Pom Pom (album)

Last updated

Pom Pom
Pom pom.jpg
Studio album by
Ariel Pink
ReleasedNovember 17, 2014 (2014-11-17) [1]
Genre
Length67:08
Label 4AD
Producer Ariel Pink
Ariel Pink chronology
Early Live Recordings
(2013)		Pom Pom
(2014)		 Dedicated to Bobby Jameson
(2017)
Singles from Pom Pom
  1. "Put Your Number in My Phone"
    Released: August 9, 2014 [5]

Pom Pom (stylized as pom pom) is the tenth studio album by American recording artist Ariel Pink, released on November 17, 2014 through 4AD. It was his first release credited solely to himself, and his last on 4AD. Several of its songs were co-written with the ailing Kim Fowley, who died the following January. Critics generally gave the album positive reviews. Only one single was issued from the album: "Put Your Number in My Phone".

Contents

Background

Among direct influences on the album, Pink cited the Mothers of Invention, the Cure, and Todd Rundgren. [6] The songs "Jell-O," "Plastic Raincoats In The Pig Parade", "Sexual Athletics", "Exile On Frog Street", and "Nude Beach A Go-Go" were co-written by Kim Fowley, from his hospital bed for Pink to perform. [7] The album also features vocal contributions from French singer-songwriter Soko; Pink returned the favor by co-writing and guesting on two tracks off Soko's second studio album, My Dreams Dictate My Reality (2015). [8] The track "Nude Beach a Go-Go" was also recorded by American rapper Azealia Banks. This version of the song, produced by Pink, appears on Banks' debut album Broke With Expensive Taste (2014). [9]

The track "Put Your Number in My Phone" was released as the first single off the album on August 9, 2014. [5] The music video for the track was released in September 2014. [10] The music videos for the tracks "Picture Me Gone" and "Dayzed Inn Daydreams", both directed by Grant Singer, were released on November 4, 2014 and January 26, 2015, respectively. [11] [12] The latter video stars the Mau-Mau's frontman Rick Wilder. [12]

Promotion

Pink recalled that he "didn’t even get to promote the record per se. I was just put on a very strange track of trying to double down or back up on things I said or supposedly said or said in response to someone. It was like going down a rabbit hole of retardation." [13] Shortly before the album's release, Pink reported to the online journal Faster Louder that "Interscope are calling me to help write Madonna's record. They need something edgy. They need songwriting. She can’t just have her Avicii, her producers or whatever, come up with a new techno jam for her to gyrate to and pretend that she’s 20 years old. They actually need songs. I’m partly responsible for that return-to-values thing." [14] The comments attracted the attention of Grimes, who called it "delusional misogyny" on her Twitter. [15] [16] Pink dismissed the subsequent controversy as "clickbait journalism. The media lies to us all the time, and we always believe the media. Then Grimes – who’s completely stupid and retarded to believe any of it – jumps in and has her two cents. I'm not a misogynist. ... I was only repeating what Interscope told me about why they needed me. They’re not my opinions." [15]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.1/10 [17]
Metacritic 75/100 [18]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [19]
The A.V. Club B+ [7]
The Guardian Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [20]
NME 8/10 [21]
The Observer Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [22]
Pitchfork 8.8/10 [23]
Q Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [24]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [25]
Spin 8/10 [26]
Uncut 8/10 [27]

Upon its release, pom pom was met with generally positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from critics, the album received an average score of 75 based on 28 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". [18]

Louis Pattison of NME stated that the album is "funny, melancholy, randy, touching, disgusting and deeply, deeply strange," adding that "it has the feel of a magnum opus." [21] Paste critic Philip Cosores described the album as "probably the most accessible, easy-on-the-ear and enjoyable music of his career, without any asterisks." [28] Pitchfork critic Jeff Weiss praised the album, which received a "Best New Music" rating on the website, writing: "The campy flair, smirking irony, and deliberately "retrolicious" alliteration matches the scarecrow-genius of the album." [23] Zachary Houle of PopMatters thought that the album is "gorgeous and silly – sometimes both at the same time." [29] Colin Joyce of Spin described pom pom as "a record that's as full of unforgettably kaleidoscopic melodies as it is surreal shoutouts to Dolly Parton and Kurt Cobain--pom pom is just about as beautiful of a mess as Pink himself." [26]

