The prolific and consistently evolving Ty Segall is emerging from a period of experimentation. Not that the artist hasn’t built his career on shifting sonic landscapes, but 2024 proved to be a particularly daring year for the young psych-rock veteran. After releasing the distorted psychedelia of Three Bells, Segall dove headfirst into percussion-driven spiritual jazz on the short yet potent Love Rudiments. It is not in Segall’s nature to repeat himself, and even less so are his tendencies to take a break from releasing music. This brings us to Possession, Segall’s new ten song LP. It is a return to form in the sense that it is neither the dense psych-rock nor the freewheeling jazz of last year’s releases. Yet, we find Segall still toying with tropes, emerging with a consistently impressive and entirely infectious effort that becomes more immersive with every listen.
Possession is Segall’s most conventional project yet. In lieu of experimental guitar riffs that are drowned in pedal effects, Segall employs Sixties pop-laden melodies, smooth rock tendencies, and bright, accessible tones. Miraculously, this doesn’t take away from the charm that makes Segall’s discography one of the more exciting in modern rock. Possession further proves the artist’s natural talent and innate melodic sensibilities. Throughout his latest LP, Segall continues to explore new territory, and while this territory leans towards the conventional side, Possession is far from a reach for commercial viability. Segall seems to be simply exploring the pop side of his influences, and whether purposeful or not, he proved that his lofty visions were only a slice of his full artistic potential.
Don’t let all this talk of pop-leaning rock tunes fool you, Possession is undeniably a pure Segall effort. Underneath the soaring vocal performances are hyper-sensitive lyrics that feel everything and whittle down their universe of emotions into honed, poetic rock tunes. Segall worked with visual artist and frequent collaborator Matt Yoka. Still, this time around, Yoka was writing with Segall rather than adding visual aids to already finished songs, and lyrically, Possession is an emotionally palpable journey. Moments like “Shining” and “Skirts of Heaven” feature flowery imagery, while “Hotel” and “Shoplifter” highlight folksy storytelling elements. Rather than proving his range through the instrumentation, Possession showcases Segall’s expansive songwriting prowess and his ability to draw the listener into his world, and the world on his latest is one begging to be explored.
Somehow, Segall found a way to make Possession feel sprawling without resorting to daring experimentation. The ten songs here range from quaint acoustic numbers to stadium-sized cinematic masterpieces, leaving Segall plenty of wiggle room to flex his natural melodic prowess. A moment like “Alive” features swelling, searing strings built around acoustic riffs, “Another California Song” is a ripping, hectic surf-rock tune, and a single like “Fantastic Tomb” showcases Segall still has his psych-rock muscles intact. The dramatic crescendos that drive a majority of Possession make Segall’s dive into more conventional waters feel like celebratory snapshots of an artist with creative freedom and the talent to take advantage of it.
