Ty Segall – Deforming Lobes review

Secret Meeting score: 52

by Philip Moss

Ty Segall is one frustrating character. In a career that’s spanned just over a decade, Deforming Lobes is the 28th record put out under his own name. This, an eight song live set recorded over two nights last year at LA’s Teragram Ballroom, is an odd choice for release – especially when you consider that the track listing is not even close to being a ‘best of’ selection.

Opener, Warm Hands (Freedom Returned), which is lifted from his 2017 self titled LP, definitely feels re-energised and more muscular. But elsewhere, Squealer and Breakfast Eggs (both of which are on Segall’s best and most focused record – 2016’s Emotional Mugger – lose all their controlled, glam inspired charm. While The Crawler suffers from its new found straightness and and is sans the falsetto that gave the original cut a distinctive edge.

Even legendary engineer, Steve Albini (Nirvana, Pixies, The Wedding Present), who recorded the performances onto two-inch analogue tape can’t rescue proceedings – too many of the songs get lost in the moment – as Segall and The Freedom Band regularly veer off into self indulgent jam territory.

Deforming Lobes is by no means an essential listen – in fact, it’s hard to work out who the intended audience is, bar possibly being a memento to those in attendance at the two shows. Definitely one for the completists.

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