A Perfect Pair

Wasted Shirt is the project of garage rock experimentalist Ty Segall and legendary noise rock drummer Brian Chippendale. Ty Segall is known for his many different projects, such as his work with The Epsilons, as well as his large solo catalogue. Segall is often referred to as a “rock revivalist” and has left his impact on a variety of rock subgenres. Brian Chippendale is best known as the drummer and co-founder of groundbreaking noise rock duo Lightning Bolt. Fungus II is their first full length project together.

Exhilarating Garage Noise

Fungus II is an exciting project. The pounding and intricate drum grooves provided by Chippendale are backed up by Segall’s pummeling guitar riffs and angsty vocal delivery. These two play off of each other’s abilities perfectly creating a unique hybrid of loud, industrial noise rock and raw garage rock. The fantastic performances on this record are made even better by the expert layering of the instrumentals and the crushing guitar tones. Each track on here has an appropriate sense of scale that matches with the varied composition styles.

All is Lost serves as a great opener for the album that demonstrates what this project is trying to accomplish. The song is driven by Chippendale’s drumming, which is both fast and rhythmically intricate. The chorus on this song have Brian’s drumming matched with Segall’s sluggish guitar, which has pummeling tone. Segall’s shouted vocals and erratic guitar solos match with this track’s speed and intensity and add an extra layer to the controlling atmosphere. The intense speed and abrasive atmosphere carry over in the next track, Zeppelin 5. The instrumentals are a driving force. The drums push you forward as Segall’s guitar builds tension, sounding like a revving engine. Repetitive vocals are spread over the entire track, which have a much more melodic feel in contrast to the intensity of the instrumentals.

Fist is my Ward carries the album’s momentum. This track is characterized by its droning guitar passages, unusual vocals, and ever building drum grooves. This momentum is, unfortunately, not carried over in the track Harsho. Harsho is the second longest track on the album and it really starts to drag over its five minute runtime. It’s a repetitive track that sounds barren in comparison to the massive scale of the previous tracks. Double the Dream, the next song on the album, picks things back up again. It is probably the simplest track on the album, but that doesn’t lessen the blow of the driving guitar riff and the pounding drums, as well as the repeatedly shouted phrase of “dream” as the track closes out. After that, The Purple One comes on with a punky acoustic guitar riff that is accompanied by rising instrumentals that swirl around it.

Eagle Slaughters Graduation is one of tensest tracks on the album and highlights the fantastic mixing as well as Chippendale’s top tier drumming. The track starts off with just the drums and as it progresses instrumental layers are added until it reaches a crowded climax, one of the most exciting points on the record. The album closes out with Four Strangers Enter the Cement at Dusk, which is characterized by its brooding tone and sluggish instrumentals. The volume ramps up over the first 3 and a half minutes before exploding at the halfway point. It turns into one of the most raw moments on the record as well as one of the noisiest. The outro of the track is a sludgy, droning outro of guitar feedback, which a proper end to this unrelenting beast of an album.

Favorite Tracks

1. All is Lost
2. Zeppelin 5
3. Four Strangers Enter the Cement at Dusk

Overall Thoughts

Fungus II is an exhilarating project that holds you attention throughout. It drags in some specific areas but they are more than made up for with the intense and unrelenting performances, compositions, and production.

Score

8/10 – Amazing