Ty Segall has been recording and releasing music since 2007, putting out a constant stream of material. The very name “Ty Segall” has become synonymous with the term ‘prolific’—and rightly so.  As a solo artist, Segall has now released seven records, all of which, simply put, are awesome.

Segall’s self-titled debut from 2007 was a destructive and distorted romp of fuzz and grit. Six albums and much experimentation later, Segall has released double-album Manipulator, and through these 17 tracks, showcases not only his talent as a multi-instrumentalist, but also his ability to remain consistently invigorating and exciting to listen to. In this new release, Segall is able to prove that he is much more than just a garage rock wizard—but he is pretty good at that, too.

Whereas some artists use the double-album format to try and represent some kind of career-defining or thematic triumph, that certainly doesn’t seem to be the case with Manipulator—Segall just has a lot of songs he wants to put out. However, that doesn’t hold it back from being a great record. Segall’s progression as an artist is there and it’s clear he is experimenting with some interesting tie-ins to his fundamental sound—notice the violins in “The Singer.” 

Manipulator is a culmination of all of Segall’s previous work and influences, ranging from Bowie on “Green Belly” to Black Sabbath on “The Feels.” We’re conscious of Segall poking around for that new musical ingredient which will build on his identity as an artist, but he pulls it off while appearing comfortable with and confident in this method of experimentation. Surely ending the album off with a track titled “Stick Around” would imply that Segall has some great new projects in the works, but fans should be happy to keep occupied with Manipulator in the meantime.