Manipulator

Ty Segall's 2014 album, "Manipulator" is a masterpiece. It does what music is supposed to do--lead the human mind to transcend the human condition. So powerful is this album in its ability to take our minds to a place of beauty, that, earlier today, as I tried to simultaneously read news articles about violence in the Middle East and listen to "Manipulator," I literally felt my psyche pulled in two directions. When an album can lead you to feel a totally new sensation--while stone cold sober--that is some power, man.While the album opens with 40 seconds of organ and closes with a few seconds of violin, in between "Manipulator" is dominated by Ty Segall shredding. As with the finest of musicians fusing variety and beauty to maintain our full attention, Segall wends from skilled clean acoustic to the muddiest of power garage rock guitar.Psychedelia is mixed-in primarily through vocals--particularly backing vocals. Once again, Segall doesn't get stuck with one sound, but juxtaposes clean clear vocals and lyrics with far murkier throw-back grunge crossed with a muddy blues inspired feel.Picking a favorite track is truly challenging, but the first one that dominated my attention was #5, "Feel." Featuring a virtuosic display of guitar playing over an African-beat rhythm, this track exemplifies the album in one track. "Green Belly" is another gem--I'm transported to California surf rock over smooth inventive riffs with a hooky melody. "Crawler" seems to have `crawled' out of the primordial altrock ooze of a Wolfmother album featuring the simultaneous power and groove of Sydney, Australia's second most famous musical export. This track is immediately follow-up by #15 "Who's Producing You?" featuring ear-pleasing psychedelic hooks and riffs.Weighing-in at a meaty 17 tracks, I awarded ten tracks five star status. Obviously a must-buy recommendation. At Amazon MP3's current list of $8.99--less than 53 cents a track, "Manipulator" is a steal.

I had heard some clips off of this on the NPR All Songs Considered with him and it got me excited to check this out. This is the seventh studio album under his own name. I have been a fan of his music since I checked out Slaughterhouse in 2012. He has a very psychedelic feel to his music that is really nice to hear. And then you add in the garage rock, fuzz that he adds to his guitars. It is just really fun music to listen to. This is by far the cleanest record that I have heard from him and that really takes this album up a few notches to me. There were some really great grooves, great drumming and some really killer guitar solos. I have to listen to this one again soon. So much great rock and roll and this one and it is recorded with such solid production it just sounds amazing, it really shows that those extra takes to get it perfect were worth it in the end. I think there are some lyric themes/concepts that flow throughout the whole album but I'll have to listen more closely to hear them all. Such a rocking album though. Gonna be tough to top this one this week.

This is easily one of my favorite albums of the year. I even bought it twice since the vinyl I got at his show didn't have a download code. It reminds me of my favorite Bowie stuff but Ty definitely has his own sound. He took almost a year to record this album which is longer than he usually takes & the attention to detail shows. Great melodies, guitar freak outs, catchy grooves, this record has it all.If you get a chance to see this dude live, take it. The tickets won't always be this cheap. The atmosphere is crazy rowdy and I have never seen more crowd surfing, jumping off the stage, & moshing at a show. I'm 33 now so I stayed back out of the way but made sure I could still the band & the show was high energy & really fast. Ty even let some dude sing a song since it was his birthday & the guy actually nailed it before diving off the stage. I know this review is supposed to be about the album so I'll stop rambling. BUY MANIPULATOR & TURN IT ON AND ALL THE WAY UP.

Out of all the great albums Ty Segall has put out, this one is my absolute favorite! The entire album is excellent! David Bowie left Ty some moondust before he left to the other side & Marc Bolan sprinkled moondust on Ty Segall's band from heaven. There are so many great musical elements about this production. It's kind of psychedelic, yet it has some really cool hard rock n roll riffs that are reminiscent of the Beatles, Bowie's & T-Rex Glam Era, as well as some punk rock garage-edge of The Stooges and Red Kross. My absolute favorite song from the entire production is "The Singer"! It's a total homage to T-Rex done with such respect and inspiration. It really is one of the coolest rock albums I have heard in many years - Probably since Lenny Kravitz "Mama Said" or Nirvana's "Nevermind" albums. This album is totally AWESOME!!! !

Ty Seagall has evolved, he has devolved. He has added chromosomes to the DNA strands of rock music. Sure on the surface you might think that Manipulator is nostalgic work, but it's not. It's something new and fresh in a familiar setting. This is his most accessible music and the songs more thematic, like the bands in the 60's and 70's but I find nothing wrong with that. In a time when consumers snipe songs this a download the whole enchilada.* Kurt Cobain is coming back from the grave to play an acoustic "Susie Thumb" at SXSW in 2015.* David Bowie will have a yet another re-invention after locking himself in a small flat in Chelsea for 96 hours listening to Manipulator.* Hipsters will shave their beards grow their hair longer to get the "Ty Edge".* Song writing will be "fat free" and "organic".

This album is like a box of chocolates. Loads of different insides. In fact, for me, it's better, because I don't like any of the sickly fruit cremes, whereas with Manipulator, every track is a coffee/toffee/fudge/nut delight. Ridiculous metaphors and similes aside, this album is just so much fun.Track after track, some loud with grinding or wailing guitars, some gentle with gorgeous harmonies; all with Ty Segall's laidback voice singing lyrics that, for me at least, are opening up with every fresh listen. It's pacy, exciting and so melodic. Even the grungiest songs suddenly soar with gorgeous tunes.It reminds me of stuff I used to listen to on the Nuggets collections, or early Beck, or more recently Elephant 6 Collective bands, like Olivia Tremor Control. I haven't got any favourite tracks. I like all of it, every second. I've got several other cds by Ty Segall, they're all good. One will be in one style, another in another style. Manipulator succeeds for me better than all of them, specifically because of its diversity.Something for everyone, but every one for me!

Most definitely the best thing I have heard in ages. There's a catchiness to the tunes and the production is sympathetic to the music. I guess you can hear a lot of influences within the album but it's definitely one that once you've heard it you'll want to put it straight back on again.

Very nice album. Not an original note on it but hey, who cares. It blows away the blues on a Monday morning. The T.Rex element is great for us old f**kers!

Quite simply one of the best albums I've ever heard. 17 tracks and the majority are 9 or 10 out of 10s.

like it a lot, good