Review: Ty Segall Band – Slaughterhouse

Published on August 3rd, 2012 | Jonny Abrams

The second of three Ty Segall albums to be released in this calendar year, this balls-out noise-fest sure comes in stark contrast to the crunchy yet laid-back psychedelia of March’s Hair, which granted was a collaboration with White Fence.

Hmmm…”March’s Hair” has a ring to it, does it not? Slaughterhouse is suitably batshit barmy, getting underway with reams of screeching distortion before giving way to the chugging, explosive but still harmonic psych-punk that forms the main trunk of opener “Death”. Jolly titling so far, what.

“I Bought My Eyes” begins like a malevolent “Going Underground”, going on to flaunt a nice, early Supergrass-y way with dual harmonies over a tightly bound racket – in fact it even reminds Rocksucker of I Should Coco opener “I’d Like to Know” – while the one minute and 35 seconds-long title track jettisons the loose pop grounding altogether with wailing lead guitar, upwards-creeping power chords and a series of blood-curdling screams, at least one of which is easily identifiable as “FUCK YOU!!!”.

“The Tongue” sounds like Super Furry Animals’ “Something 4 the Weekend” rewired by early Smashing Pumpkins, “Tell Me What’s Inside Your Heart” shows The Hives how to do straight-up, no-bullshit rock without conceding ground to corniness, “Wave Goodbye” caps a moody, sleazy stomp with a grin-inducingly spiteful squeal of “BYE BYE!”, while “Muscle Man” is suitably,well, muscular, even with a running time of just 1:31.

For some reason a more ‘vintage’ production (we’d call it ‘sepia-tinted’ were it not so raucous) is cast over “The Bag I’m In” – maybe it was indeed recorded in a bag? – and “Diddy Wah Diddy” merits mention by dint of the fact that it could scarcely be further removed from Manfred Mann ‘classic’ “Do Wah Diddy”.

After “Oh Mary” adds to the count of tracks that last for under two minutes, the aptly titled “Fuzz War” is for some reason stretched out for over ten mins despite consisting of little else but the kind of screeching feedback with which Slaughterhouse begins. As if Ty Segall hadn’t laid bare his wilful contrariness enough already. Still, there’s much to admire about this latest release; goodness knows what the next one will sound like.

Rocksucker says: Three and a Half Quails out of Five!

a quail a quail a quail half a quail

Slaughterhouse is out now on In The Red Records. For more information, please visit ty-segall.com

Artists: ty segall

About the Author

Jonny Abrams Editor of Rocksucker and the website's founder, Jonny is passionate about the music he listens to, both good and bad, as well as interviewing his favourite musicians.