Most references to Ty Segall are inevitably followed by comparisons with the late Jay Reatard. Stylistic similarities are generally exaggerated, but they have an eerie amount in common. First, their backgrounds: Both men fronted lively punk acts before going solo. Then there's the recording ethos. (In June, Segall releases his third solo album in three years, Goodbye Bread.) Lastly, there's the fact that they both shared tenures on Memphis' Goner Records. Sonically, both artists display a gift for sharp hooks that balance grimy squawks, but Segall isn't enthralled with lo-fi the way Reatard once was. That may be changing, though. Segall's 2009 debut, Lemons, is a relatively clean, straightforward release compared with the fuzzy rumble of his 2010 Melted. Segall conjures a powerful tunnel of noise with splatters of power pop, psych and grunge, all tethered by his loud, slashing rhythmic guitar.
