Wasted Shirt - Fungus II

Rarely when formulating combinations of musicians you would like to hear play together do you get to actually hear it. If Brian Chippendale and Ty Segall made a record, would you want to hear it? If the answer is yes, read on. If the answer is no, it's too bad you ended up canned, suspended in syrup with nothing but other peaches to keep you company.

Ty's 2019 album First Taste and the new Lighting Bolt album Sonic Citadel are easily some of the best material either entity has ever released so if these two happened to find themselves in the same recording studio, a fan just might entertain elevated expectation levels. In fact, some might actually show signs of enthusiasm, even excitement at the fact that from July 5th -13th 2018, in the air-conditioning free environs of Ty's home studio, the duo, eventually calling themselves Wasted Shirt, wrecked the joint as thoroughly as you hoped they would.

Prepare To Be Stoked Dept.: The album is exploding euphoria from start to finish. A morphing day-glo rainbow that will bring a smile to your face like if you were on your way to Washington DC for the Million Puppy March. Upon first spin, all boxes are checked and any previously held doubts are completely obliterated. The more you play it, the better it kabongs you upside your head. Hectic doesn't even begin to describe it. Brian and Ty, two mere particles in the grand scheme, collide at high speed, the technicians dive for cover, the reaction is recorded. Mutation is achieved. This is Freedom Rock. Turn up the volume. Hasten your emancipation. Sonic joy awaits.

It's a great time for music. As major labels continue their agonizingly slow march to total irrelevance, these masters of mediocrity at least provide great contrast. That is to say, the time has never been better for experimentation, spontaneity and restraint free creativity in music, lest we endure a never ending post modern stasis of cynical emulation. What would happen if Ty Segall and Brian Chippendale went to the studio in the dead heat of July? There was only one way to find out. Life is short. More assaults on the mordantly predictable need to happen because when it works, like with Wasted Shirt, it really works.

- Henry Rollins