Freckle
Freckle
GOD?/Drag City Records [2025]
“Spontaneous, dynamic, and full of chemistry—Freckle finds Ty Segall and Corey Madden effortlessly engaging.”
Album Overview: Freckle is the latest project from Ty Segall, teaming up with Color Green’s Corey Madden. Their self-titled debut, released on Segall’s Drag City imprint, God?, marks another addition to Segall’s extensive catalog. While Segall is known for constantly shifting musical identities, this collaboration finds him pairing with Madden, whose background in cosmic country and psych-rock offers an intriguing counterpoint. Freckle fuses Segall’s signature sounds, balancing acoustic-driven songwriting with bursts of fuzz-laden rock. While recent releases have leaned into synthesizer textures and jagged rhythms, this album feels more grounded, incorporating warm melodies and dynamic interplay between Segall and Madden. It doesn’t radically alter Segall’s trajectory, but its spontaneity and chemistry make it stand out among his recent works.
Musical Style: The album blends folk-leaning elements with raw, electrified energy, often starting with stripped-down foundations before expanding into full-band arrangements. It recalls the spirit of early ’70s glam with an off-kilter, exploratory edge, offering breezy psych moments interspersed with tight, riff-heavy sections. Madden’s fluid guitar lines complement Segall’s freewheeling approach, creating an interplay that feels loose yet intentional.
Evolution of Sound: After a stretch of emphasizing electronic textures and dense, fractured compositions, Freckle signals a return to Segall’s strengths—melding folk-inspired songcraft with unfiltered rock intensity. Acoustic instrumentation plays a bigger role than in his recent work, bringing echoes of Hello, Hi (2022) while still tapping into the expansive, anything-goes mindset of Three Bells (2024) and First Taste (2019).
Artists with Similar Fire: Fans of T. Rex will recognize familiar influences in Freckle, with its mix of acoustic strumming and glam-infused swagger. At times, the album also carries echoes of Big Star’s power pop song structures, alongside the organic interplay found in collaborations between Segall and White Fence. Listeners drawn to loose, sun-soaked rock with a touch of grit may also find common ground with the likes of Garcia Peoples or MV & EE.
Pivotal Tracks: Freckle kicks off with “Paranoid,” a track that immediately establishes the album’s dynamic range, weaving acoustic and electric elements together in a way that feels both raw and deliberate. “Taraval” follows with a warm, ’70s-inspired guitar rock vibe, effortlessly blending laid-back melodies with an offbeat energy. The album’s heaviest moment arrives with the appropriated titled “Heavy,” a fuzzed-out, full-throttle explosion that stands in sharp contrast to its more subdued tracks. Meanwhile, “Who’s Sitting on the Moon” slows things down, pairing introspective lyrics with a dreamy, atmospheric soundscape while showcasing Madden’s deeper vocals. These tracks highlight the album’s ability to shift seamlessly between reflection and high-energy bursts, keeping the listening experience fluid and engaging.
Lyrical Strength: Segall’s songwriting remains impressionistic, favoring evocative imagery over straightforward storytelling. His lyrics drift between playful observations and surreal reflections, enhancing the album’s hazy, free-flowing atmosphere. Rather than grounding the songs in a clear narrative, the words act as another instrument, shaping the album’s mood and movement.
Final Groove: Freckle is an album of effortless chemistry, where Segall and Madden’s styles intertwine to create something both familiar and fresh. It’s not a radical reinvention, but it finds Segall embracing a more organic, collaborative spirit. Fans of his past work will appreciate the return to a warmer, looser sound, while new listeners may be drawn in by the duo’s seamless interplay. As Segall continues his restless creative streak, Freckle suggests that his best ideas might come from the spaces where spontaneity thrives.
OTHER TY SEGALL PROJECTS REVIEW HISTORY
FUZZ: III (2020) / Wasted Shirt: Fungus II (2020) / The C.I.A.: The C.I.A. (2018) / GØGGS: Pre-Strike Sweep (2018) /Joy (w/ White Fence) (2018) / GØGGS: GØGGS (2016) / FUZZ: II (2015) / Reverse Shark Attack (w/ Mikal Cronin) (2013) / FUZZ: FUZZ (2013) / The Traditional Fools: The Traditional Fools (2013)
TY SEGALL REVIEW HISTORY
Love Rudiments (2024) / Three Bells (2024) / “Hello, Hi” (2022) / Harmonizer (2021) / Segall Smeagol EP (2020) / Pig Man Lives Volume 1 (2019) / First Taste (2019) / Deforming Lobes (2019) / Fudge Sandwich (2018) / Fried Shallots EP (2017) / Freedom’s Goblin (2018) / Ty Segall (2017) / Emotional Mugger (2016) / Ty Rex (2015) / Mr. Face EP (2015) / Live In San Francisco (2015) / $ingle$ 2 (2014) / Manipulator (2014) / Gemini (2013) / Sleeper (2013) / Twins (2012)
FRECKLE LINKS
Bandcamp | GOD?/Drag City Records
TY SEGALL LINKS
Official Website | Instagram| Drag City Records
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