Ariel Pink’s career has been nothing short of rebellious. The disorderly start of his vocation helped with the explosive release of Before Today, surely a rise from his earlier days when first getting started. His postscript album Mature Themes is more loose and fiery than his prior albums. Possibly his catchiest song on Mature Themes, also a cover of Donnie and Joe Emerson’s 1979 soul-pop song “Baby” was made into a freer yet more mysterious adaptation. It is pure, uncontaminated. The mood of the entire album feels anti-social, which is what I like most. The melodic warmth sets the perfect mood for tranquil nights simply intended for listening. I personally like the new graceful noise that some say is a departure from the old Pink. His full mid-range sound has given “bedroom composers” a point at which to start on, and to have confidence and courage with their musical endeavors. The album is surely melodies for a flat woven throw rug fantasy of 70’s acidic rock.
Pink is an extraordinary songwriter. He’s king at reconstructing songs that mixes warmth with paradoxical lyrics, something very hard to accomplish.
You forget that none of what you hear makes sense; the sound hypnotizes you to mull over, and accept. The lines are puzzles made to trap the individual, foolishly trying to uncover its true meaning. It can only be disentangled when the listener stops trying to solve it.
With the odd reputation of being a savant, his career got started with a series of self-recorded cassettes in what sounds like a congested dungeon. These tapes were re-issued by the psychedelic band Animal Collective’s record label “Paw Tracks” in ‘04. The sound is everything between rock and 70’s pop, and somehow works for today’s listening ears. An interview of Ariel by The Village Voice has Pink saying “I’m lucky I invented ‘chillwave’ and ‘glo-fi”, says the musician regarding the effect his sound has had on other artists trying to find their niche in the business. This community, is his cult following.
In another interview by The Observer, he describes the album to be where he feels he is momentarily at in his life. Although he feels the album doesn’t take anything too seriously, you can’t help but question that statement. Surely if you listen closely to his lyrics you would come to the opposite conclusion. But then again, this is where us foolish civilians make the rookie mistake. Sadly he feels that this album, although widely successful, is the beginning of the end. Staying relevant is the hardest thing to do in today’s day in age. The album has only bought him time.