Kung Fu Necktie, Oct. 11 - FUZZ (Preview)

Perhaps the only thing more profound about the early career of San Francisco garage phenom Ty Segall's actual quality or work, is the sheer will he pushes for more.

As a solo artist, the 26-year-old Segall has released eight studio albums since 2008's Horn The Unicorn, along with exclusive 7" singles and cover tracks, separate EPs, work alongside acts like Mikal Cronin and White Fence, and as a member of other bands, including tonight's Kung Fu Necktie headliners FUZZ.

With any familiarity to Segall's previous work, FUZZ might not be too much of a leap - even considering Segall usually sits on the drums while longtime friends Charles Moothart and Roland Cosio sit upfront. The drowning, prodding sludge rock courses on full through the band's self-titled debut LP, which premiered just a few days back courtesy of Chicago's In The Red.

Moothart admitted in a recent interview with SPIN that the two have flirted with the idea for a while, even back in high school, but never considered actually taking it to the studio. "It's fate or something now," he says. "After the last two years going super-gnarly on music things, we thought, 'We just want to have fuckin' fun with music again.'"

Unfortunately, the wave of hype seems to have caught up, and tonight's Kung Fu Necktie show in Philadelphia, featuring CCR Headcleaner and Big No, is already sold out. For the lucky ones, get a preview of tonight's event below.

Ty Segall's newest venture - Fuzz

Only three days into 2013, and Ty Segall is already making noise. After releasing three LP's last year as a solo artist, with White Fence, and as the Ty Segall Band, the San Francisco native announced his newest project; Fuzz.

Segall actually sits in on the drums this time around, while Ty Segall Band guitarist Charles Moonheart plays his other half.

The duo's first single "This Time I Got a Reason"/"Fuzz's Fourth Dream" is already sold out, but you can stream both tracks for yourself below.

Albums of the Month: June 2012

Albums of the Month - June 2012

With summer officially beginning, we're more than halfway through 2012. While the year started out casually slow, the succession of months has really displayed some intensely original and invigorating material. This past month featured one of the year's most hyped releases (and it delivered!), emerging artists, and one man who shows up on Bears and Bullets fairly often. Here are my favorite three.

3.) Ty Segall Band - Slaughterhouse

Continually rising in from the San Francisco garage scene, Ty Segall's stamp on 2012 is more profound than ever. With his band's album Slaughterhouse (Insound), a blistering charm of cruising garage punk, an album collaboration with White Fence, and an upcoming tour with fellow San Fran-soon-to-be-legends Thee Oh Sees, Segall affirmed his name as the apparent torch-bearer to the late Jay Reatard. While there still seems to be a way to go before his name is put on the same pedestal as the Nashville punk pioneer, Slaughterhouse is the next step in that progression. Still unquestionably raw, especially on tracks like "The Bag I'm In," Segall put together his finest album yet.

2.) Fiona Apple - The Idler Wheel ...
This year's front-runner for longest album title, the ageless (seriously, I don't think she ages) icon Fiona Apple's first album in seven years, The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than The Driver Of The Screw And Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do (Insound) continues the confusing mad-woman allure that is Fiona. She's cleverly affectionate, playing with the ideas of need, desire, and love to the point where the definition is null. There are few who can do this, mending through unconventional rhythms and vocal renditions to the poignant stories in songs like "Werewolf" and "Anything We Want." It's those sweetly chaotic moments, with Apple dolling out melancholy verse between odd-ball sounds, that give you a moment to step into the 34-year-old genius' mind. And maybe it doesn't make sense to you, but there's a serene satisfaction knowing it does to her.

1.) The Tallest Man On Earth - There's No Leaving Now
If you're familiar with Bears and Bullets, then you're aware of my outward affection of Kristian Mattson, The Tallest Man On Earth. On his third album, and first since 2010's The Wild Hunt, Mattson has found his unavoidable niche. The jarring, unequivocally saddening and uplifting style of modern folk music is usually nothing more than acoustics and an occasional piano, but his romantic verses are what keep pushing the limits of his artistic flexibility. Songs like the title track and "Little Brother" are impossibly emotional, evoking scenes that very, very few others are even capable of. But maybe I'm biased. 

Ty Segall and White Fence - I Am Not a Game

About a week ago, this Ty Segall and White Fence collaboration in Room 205 hit Youtube, after the duo's single "I Am Not a Game" hit. Now the two have another live performance, in the same place, of the aforementioned "I Am Not a Game." Watch the single below and grab their album Hair April 24.

New Ty Segall and White Fence - I Am Not a Game

After running solo last year, Ty Segall has teamed up with White Fence for the collaborative album Hair, which is scheduled for release April 24. Check out the album's first single "I Am Not a Game" below, and stay tuned, because I'm sure I'll hype this up a lot.