The O-town Scene - Oneonta, NY
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/98030
New Music Notes |by Mark Boshnack Laygirl Fashion |by Emily Popek Holidays Mean Sparkly Clothes I am a bit of a magpie when it comes to shopping. If it shimmers, sparkles or shines, I will gravitate toward it. So it is understandable that I tend to get a little swept up in the glittery excess of the holidays each year. I don't set out to buy sparkly clothes every December, I swear. But somehow it just happens. And, let's just say I don't have the best luck with it. The list so far goes something like this: 2006: Bought a glittery, bright blue, lace shrug at a thrift store. Yeah, I'm not sure what I was thinking either. I gamely tried to work it into my wardrobe for a while before giving up. Gave it away at a clothing swap. 2007: Bought a sparkly green twin set with rhinestone buttons during a shopping extravaganza in Albany. Wore it to work, where it was suggested that I looked like a Broadway extra. Subsequently lost several of the buttons; kept it anyway. 2008: Bought gold lame sweater on clearance at Walmart while Christmas shopping, despite the fact that it was 2 sizes too small. Wore it twice before admitting that I am not, in fact, a size XS. Donated to Salvation Army. 2009: Bought another gold lame sweater, for less than $5 on clearance at JC Penney, despite the fact that it was 2 sizes too large. Wore it a couple of times before admitting that I am not, in fact, a size XL. Donated to Salvation Army. 2010: Bought a pair of brown leggings flecked with gold. Never quite figured out what to wear Gold lame. those with. They are still in my sock drawer somewhere. 2011: Bought a "tasteful" oversized beige sweater flecked with gold (maybe I could wear it with the leggings!) at a consignment store. Promptly shrunk it in the wash. And now it's 2012, and I just bought a pair of gold wedge heels. Have I learned nothing? Apparently not. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to the thrift store … Emily F. Popek is pretty sure gold shoes are office-appropriate. She is also assistant editor of The Daily Star. Contributed Contributed Ty Segall is seen in this undated photo. Rocker Ty Segall Keeps It Fresh, Fun "Thank God for Sinners." That opening song of the new album by Ty Segall makes me glad to discover the new album by that prolific San Francisco rocker. With three albums out this year, you might think that the 25-year-old might by running out of steam. But this album doesn't pretend anything than to be great music with a variety of influences, and it delivers throughout. The 12 songs on "Twins" move along at a pretty fast clip, often seamlessly moving from track to track. If you like some solid rock 'n' roll with a variety of influences that include Led Zeppelin, Jefferson Airplane, Neil Young and Crazy Horse, this is a joy to hear. Take that first song, which opens with some solid chords, fuzzed bass and distortion as Segall sings, "I'm out on the streets, you know, I'm looking for you, you give me the sweets you know, you know that's true," before he breaks into the chorus. This guy is having a good time, singing about basic rock issues of love and relationships, and producing solid sounds to back it up. The songs transition so well, it's hard to believe this is the music of a 25-year-old garage band aficionado. "You're the Doctor" opens up with music that could have been played by a hyped-up Blue Cheer, but like most every song on this album, Segall uses his influences to come up with something new. It's loud, raucous and fun, but solos that pay homage to one of Segall's influences, Neil Young, also give a glimpse of a future I want to see. Even a change-of-pace song such as "The Hill," which starts off with some a capella singing, soon breaks into garage band takeoffs on a fuzzed-out journey — part 1990s, all of today. I've been listening to the album for a couple of weeks, and I keep finding new surprises, both lyrically and sonically. One of my favorite track was "Ghost," with its distortion, and dinosaur-like bass intro, followed by plaintive lyrics such as "I don't want to be a ghost," it was hard not to love. Then came "Love Fuzz," with its falsetto singing, and power chords, and soaring guitar. This week it's "There Is No Tomorrow," with its simple plea for living in the here and now, and its Neil Young-like guitar solos. If this album doesn't make someone's albums of the year list, he'll probably come out with an album that soon will. Mark Boshnack is a reporter for The Daily Star, and a music fiend. Contact him at mboshnack@thedailystar.com. Dec. 6, 2012 O-Town Scene 5