On November 27, 2015, which was Record Store Day Black Friday, Goner Records released a 9 song LP from Ty Segall titled Ty Rex. The album consists of the garage rocker covering classic rock band T. Rex's early material, mainly 1967-1973. The material was taken mostly from Segall's previous Record Store Day releases, 2011's Ty Rex 12" and 2013's Ty Rex II 7", with the addition of one previously unreleased track: "20th Century Boy."
Opening with the 1970 tune, "Fist Heart Mighty Dawn Dart" — from back when the band was called Tyrannosaurus Rex — you can hear Segall add his signature fuzzed-out rock sound to the song. "Buick Mackane" brims with attitude and swagger, courtesy of psychedelic rock riffs. Slow and steady is the name of the game for "The Slider," which leads into a '50s inspired, rock and roll rhythm of "Woodland Rock." The previously unreleased take of "20th Century Boy" grooves along with hyper drumming and fuzz guitars as thick as the San Francisco Bay area fog.
The 1968 acoustic track "Salamanda Palaganda" gets the distorted guitar treatment, yet maintains its relaxed tempo. "Elemental Child," the album's longest, and perhaps most experimental, song, is a sonic journey through vocal changes and guitar freakouts. Closing out the 31 minute album is an acoustic "The Motivator," which doesn't pack the same gusto as the 1971 version, but is an interesting take nonetheless.
Tracks we like include "Fist Heart Mighty Dawn Dart," "Buick Mackane," "20th Century Boy," and "Elemental Child."
Pick up Ty Rex on Amazon (Vinyl, CD, MP3) or your local record store. You can also stream the full album for free above, via Spotify.
Back in October, Ty released II with his band Fuzz. You can check that out and read our review here on Zumic.
For the latest music, news, and tour dates from Ty Segall, check out his Zumic artist page.
