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Ty Segall veers all over the musical map on ‘Freedom’s Goblin’

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Four stars

Ty Segall Freedom’s Goblin

Ty Segall channels Radiohead, Faces-era Rod Stewart, Of Montreal and Townes Van Zandt on his latest album—and that’s just on the first of its four sides. More than any of Segall’s many albums, the 19-track, 75-minute Freedom’s Goblin veers all over the musical map, showcasing its creator’s massive songwriting talent and the diversity of his listening habits.

Fans of Segall’s revved-up garage-rock will still find cuts to love—the punky “Meaning” (featuring scorching lead vocals from Ty’s wife, Denée) and the six-minute psych odyssey “She,” among others, lead with their guitars—but fuzz is far from Freedom’s Goblin’s main ingredient. In fact, no two consecutive tracks share the same sonic space, as the kaleidoscopic double-LP twists from glam to skronk to aching ballads and beyond, somehow without losing momentum or feeling disjointed.

The suggestion here: Absorb it in sides, whether or not you pick up the vinyl version. Side A, which includes career highlights like icy-funk workout “Despoiler of Cadaver” and stately ’70s throwback “My Lady’s on Fire,” will surely be your early favorite, but play it often enough and Side D—consisting of just two tracks, capped by the 12-minute, Crazy Horse-worshipping “And Goodnight”—might emerge as the champ on what might best be described as Ty Segall’s personal White Album. –Spencer Patterson

Tags: Music, rock, Album
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