Album Reviews: Ty Segall, Czarface, Wine Lips

Czarface feat Frankie Pulitzer – Czarface Meets Frankie Pulitzer
New York City/Boston/London, England

With their uniquely dense and visually evocative production, every Czarface record feels like opening a brand-new record that you can rely on, but one that always feels fresh and weird in the best way. With Tom Hardy joining in on a resurrection of his Frankie Pulitzer persona (and also a bit of Bane), the group find even more quirky fun to be had, with Hardy feeling like less of a novelty addition and more like one of the guys who has a Swiss Army knife-like voice. There’s an immediately overwhelming mood in the massive production of “Brothers Grimm,” as the album sets off in a hail of bells and bars. The grimy bass of “All It Takes Is One Bad Day” makes it such a delight to find the weirdly poppy breaks, as the track whips up some beautifully satisfying comic-focused raps like those about Florence Pugh’s turn as Black Widow. “Triple Helix” plays the most into Czarface’s soundscapes, feeling like a radio play at times set to beats, with the Pulitzer verses hitting like a spooky narrator in the midst of this fun, experimental run. The piano runs of “Mad Technology” give it such a menacing texture for Method Man to join in on, and Hardy’s run as Frankie Pulitzer might be one of his most sly character voice turns yet.

Queens of the Stone Age – Insignificant Other (Single)
Palm Desert, CA/Seattle, WA

Queens of the Stone Age are channeling their seductive, groovy side again on “Insignificant Other,” playing to the more stripped-back sound of their other recent single, and offering something closer to blues rock with a bite, than their usual heavy rock charge. The result is like a sultry, cigarette-wielding desperado moving through a bar, with a sense of grandeur about them that makes them all the more alluring to behold. Every guitar lick with a more jagged edge, and twinkle to its sound gives this steady groove a sense of emotional magic that would be harder to obtain in their usually dense rock sounds. The bridge is where the band find a great middle ground and tantalizing switch of pace however, tapping into a bit of …Like Clockwork era darkness and wobbly phrasing to give us something only Queens can do.

Ty Segall – Chrome
Laguna Beach, California

There are two ways to approach Ty Segall’s music at this point: get tired of the redundancy, or appreciate the smaller changes and the stellar musicianship under the hood of that extended body of work. While he certainly isn’t reinventing himself, or even his sound, too much here, the subtle changes he brings to his production, tech know-how, and overall approach will more than serve as a fun journey over the horizon. Segall’s usual fuzz roar meshes with prog synth overtones on “Hospital” for a track that mixes his California rock charge with some pure Edgar Winter-style experimentalism. The growling guitar tones of “Running to Nowhere” feel like a protest from the get-go, but one that is being pulled away by otherworldly magic, until it is demented to an unrecognizable new form. While “Black Paint” feels like the most predictable Segall shredder on this record, it is at least refreshing to see him not only keep it short and concentrated like a knife, but also add that little bit of self-deprecating lyrics referencing his looping writing at the same time. That’s why it’s more fun to hear him playing around with the more bass-driven “Glass” and pull out some punchy choices, taking all his flair-heavy pop knack and fine-tuning it around this really heavy track.

Julia Jacklin – The Hardest Thing (Single)
Blue Mountains/Melbourne, Australia

There’s a determination and sunny hopefulness in the struggle of “The Hardest Thing” that sees Julia Jacklin trying to reckon with emotions and how those around you might not totally respond to them the same. The guitars beautifully reflect this conflict in the mix of downbeat verse guitars that are constantly lit up by the sunny spatters of glowing, fuzzy riffs. You can feel that overflow of love in Jacklin’s harmonies and the way her vocals slowly grow more and more euphoric by the backend of the song, fighting for that joy within all the worry and doubt. This central tension makes the song such a compelling listen, and the colour she draws from those yearning guitar lines makes you want to soak them up for days.

Wine Lips – TV Dinner
Toronto 

While Wine Lips’ latest effort feels like a very modern spin on catchy punk energy, there’s an inherently psychotic 90s kaleidoscope tone to it all, though perhaps more inspired by the worlds of offbeat TV than anything else. As abrasive as those aesthetics can be on their own, Wine Lips wrap it in just the right mix of infectious hooks and electric fury to keep you lost in the magic. The feisty, bite-sized punches of “Projector” are amplified by this subtle blend of vocal warps, to make the whole song feel like a song that slots perfectly into a demented Adult Swim interstitial. This crunchy tone gives “Head on Backwards” such an explosive kick in its choruses, so that by the time the band is full on chanting along, you already feel ready to fly into the mosh pit yourself. The economic pains of the modern age are at the forefront of the wailing on “Semi Detached Furnished Home,” as the dream life is broken down to such modest goals that it’s frustrating that even our titular abode is a stretch to afford these days. There are more stadium-sized ambitions in the rolling drums and neon guitars of “If You Don’t Know,” which finds the band gearing all those crusty tones into something that starts a pyre on its own.

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