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Ariel Pink

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Ariel Pink

Ariel Pink

Most people took notice of the acid-pop genius Ariel Pink when he had the distinction of being the first musician outside of Animal Collective to release music through Animal Collective's super D.I.Y. label Paw Tracks. Forget the fact that Ariel had been making a scene on his own already... I don't know if "scene" is the right words... let's use "stir", Ariel had been stirring away for awhile before Animal Collective brought him on board and gave him a little more notoriety. Basically, Ariel is the 21st century version of Daniel Johnston.

So here is your full disclosure if you're thinking about checking out Mr. Pink; Start where I did: with 2010's Before Today. This was the first time Ariel had a music label (thanks 4AD) backing the bill; Or in other words- the first album Ariel made that was billed & made in a professional recording studio. Everything he had recorded before was recorded by him, by himself, A.K.A. "Lo-Fi Recordings". If you enjoy Before Today- keep working forward (2012's Mature Themes, 2014's pom pom, 2017's Dedicated to Bobby Jameson). If you find yourself enjoying his most-recent albums & really want to dive deep- then start from the beginning (2000's The Doldrums) and move forward (don't skip out on 2002's Lover Boy, or 2003's Worn Copy, or if you want to get really adventurous and get an idea of what the early years were like by listening to 2013's live compilation Early Live Recordings).

A lot can be written about Ariel, I mean the guy truly is a character. He's sorta' like Father John Misty; You can't tell if he's mocking the whole "Rock Star" thing or totally embracing it to a fault. Not only did Ariel produce once of the last decade's greatest songs but he also recorded one of my favorite songs to drum to. FOR THAT WE THANK YOU.

Remember the joke about the interviewer who was interviewing Pink Floyd & asked them, "By the way- which one's Pink?" thinking the name was a singular singer-songwriter, kind of like how my older brother thought Led Zeppelin was a dude? (To my brother's credit: Lead Belly is just one dude.) Anyways... Which one is Pink you ask? Well... There's only one (in more ways than one)... Which one is Pink?..... That one....

Ariel Pink

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