AllMusic critic Heather Phares thought that "the way Pink zigs and zags on Pom Pom can be dazzling or confusing depending on listeners' patience," further adding that "in its own way it's one of the best representations of what makes his music fascinating and occasionally frustrating." [19] John Everhart of The A.V. Club stated that the album "feels at times more like a singles collection than a cohesive album, which isn’t to its detriment." [7] Consequence of Sound critic Dean Essner wrote that "it’s discernible and then, suddenly, it’s not. But the surreal, visceral experience in itself is where the fun lies." [30] Giuseppe Zevolli of Drowned in Sound wrote: "It is very easy to get lost in this record, but there is a miraculous balance that holds everything together." [31]

Alexis Petridis of The Guardian criticized the album, writing that "it sounds like pop music made by someone who feels pop music is beneath him, deliberately crowding out his obvious abilities with stupid voices and noises." [20] Kitty Empire of The Observer thought that "the unevenness of Pom Pom is a stumbling block, even allowing leeway for lysergic non-linearity." [22]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Plastic Raincoats in the Pig Parade" Ariel Pink, Kim Fowley 3:28
2."White Freckles"Pink, Kenny Gilmore2:46
3."Four Shadows"Pink, Don Bolles 3:40
4."Lipstick"Pink3:22
5."Not Enough Violence" Alex Kazemi, Pink, Bolles, Shags Chamberlain6:06
6."Put Your Number in My Phone"Pink, Jorge Elbrecht2:53
7."One Summer Night"Pink3:55
8."Nude Beach a Go-Go"Pink, Fowley, Azealia Banks 2:20
9."Goth Bomb"Pink2:43
10."Dinosaur Carebears"Pink, Joe Kennedy, Chamberlain5:23
11."Negativ Ed"Pink3:18
12."Sexual Athletics"Pink, Bolles, Fowley4:02
13."Jell-O"Pink, Fowley2:01
14."Black Ballerina"Pink5:52
15."Picture Me Gone"Pink, Justin Raisen, Mary Raisen5:39
16."Exile on Frog Street"Pink, Kennedy, Fowley4:48
17."Dayzed Inn Daydreams"Pink4:52
Total length:67:08

Personnel

Charts

Chart (2014)Peak
position
US Billboard 200 [32] 150
US Billboard Alternative Albums [33] 20
US Billboard Heatseekers [34] 2
US Billboard Independent Albums [35] 18
US Billboard Top Rock Albums [36] 31
US Billboard Tastemaker Albums [37] 12

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Soko (singer)</span> French singer

Stéphanie Alexandra Mina Sokolinski, known professionally as Soko, is a French singer and actress. She released her debut single "I'll Kill Her" in 2007. It achieved airplay success in several European countries as well as Australia, peaking at number three on the Danish music charts, and was included on her debut EP Not Sokute (2007). Her debut studio album I Thought I Was an Alien was released in 2012 and contains the single "We Might Be Dead by Tomorrow", which achieved ninth place on the Billboard Hot 100. Ensuing years saw the releases of her second and third studio albums My Dreams Dictate My Reality (2015) and Feel Feelings (2020).

<i>Chemical Chords</i> 2008 studio album by Stereolab

Chemical Chords is the ninth studio album by English-French rock band Stereolab, released on 18 August 2008 by 4AD and Duophonic Records.

<i>Gala</i> (album) 1990 compilation album by Lush

Gala is the debut compilation album by the English alternative rock band Lush, released in 1990 by 4AD as an introduction to the US and Japanese markets, comprising the band's earliest releases in reverse chronological order, plus two additional tracks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ariel Pink discography</span>

Ariel Pink is a Los Angeles–based indie artist and musician. He boasts a cult following and endorsements from more widely known artists such as fellow founding Paw Tracks group Animal Collective.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Big Pink</span> English rock band

The Big Pink are an English electronic rock band from London, consisting of multi-instrumentalists Robertson "Robbie" Furze, Akiko Matsuura and Charlie Barker. Initially a duo, they signed to independent record label 4AD in 2009 and won the NME Philip Hall Radar Award for best new act. To date, they have released five singles, with their debut album A Brief History of Love released in September 2009 and its follow-up, Future This released in January 2012.

