Ty Segall is back in the saddle and riding towards new horizons with his 16th studio album, Possession, out May 30th via Drag City, and today presents its title track. For the journey, Ty’s struck up the orchestra in his head to map out an abiding view of the American frontier, with lyrical fables co-written by his longtime collaborator, filmmaker Matt Yoka. Ty lassos in strings, horns, and his own piano playing to round up his delirious guitar hooks and vocal melodies, resulting in some of his most inventive songs yet.
New single “Possession” follows the previously-released single, “Fantastic Tomb.” With lyrics by Matt, it’s a compulsive roller whose first line — “A bible placed beside the butter by a farmer of misfortune in the winter” — suggests an unusual Ty Segall vignette. A rich, cinematic rock-fable unpacks the golden age of the witch hunt, a pagan concept brought to America by foreign devils (on the Mayflower, that is). Ty leaves the finger-pointing to the villagers, finding a romping chorus in their battle cry while asking: if it ain’t unbroken, why not fix it? That’s the power of Possession! Shout along with the lyric video for “Possession,” out today as well.
Over the years, Ty and Matt have brainstormed the visual worlds of Goodbye Bread, Manipulator, Emotional Mugger, and plenty more. As a non-musician, Matt’s language sense is different from the one Ty’s amassed as a player of music, and on Possession, each acts as writer and editor as they throw the conceptual ball back and forth translating general vibes and feels into wicked lyric imagery. Taking back alleys through complicated cityscapes, Ty scans the wreckage scattered all around, singing about the end of the rope whileresisting defeat — suggesting an ecstatic new empire to build as he cruises the countryside in his glittering craft.
Ty is in the midst of a solo acoustic tour throughout North America. He and his band will support Primus on tour throughout North America this fall with a headline run on the horizon for October.
