The world is over loaded with garage related bands. Some stay a bit closer to punk territory than others, while some work to get into surf or pop territory. And really, it doesn't matter what slant these individual groups end up putting on their songs as long as it has some sort of balls. It doesn't need to be Motorhead, but I think there're probably more effete indie bands than anything else in the world right now. So, there's probably some happy medium somewhere.

Setting oneself apart from the drove of bands in these all too interrelated genres is more difficult, most likely, than you might believe. And for whatever reason the self titled disc from Ty Segal really stuck out from last years glut of releases. I can't say that it was prominently featured on any year end doozies, but it shoulda been.

That disc put the NorCal resident in a setting where he accompanied himself on a much reduced drum set while singing and strumming a few chords. Being used to Segall and his voice in this particular set-up made coming across the Traditional Fools a bit awkward. It's not due to the music lacking any specific cultural cache, but having a full band behind him significantly affected the way in which he plies those guitar strings. It's not better or worse - it's different.

In finding the self titled, solo disc charming in its lack of over crowding, the Traditional Fools have a much engorged sound - obvious? Right. But the rhythmic backing of an actual band seems to, in some cases, negatively affect Segall's performance.

While his solo full length can't be said to portend any sort of slight sounds, it seems more nuanced - not necessarily weak, but more focused and consistent. The singing, neigh, yelling on the Traditional Fools' disc is pretty consistent, whereas Segall, when performing alone seeks to incorporate more range into his crooning. That could be the most important ingredient missing here. Segall isn't allowed to alter his approach all too drastically over the entirety of the Traditional Fools' album. And on his own disc, he's able to effortlessly move in and out of styles.

But what The Tradition Fools lacks in subtlety, it easily makes up for in the ability to work in a bit of surf guitar as on "Layback!!!" as well as the album opener "Davey Crockett." Even though the rest of that lead off track sounds like a Gories' track gone awry, it still beats out the Vivian Girls.

Much of the latest crop of garage inflected bands, like those aforementioned ladies, suffer from cutsie nonsense. Moped Girls? Come on. None of this music is intelligent, nor is it meant to be, but there needs to be some sort of weeding out. I guess "Snot Rag" from the Fools might be as dumb as anything else. Again, though, the garage/surf workout possesses just the right amount of abandon and (almost) adept musicianship. It's not a cold classic and it might not equal other work from Segall, but amongst the mire of the recent garage dregs, it sticks out...a little.