Ariel Pink review

Mature Themes is a fucking odd album.
Archaic and disjointed, kitsch and abstracted.
It’s also spectacularly refreshing and incredibly evocative.
Reminiscent of C-grade 80’s cop shows, where junkies and drag queens rule the night. Candy era Manhattan, lost Warhol films, scenes from Serpico, Harlem and The Bronx, Micheal Jackson’s red gloves….. Can’t explain that one exactly, you just have to listen to the music.

Ariel Pink are no strangers to outlandishness.
Lead Singer Ariel Marcus Rosenberg is famed for mid-show break downs, curious musical collaborations and should you wish to explore his creative mind further, you can view some of his artwork online.
So it’s really no shock that latest musical offering would be anything less than completely obscure.

What does make this different however, is that you genuinely believe that this is the music Ariel wants to be making. It’s not pretentious or contrived. Lyrics are dripping with kooky symbolism, and occasionally we get an unguarded interpretation
“I don’t need to burn any bridges, but I can’t get enough of those bitches. I’m just a rock’n’roller from Beverly Hills, My name is Ariel Pink.”

As a band, Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti are undoubtedly most poignant when forgoing the extreme silliness, such as in Schnitzel Boogie or Pink Slime, which is kinda crap to be honest, and instead hone in on what they do best, intense synthesizer pop. Fright Night and Bright Lit Blue Skies from 2010 album, Before Today, stand out as brilliant, shiny pop nuggets. Similarly, there are tracks on Mature Themes, which capture this intrigue beautifully.

It’s no surprise the critics are hailing Mature Themes, nor music fans devouring the record. It is special, it is completely unique and in an age where genuine independent spirit is hard to dig up, this should by all means be celebrated, with or without the Schnitzel Boogie.

Review by Golden Lady