13 May 2010

Ariel Pink's 4AD Graffitti



I like that Ariel Pink's on 4AD now. Don't know why. I guess the smears of sound that characterise the Ariel Pink sound seem to fit happily in the little snug recess of my brain that used to amaze over old 4AD record sleeves, wondering what the hazy girls in the 23 Envelope artwork would look like in the flesh, without the fuzz or the glaze or the soft focus...

Now, of course, I just have a tendency to impose soft focus on everything; not wanting to look too, er, clinically at the world, not intending for anything ever to have too much clarity, in case I turn into a worried Lancome or Oil of Olay model.

They didn't ask.

And Haunted Graffitti must have come from looking at the 23 Envelope typefaces mustn't it? I can't think of a better description for all those roccocco curls and skews and frazzled perspectives...

V23 was the visual representation of the mistaken empathy of many a young, earnest, overcoat-wearing, Mary Chain-haired carrier in the 80s... A visual poem, mirroring the scrawl at the back of your roughbook, mirroring the posh signature you're still trying to develop, in the hope that one day someone will ask you to write a cheque...

I'm glad Ariel Pink is on 4AD. I don't know why.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

The new album is great! I love his previous lo-fi stuff and this is lots glossier, but in a really interesting way. One song sounds like Phil Collins!

Paul
www.bringmecoffeeortea.com

Cloudboy said...

it's brill to see the label's finally inching towards interesting again ...they've been peddling mediocre for far too long... think the last wow for me was that scott walker thingie but this recent influx of new blood is looking very promising... big pink, tune yards, gang gang dance...

Cloudboy said...

not revolutionary... but very like-able

Loki said...

you're right; i've always loved the label, just not been at all interested in what they've been putting out there until recently... c'mon the boys... wonder if there'll be a This Mortal Coil album out with the new breed? Could be interesting...

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