Everyone in the indie sphere is well aware of the rapid pace at which Ty Segall churns out records. Possession, his 16th album, comes after yet another busy year, with 2024 seeing the release of the more traditional Three Bells followed by the percussion-only Love Rudiments. This time around, Segall gets back into the traditional mode of things but locates something distinct from the loud and soft duality of previous LPs.
Segall again teams up with friend and filmmaker Matt Yoka, who helped with brainstorming and setting the overall vibe. The music is jangly and freewheeling, but Segall incorporates orchestral arrangements and horns into the mix. Listeners cannot escape a range of influences from the broader universe of 1960s and 1970s rock, but Segall is still able to achieve a mostly unified sound. Considering his larger body of work, the record is surprisingly palatable. Even if the LP is a relatively straightforward rock and roll statement, the music mostly slays.
On Possession, Segall plays most of the instruments himself, but the record also includes contributions from friend and frequent collaborator Mikal Cronin on saxophone, Jordan Katz on brass, and a four-piece string section. Putting those new elements aside, Segall is quick to remind listeners that this is a rock record with styles ranging from pop rock to glam.
Opener “Shoplifter” recalls the spirit of the Beatles as a Mod foursome before the members branched out, “Fantastic Tomb” employs the stomp and swagger of T. Rex, and “The Big Day” recalls that specific moment when David Bowie passed the torch to Mott the Hoople. These aren’t necessarily new influences, but they are welcome sources nonetheless.
More than almost any other artist, Segall can cause frustration for fans and would-be fans alike, inciting reactions that tend to go, “I want to like him, but…” or “His music would be excellent if he could just…” There should be no qualifying statements on Possession—either fans will like it or they won’t (and I would venture to guess most will love it). On “Skirts of Heaven”, Segall takes an epic swing, tapping into qualities that have worked so well for fellow Californians Wand. That fearlessness defines much of the record and sets it apart from other works that came before.
Segall remains a uniquely skilled musician, with it being no surprise that the guitar parts work to perfection. He has since become a force to be reckoned with as a vocalist, as well, showcasing his dexterity in various settings. The title track finds him stretching his vocal range, with the falsetto parts serving as the hook that will stick around long after the guitar solo fades away. Even the atonal “Shining”, done in the manner of Queens of the Stone Age, achieves a particular brilliance, exemplified by the lyrics: “Yeah, you’re shining / I see you reflect me / Yeah, you’re shining / I want you to wrap around me.”
Ample attention will be given to Possession’s orchestra and horn complements, with the implication that the music is somewhat subdued. They certainly add a new element, but the tracks feel like signature Segall. As he has shown throughout his career, he has the quality to deliver one banger after another, which is no small feat for a garage rocker contending with a rich and varied history, a fair amount of which can be attributed to him and his cohort. In terms of vision, Segall displays a new level of maturity that seeks to harness the power of his craft, proving that killer riffs can be enjoyable without being polarizing.