Ty Segall - Chrome (2026)
An energetic and enjoyable garage rock album, with powerful fuzzy guitars, solid musicianship and a few interesting psychedelic passages, but ultimately too conventional and repetitive to leave a particularly strong impression.
With Chrome, Ty Segall returns to the raw, guitar-driven rock that characterized much of his earlier work. The album combines garage rock, psychedelia, proto-punk and hard rock, with nine relatively short compositions built around distorted riffs, energetic rhythms and occasional melodic surprises.
What I appreciate most is the interaction between the musicians. The guitars are powerful, the rhythm section is tight, and the keyboards add some welcome colour to the arrangements. The production has a spontaneous, almost live quality that gives the music plenty of energy. However, that rawness also becomes one of the album's limitations, as the constant distortion makes several songs sound rather similar.
“Glass” is my favourite track. I particularly appreciate the contrast between its mechanical opening rhythm and the more atmospheric psychedelic section that follows. The guitars gradually become more expressive, and the composition develops in a way that feels more interesting than the straightforward structures of most other songs. It's one of the few moments where I feel Segall really explores the possibilities of his musical ideas.
“Hospital” is another enjoyable track, with its ominous organ introduction and heavy guitar riffs. “Running to Nowhere” offers some effective contrasts between aggressive passages and more melodic moments, while “Black Paint” delivers a quick burst of energy. I also appreciate the more accessible approach of “Play Cowboys” and the extended instrumental passages of the closing “Chrome”.
Unfortunately, much of the album feels too familiar. The riffs and arrangements are competent, but they rarely bring anything particularly new to garage rock or psychedelic hard rock. Several compositions rely on similar distorted guitar sounds and straightforward rhythmic patterns, making the record less varied than it initially appears.
I also find the songwriting rather uneven. The short tracks are often entertaining while playing, but few have particularly memorable melodies or interesting developments. The constant energy doesn't always compensate for the lack of musical depth, and I sometimes wish Segall would allow more space for contrasting atmospheres or more ambitious arrangements.
The production reinforces this impression. Although I appreciate the natural interaction between the musicians, the heavy saturation can become exhausting, particularly when listening to the complete album. A little more variety in textures and dynamics could have made the stronger compositions stand out more effectively.
Ultimately, Chrome is a decent and occasionally exciting garage rock album, with good musicianship and a few genuinely enjoyable moments. I appreciate its energy and spontaneous character, but the conventional songwriting, limited melodic appeal and repetitive guitar textures prevent it from becoming particularly memorable. An album I can enjoy in small doses without feeling a strong desire to revisit it in its entirety.
64/100
❤️ Favourite track: “Glass”
+ Powerful guitar riffs and convincing interaction between musicians
+ Raw, energetic production with a spontaneous live-band feeling
+ Some interesting psychedelic developments, particularly on “Glass”
– Conventional songwriting with limited originality or memorable melodies
– Repetitive guitar textures and excessive distortion
– Insufficient variety and relatively few rewarding instrumental developments
Genre: Garage Rock
Country: US
Final Verdict: 64% (Good Album)
Yearly Ranking: 410th / 751
Highlight: Glass
Made me think of:
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard
Osees
Queens of the Stone Age
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