There’s a lot that sucks about the current state of the world. But it’s also been inspiring to witness how art not only finds a way in the face of a global catastrophe, but in many ways it thrives under such conditions.
The countless livestreams I’ve watched, from Willie Nelson and Neil Young to Kevin Morby and Waxahatchee, have been a tremendous solace to me while social-distancing. (That and Tiger King.)
And with so many creatives off the road and stuck in their own homes, there is no doubting that we’re about to witness an explosion of new music that’s being written and recorded as we speak.
Leave it to Ty Segall to lead the pack.
Just a month since releasing Fungus II, his latest album with his latest band, Wasted Shirt, the ever-prolific rocker has just dropped a new EP that he recorded in his own self-isolation.
In the same sprit of Ty Rex, his 2015 tribute to T. Rex, Segall Smeagol finds Ty covering six tracks from Harry Nilsson‘s seminal 1971 album, Nilsson Schmilsson. And obviously it’s fun as hell!
Ty’s fuzzed-out revamp on classic cuts like “Coconut,” “Gotta Get Up” and “Jump into the Fire” are magnificent in their own right, and deeply satisfying for anyone familiar with original.
While we all can’t wait for this pandemic to be over, let’s make sure to take stock in the good things that can come out of it too.
Ryan is a writer, editor and vinyl collector currently based in Los Angeles. He started Mini Music Critic in 2017.