Thee Oh Sees took the stage wearing their vintage guitars high and tight and communicated solely by echo chamber. They were the look of a West Coast car club and the sound of Rat Fink fronting the band you always wish was playing in all those beach party movies, where psychedelic doesn’t mean an eight minute guitar solo. As John Dwyer literally had the mike in his mouth, he bragged that one of his guitars cost four dollars. Brigid Dawson provided vocal harmony and a Gene Clark/ Nico tambourine rattle. The four -piece proceeded to play songs with titles like “The Freak Was Clean,” “It Killed Mom” and “Block of Ice.” They challenged the notion of fun on a Friday night to a knife fight with your ear drums, and they won fair and square. Imagine if Lux Interior wasn’t in drag and Jan and Dean didn’t let Dead Man’s Curve overtake them and you have some idea of Thee Oh Sees’ show.

Eleven o’clock and the place is packed. Without warning, Jay Reatard took the stage in a squall of feedback and a thicket of hair. They broke into Blood Visions, channeling a Wayne Kramer swagger and fuck it all presence that pricked up your ears and held your attention. The music was heavy with hooks and the theme of the songbook was to have a fucking good time at all costs. Song after song of amped-up pop came in quick succession, with the title shouted out and immediately played at breakneck pace. This lack of direct communication with the crowd seemed to get them more and more worked up, no “Hello Cleveland” bullshit. It was the same effect the too cool guy at school has on all his crazed female admirers. Finally, Jay pulled an audience member from the insanity of the front row and handed over his Flying V guitar. This kid started wailing on the neck as bassist Steve and drummer Billy whipped the crowd into a howling mania. The shit went off everyone was locked into the same distorted frequency.   I was happy I had earplugs and even happier I did not miss out.

—Eyad Karkoutly

Download: Ty Segall “It #1″

(from Lemons out July 14 on Goner)

Since the Epsilons’ first record, released in early 2006, Ty Segall has proved himself to be one of the most prolific members of the California music community, releasing LPs, 7”s and tapes of his many bands at an alarming rate. As guitarist/vocalist of the Epsilons; member of Traditional Fools; part time drummer for Party Fowl, Fresh and Onlys and Sic Alps, and leader of his own namesake band, which switches between the one-man-band format to its current full band incarnation, Ty Segall has managed to craft a unique sound and create a scene all his own, which has lead him into the arms and hearts of legendary garage rock figures like Eric Oblivian (Goner Records founder, member of Oblivians, Bad Times) and John Dwyer (Castle Face Records founder, member of Coachwhips, Thee Oh Sees, the Hospitals, etc.).

On Ty Segall’s second solo LP Lemons, released on Memphis’ Goner, Segall has toned down the yelps and howls he favored on his first solo record and the preceding Epsilons recordings in favor of an attempt to favor a more universal lo-fi garage rock sound. At times on this record this pays off, such as the beautifully trudgy “In Your Car,” but washed of the distorted vocals and frantic guitars this record feel less like a Ty Segall record than I would like.

This record has a much slower tempo compared to his previous outings, and as most of his long players were pressed to vinyl at 45 rpm and I have a strong feeling that this one will be at 33 1/3. Some songs, like “Johnny” and “Can’t Talk,” feel like a continuation from his early recordings and these to me are the brightest moments on the album. However, there is also “Rusted Dust,” which to me is a little too close to a slow Nirvana, or even Wavves, song for my liking. I don’t mean to criticize this song, but for someone with as unique of a voice as Ty’s I feel it’s a shame when he starts to sound like someone else. But to offset the slower moments, there is also a faithful rendition of Captain Beefheart’s “Dropout Boogie,” which is a cover you could never go wrong with. In all, I enjoy this record and I eagerly await his next, which knowing him will probably be out within a few months.

— Daniel Clodfelter