Rob’s Album Of The Week: Fuzz’s II

What does a musician have to do to be considered prolific in 2015? Is it doing a never-ending amount of session work in the studio? Putting out a countless number of albums? Maybe Ty Segall has the answer to that question. Along with a successful solo career, the Los Angeles garage punk wunderkind has been in a ton of bands and involved with more than 25 records so far. The guy hasn’t even turned 30 and he’s putting something out for us to hear every year. Enter his band Fuzz, where Segall is on drums and vocals with Charles Moothart and Chad Ubovich on bass and guitar.

With their new album, titled II, the trio brings a mix of garage rock and stoner metal to the forefront. It’s a groovy combination of Black Sabbath’s sheer power, The Stooges’ charisma and the rhythmic excellence exuded by countless rock bands from the late ’60s and mid-’70s. Noisy progressions and epic tones are present in each track; there’s even a sense of doom metal in a few songs. I can describe it in so many ways, but the new album from Fuzz is just genuine badassness at its finest. Consider II to be in the upper echelon of 2015’s albums.

Ever wonder how Segall does it? Does the guy ever sleep? Does he have a mobile studio? Does he have one at home? To get more of a sense of how brilliant II is, check out the top tracks off of the Album Of The Week.

The bass line that starts off “Pollinate” is incredible; the guitar solos will send chills up your spine. Segall on drums also gives an emphatic dimension that serves as the perfect background to the chaos. Starting off somber and then launching into the stratosphere, “Jack The Maggot” will make your jaw drop when Segall starts singing. The master blaster rock and roller is “Red Flag, a blistering scorcher that less than 2 minutes long. It definitely has to be a mosh pit starter when Fuzz plays live.

Speaking of playing live, Fuzz will be at The Sinclair in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on November 16. Joining them will be the 2015 Boston Rock n’ Roll Rumble winners Zip-Tie Handcuffs and fellow Californians, Walter. Unfortunately it’s already sold out so if you have a ticket you better not be a dingus and not go because that would just be wrong. While you’re there, grab a copy of Fuzz’s II. It’ll melt your brain and electrify your soul.

Stream “Pollinate” here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDHXR2B9rEM

Fuzz’s page on In The Red Records’ Website: http://intheredrecords.com/collections/fuzz