Ariel Pink
"pom pom"
Elephant 6+Frank Zappa+R. Stevie Moore
I go in and out of music. I binge and purge. It's probably no surprise to older MB members that have seen me come to this site in quick bursts, becoming an active member, taking part in many a discussion, hell, even having my own member journal, only to leave it all mid-conversation for a year or two, (leaving few people upset, never-mind aware). Such is my relationship with music itself. I could probably fit every piece of new music I listened to in 2013 on four 80 minute CD's this year, my desire for exploration and enjoyment comes and goes with my mood. Fortunately, my life has bounced back around at least momentarily enough for me to make thirty or forty 80 minute CD's if I so chose (probably much less than you guys, but that's why I'm here)
This year of personal musical renaissance, I've found Wild Nothing, King Tuff, Parquet Courts, Eddie Floyd, Ducktails, The Feelies, Tashaki Miyaki, Peach Kelli Pop, song by song. I will take 100 different good songs by 100 artists over 100 great songs by a great artist any day. And then, after months of wallowing in indie-single wasteland for months, I see Ariel Pink, who I've always considered a bit overrated (but nevertheless has made some great tracks) has a new album.
"pom pom" is dark, it is goofy, it is outrageous, it is bland. It is the album I have always thought about making. It is a lo-fi odyssey through genres, with enough bizarreness to put it flagpole sittin' right in-between the nations of arch-rivals absurdity and pretentiousness. It is as much a singular sound as it is a collection of potential singles. It is the best release I have heard this year by far.
I've always been a huge lo-fi fan, and assumed after the Best Coast/WAVVES/Times New Viking late oughties explosion the best days were over. But no other release, ("pom-pom" that is) solidifies lo-fi's stance as a perennial genre more than this record. DOWNLOAD IT.