 earlier work.
Last year while promoting his 14th solo LP, 鈥淭hree Bells,鈥� Segall that he was trying to be less prolific. He鈥檚 since recorded an album under a new band with Color Green鈥檚 Corey Madden, Freckle, as well as two more solo LP鈥檚, including 鈥淧ossession.鈥�
Segall鈥檚 failed resolution is to the benefit of his fans, even as he pushes himself into creative directions he鈥檚 yet to go before.
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Krysta Fauria, The Associated Press
