Ty Segall - Sleeper

In Sleeper, Ty Segall puts down the expected electric and effects-ladened fuzz and instead picks up the acoustic guitar, resulting in an accessible and introspective LP. This is an intimate album, one in which he invites us into his most personal space, which, as it happens, is inhabited by a disturbed presence.

The acoustic nature of the album gives us a sense that Segall is not just opening the door to himself, but that he’s broken it down completely. The character of the recording further accentuates this feeling. It’s as if Ty has come into your home, sits on the couch and begins to play in an effort to release his inner most feelings, all the while you just happen to record him on whatever equipment is lying around.

The sound on this album is clearly influenced by the psychedelic sounds of the past as the album invokes memories of early Pink Floyd and late era Beatles.

“Sleeper” begins by whistling through certain perceptions that Segall posses but are ultimately professed as dreams, as he pines to “want to sleep all day / And I wanna go away / I want to sleep all day”, his voice flowing in from a breezy distance. You can understand this desire once you realize the cloud surrounding this album. As Segall reveals in a number of interviews, Sleeper was recorded after the death of his stepfather and his estrangement from his mother. His feelings are revealed on “Crazy” and then further explored on “She Don’t Care”, where the violins act as guides to help navigate the emotional terrain.

“Come Outside” is another highlight as it pulses on through with a repetitive chord progression from his acoustic guitar, steered by the walking bass line and thumping rhythm of whatever household item is being used as a drum.

This album is a beautiful if not haunting listen. While it may be a slight turn from what we’ve grown accustom to from Segall, it nonetheless showcases an artist growing and maturing as a songwriter and storyteller.