Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti
BY EMRE BERBEROĞLU (IR/III)
Mature Themes
Release Date: August 20, 2012
Label: 4AD
After Ariel Pink's meltdown onstage at the Coachella Festival in April 2011, I doubted that Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti could continue their musical life with a good album. However, with "Mature Themes," APHG have proven me wrong. This astonishing record has shown that Ariel Pink -- real surname Rosenberg -- is a talented musician.
"Mature Themes" opens with "Kinski Assassin," a song that reminds you of 60s and 70s psychedelic pop songs. Now, I should mention that Ariel Pink's colleagues in the band are also very talented. In particular, the synths (Kenny Gilmore) and guitar riffs (Cole M. Greif Neill) on this album are just amazing. While Pink sings in a way that makes you think you're listening to something in the 1970s, Kenny and Cole help him to sound more intimate.
The album continues with incredible momentum. With its rapid beat, "Is This The Best Spot" makes you want to dance. A clean transition then takes us to the soft pop song "Mature Themes." After that, the dazzling "Only In My Dreams" starts. When I first heard this song, the first thing that popped into my head was my old Walkman. Most of the songs on this record have that feeling, and so it does satisfy your sense of nostalgia.
Lyrically, Pink is growing up. He writes mostly about sex, dreams and fantasies, but he does this in a sincere and funny way. Recently, APHG's frontman answered a few questions from Uncut magazine about the album. One of them was about writing words to the songs: Anything on the album you're particularly proud of? "Well, I'm proud of myself for having the guts to write words to these songs, which was a very trying experience for me because I've been suffering from artist's block. The music is easier: everything comes to me as music and then you have to slap a face on top of it if you want it to come across as pop music and not muzak."
The Bottom Line: It's still too early to say this, but "Mature Themes" could be the best album of the year. And, good news! We'll have a chance to watch Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti live at Babylon in Istanbul on December 6.
Notable Tracks: "Kinski Assassin"; "Mature Themes"; "Only In My Dreams"; "Live It Up"; "Driftwood"
Band's Website: 4ad.com/artists/arielpinkshauntedgraffiti
This Week's Events:
1-) Filmekimi - October 12-13-14 - Büyülü Fener Kızılay, Ankara - Ticket Prices: Student 11TL, Regular 13TL
2-) The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble - October 10 - Babylon, İstanbul - Ticket Prices: Student 23.75TL, Regular 33.75TL
3-) Sensation - October 13 - Ataköy Athletics Arena, İstanbul - Ticket Prices: Standard 205TL, Deluxe 430TL (SOLD OUT)
4-) Gregory Porter - October 11 - Babylon, İstanbul - Ticket Prices: Student 29TL, Regular 39TL, Table 67.25TL
You can buy tickets for the events listed above at this website: http://www.biletix.com/
Song of the Week:
Alt-J (s) - "Breezeblocks"