Ty Segall Possession

Critic's Take

Ty Segall’s Possession reads like a relief, a tidy return to the psych-rock base that made him singable and strange at once. The reviewer's tone is warm and exact: opener “Shoplifter” and title cut “Possession” 'burst out the gate' with classic flair, while mid-album highlights like “Buildings” and especially “Alive” — with its "gorgeous string arrangements"—emerge as the best tracks on Possession. Even the drifting numbers are praised for solid performance and production, making the best songs stand out by contrast. This is a hangout record that sparkles, and for listeners searching for the best songs on Possession, start with “Alive”, then check “Shoplifter” and “Possession”.

Key Points

• “Alive” is the best song due to its gorgeous string arrangements and off-kilter energy.
• The album’s core strengths are accessible psych-rock songwriting, rich instrumentation, and well-produced performances.

Themes

Critic's Take

Ty Segall keeps his momentum on Possession, and the best songs here - notably “Shoplifter”, “Fantastic Tomb” and “Skirts of Heaven” - flaunt his knack for big hooks and smart vintage touches. Patrick Gill writes with the easy authority of someone who knows Segall's catalogue, praising the Beatles-like bounce of “Shoplifter” and the T. Rex stomp of “Fantastic Tomb” while noting the epic swing of “Skirts of Heaven”. The record blends jangly, freewheeling rock with strings and horns yet remains unmistakably a Segall rock record, which is why queries about the best tracks on Possession reliably point to those highlights. Overall, his guitar parts and vocal dexterity make these songs standouts and the album surprisingly palatable for even cautious listeners.

Key Points

• “Skirts of Heaven” is best for its epic swing and fearless execution.
• The album’s core strengths are vintage rock influences married to orchestral touches and confident songwriting.

Themes

Critic's Take

Ty Segall's Possession finds him leaning into melody and classic-rock flourishes, with tracks like “Buildings” and “Shining” standing out for their vocal warmth and 1970s-tinged riffs. Ferrier writes with a keen ear for progression, noting Segall has "unlocked a new side of himself as a singer", and that evolution makes these songs the best tracks on Possession. While some cuts - notably the same-y middle sequence - undercut momentum, the album's strongest moments reward listeners who want the best songs on Possession to be more melodic and richly arranged. The result is a solid record that occasionally sacrifices the raw power of earlier work for refined atmospherics and vocal focus.

Key Points

• The best song is 'Buildings' because the reviewer highlights its melodic vocals and calls it a beautiful listen.
• The album’s core strengths are melodic maturation, classic-rock instrumentation, and refined vocal performances.

Themes

Critic's Take

The prolific and consistently evolving Ty Segall leans into brighter pop melodies on Possession, and the best songs on the record - notably “Shining” and “Skirts of Heaven” - showcase his knack for flowery, emotionally palpable lyrics. The reviewer hears Segall’s melodic sensibilities everywhere, from the folksy storytelling of “Hotel” and “Shoplifter” to the cinematic sweep of “Alive”, making these the standout tracks on Possession. It’s a return to form that retains his charm while offering accessible, infectious songs that reward repeated listens.

Key Points

• The best song(s) like "Shining" highlight Segall’s poetic, flowery lyrics and emotional immediacy.
• Possession’s core strengths are melodic songwriting, accessible pop-leaning tones, and varied, cinematic arrangements.

Themes

Critic's Take

In his usual spirited, slightly forensic voice John Mulvey hears Ty Segall settling into a clearer pop idiom on Possession, with towering moments like “Possession” and “The Big Day” that crystallise his Beatlesy nous and glam-baroque leanings. Mulvey flags “Possession” as the record's pivotal "woo!" moment, a three-minute-and-thirteen-second flourish that announces Segall has found a more direct mode of expression. He praises “The Big Day” for arriving with "insouciant pomp and curlicued guitars", and singles out “Another California Song” for its Lennon-ish electric piano and horn-enhanced bloom. Across these best tracks on Possession Mulvey sees Segall marrying tunefulness and dynamism without losing his scrappy edge.

Key Points

• The title track “Possession” is the album's standout for its decisive 'woo' moment and ornate punch.
• The album's strengths are its Beatles-influenced tunefulness married to glam-baroque arrangements and narrative lyrical detail.

Themes

Critic's Take

Ty Segall leans into classic-rock buoyancy on Possession, and the best songs - chiefly “Possession” and “Another California Song” - wear that nostalgia proudly. The reviewer's eye lingers on how tracks like “Shoplifter” build from sparse garage dirge into sax-and-strings climaxes, while “Fantastic Tomb” channels gothic storytelling with a dad-rock groove. It reads like a return to the California songs that made Segall vital, a record content to bask in familiar, feel-good anthems. This is not radical reinvention but a warmly nostalgic consolidation of strengths.

Key Points

• “Another California Song” crystallizes the album’s power-pop, acting as a mission statement for its nostalgic aims.
• The album’s core strength is its warm, comfortably nostalgic blend of glam-tinged psychedelia and stadium-ready arrangements.

Themes

Critic's Take

Ty Segall takes a clear step into widescreen psych on Possession, and the best songs on the record make that leap feel effortless. The opener “Shoplifter” is beautiful and Beatles-esque, a bittersweet, acoustic-strewn tale that immediately stakes a claim as one of the best tracks on Possession. “Skirts Of Heaven” stands out too, simple images and winding layers building a song of real beauty. And if you are hunting for the album's peaks, “The Big Day” delivers Bowie-soaked drama that threatens stadium singalongs, making these three the clearest highlights here.

Key Points

• The best song is Shoplifter because its Beatles-esque strings and bittersweet acoustic narrative immediately stake an emotional claim.
• The album’s core strengths are widescreen psych arrangements, vivid narrative lyrics, and successful collaboration yielding human connection.

Themes