Ariel Pink- "Pom Pom"

Ariel Pink has been called many things; from "genius" to "misogynist", he is a divisive figure in modern alternative music. Born Ariel Marcus Rosenberg, Pink has successfully guised himself as a conundrum to the naysayers, prolifically devoting his life to endlessly creating lo-fi trash masterpieces for seemingly his own amusement. Teetering somewhere between the heir to the Zappa elseworlds and Dr. Demento's back catalog, the patchwork songsmith has allegedly crafted hundreds of records- releasing a sparse handful as physical albums comparatively.  The most recent to wriggle its way from his collection: Pom Pom.

In a surprising (and abruptly noticable) change of pace, Ariel Pink's Pom Pom is his most produced effort (don't worry fans, it's still the same crazy- it just sounds cleaner)- which really seems to do his work justice. Vascillating between 60's wizard pop, spaztic noise rock, and sing-along 80's nuance, Pom Pom's toybox exists in a world where your VCR's tracking problems create accidental sideswiped nonsensities.  It's strange, complex, completely original while being completely derivative, and undeniably not for everyone- but it needs to be experienced to even try to explain.

Get your copy of ARIEL PINK's newest album, "POM POM" RIGHT HERE!

TV On The Radio- "Seeds"

 

TV On The Radio formed in the wake of the early 2000's NYC rock n' roll revival trend, but unlike its five borough brethren who were preoccupied with analogue-striped guitars and Stones-worthy hooks, the Brooklyn natives had a more soulful approach.  Since the band's inception, Tunde Adebimpe, David Andrew Sitek, Kyp Malone, Jaleel Bunton, and Gerard Smith have remained core members- churning out four albums of expansive R&B-tinged indie rock that seemingly grows with each release.  The group's latest effort, "Seeds" finds the Brooklynites continuing down the road they started down and deliberately takes a few unexpected sideroads.

"Seeds" is decidedly a TV On The Radio record, the silky combination of Stax-era crooning over chunky bareback guitars that oscillate between dancehall grooves and cathartic distortion blasts.  The result is a band that could easily be the lovechild of Talking Heads and William Bell- the welcomed difference is the textural layers of melodies they openly embrace.  "Seeds" is a dance album for the NYC underground that still romanticizes guitars over synthesizers; or perhaps a soul record for the overzealous rock critic. Whichever camp you subscribe to, the common ground of genre-leanings TVOTR could easily make the most caustic naysayer bob their head to the beat.

Get YOUR copy of TV ON THE RADIO's NEW album, "Seeds", RIGHT HERE!