Ty Segall Gets Dimensional with Mr. Face EP

By Gia Vescovi-Chiordi

Okay, so I know I said once before that having to wait for something makes it sweeter – and I stand by that – BUT also, god bless he who is the abundant musician. Ty Segall (link) gifted us with a twofer – a four track EP released mere months after a double studio album, dubbed Mr. Face (Famous Class) – which P.S. – doubles as a pair of what have been billed as ‘The world’s first pair of playable 3D glasses’. Peep through the pristine red and blue 7″ records and admire dimensional album artwork while looking like a 90’s throwback fantasy. (Regular sized 3D glasses are also included, because Segall is charitable and sympathizes with your need to put the needle down). Theoretically, you might even be able to watch Tron: Legacy through them, or at least Pokemon 3: The Movie (it’s shorter). Wayne Coyne might be having a V8 moment right now.

Title track ‘Mr. Face’ reminds me of a polished version of ‘Caesar’ off Melted. It’s jaunty, it’s plucky, it’s classic rock revival at it’s finest. And don’t worry – get a little past two minutes and the cadence accelerates, percussion picks up and Segall croons in that tried and true falsetto we heard throughout Manipulator. My shoulders are shimmying against their will as I write this, and I’ve been listening to this on repeat all day, so let that be a testament to the fact that Segall seems to have broken the creative code.

‘Circles’ is a shimmering track with a seemingly intentional clunky introduction, while ‘Drug Mugger’ gives off subtle Manipulator vibes, with a melody that summons aspects of ‘Tall Man, Skinny Lady’, though different enough to entertain while being a relatable bridge that’s nearly an Easter egg.

And then there is ‘The Picture’. Pitter patter, swoon – this one is an ode if I’ve ever heard one. Slow, lush and sleepy, this is the type of track that you play in the car while parked in front of a sunset in the seventies. Maybe that’s a trite sentiment, but if a dude put this on while we were driving/time traveling I’d be more than okay with it.

Ty Segall Band – ‘Circles’ from Susan Kemp on Vimeo.

Mr. Face:

01 Mr. Face

02 Circles

03 Drug Mugger

04 The Picture

Photo by MATT CREED