fakejazz.com

The term "lo-fi" often describes a condition more than a style. Being too poor, lazy, or nihilistic to go to a studio, the four track becomes a means to an end. In contrast, Ariel Pink uses his eight track as an instrument in his one-man band - perhaps the lead instrument, having much more of an influence than his guitar, bass, and keyboards. By pushing the portastudio past its limits, the sound gets all warbled and shakey, with all corners rounded, creating the aural equivalent of a Crumb cartoon. That gloriously crappy sound gives the prominent hooks of these Bowie, Joy Division, and John Hughes soundtrack inspired pop songs more depth than they would have otherwise. "For Kate I Wait" sounds like a dreary memory from some mid 80s dance party with its string-sounding synth and driving beat. Methadone-drip "The Doldrums" slows down time, the recording style reducing the instruments to soft metallic vibrations that cower below the affected vocals. Just the way Pink says "Haunted Graffiti" in the song of the same name becomes a hook that sticks in your head for days. Definitely not an album you can dismiss on first listen, you have to get used to the weirdness before the hooks sink in. This release compiles two CDR releases recorded mostly in 1999 and 2000, and a new album, Worn Copy, is due in April.

Ariel Pink at Amazon & Insound