Lemons

Album Review

Former Epsilons singer and guitarist Ty Segall turns down the tempo a bit but doesn't dial back the intensity on his first solo album. Lemons follows the same lo-fi garage punk model as Segall's old band, but with the singer handling all the instruments himself, the arrangements have a bit less density and punch, as tunes like the soulful "Lovely One," the midtempo R&B workout "Die Tonite," and the pseudo-psychedelic "Like You" reveal him exploring the space around the notes a little more (but not so much as to alienate old fans too severely). While at first the lack of a Farfisa organ and the occasional presence of an acoustic guitar are the most noticeable details that set these performances apart from the Epsilons, Segall does reach for a bluesier, more roots-oriented sound on Lemons, though his vocals are just as petulant as ever and the overloaded recording and layers of cheap echo result in music that sounds as swampy as anything this guy has ever committed to tape. Lemons doesn't sound like a radical departure from the Epsilons, but it gives Segall a chance to broaden his horizons a bit from what he did with the group, and he takes advantage of the opportunity — if Lemons isn't the most subtle album ever recorded, it employs a far lighter touch than Segall has used in the past, and most of the time it serves him well. Ty Segall would do well to follow the lessons he learned on this set.