<i>A Brief History of Love</i> 2009 studio album by the Big Pink

A Brief History of Love is the debut album from British electronic rock duo the Big Pink. The album was released on 14 September 2009 on 4AD. The Big Pink signed with 4AD in February 2009, and won the prestigious NME Philip Hall Radar Award for best new act. The band were also named as "one of the most likely breakout acts of 2009" by the BBC. Prior to the album's release, the band issued three singles: "Too Young to Love"/"Crystal Visions" on the House Anxiety label in October 2008, "Velvet" on 4AD in April 2009, and the non-album track "Stop the World" in June 2009. "Dominos", the album's first proper single and the band's fourth single overall, preceded the album on 7 September.

<i>Before Today</i> 2010 studio album by Ariel Pinks Haunted Graffiti

Before Today is the eighth studio album by American recording artist Ariel Pink, credited to "Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti", and released on June 8, 2010. The album marked Pink's debut on the record label 4AD. It was his first official LP of new recordings since 2003's Worn Copy and his first written and recorded with a supporting band, referred to in the liner notes as "Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ariel Pink</span> American musician, singer, and songwriter (born 1978)

Ariel Marcus Rosenberg, professionally known as Ariel Pink, is an American musician, singer, and songwriter whose work draws heavily from the popular music of the 1960s–1980s. His lo-fi aesthetic and home-recorded albums proved influential to many indie musicians starting in the late 2000s. He is frequently cited as "godfather" of the hypnagogic pop and chillwave movements, and he is credited with galvanizing a larger trend involving the evocation of the media, sounds, and outmoded technologies of prior decades, as well as an equal appreciation between high and low art in independent music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Unknown Mortal Orchestra</span> Oregon-based New Zealand psychedelic rock band

Unknown Mortal Orchestra is a New Zealand psychedelic rock band from Auckland and now based in Portland, Oregon. fronted by multi-instrumentalist Ruban Nielson, assisted by his brother Kody Nielson and bassist Jacob Portrait. Nielson started the band in 2009, initially as a solo project. The band's first album was released in 2011 on Fat Possum Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Round and Round (Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti song)</span> 2010 single by Ariel Pinks Haunted Graffiti

"Round and Round" is a song written and performed by the American hypnagogic pop band Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti. It was released as a double A-side on April 26, 2010 and appeared as the fifth track on Before Today, the band's debut album on 4AD.

<i>Mature Themes</i> 2012 studio album by Ariel Pinks Haunted Graffiti

Mature Themes is the ninth studio album by the American recording artist Ariel Pink. It was released on August 20, 2012, through 4AD, and is the second album recorded with Pink's band. It is the final album released under Pink's musical project "Haunted Graffiti," as he would subsequently release material under his name starting with his follow-up album, pom pom (2014).

<i>Shrines</i> (Purity Ring album) 2012 studio album by Purity Ring

Shrines is the debut studio album by Canadian electronic music duo Purity Ring. It was released on July 20, 2012, by 4AD. Purity Ring recorded the album separately at home over several months, sending their parts via email. Shrines has been described as an electropop, synth-pop, dream pop, and indie pop album, incorporating hip hop-inspired production and "striking" lyrics. It was produced by Purity Ring, with additional production by Jon Hopkins.

<i>Monomania</i> (Deerhunter album) 2013 studio album by Deerhunter

Monomania is the sixth studio album by American indie rock band Deerhunter, released on May 7, 2013 on 4AD. Produced by both the band and Nicolas Vernhes, the album is the first to feature bassist Josh McKay, and is the only studio album to feature guitarist Frankie Broyles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pallbearer (band)</span> American doom metal band

Pallbearer is an American doom metal band from Little Rock, Arkansas, formed in 2008.

<i>The Desired Effect</i> 2015 studio album by Brandon Flowers

The Desired Effect is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter and The Killers frontman Brandon Flowers. It was released on May 15, 2015, by Island Records. It was produced by Ariel Rechtshaid and Flowers and mixed by Alan Moulder. The album debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart, becoming Flowers' second solo number-one album and sixth overall.

<i>My Dreams Dictate My Reality</i> 2015 studio album by Soko

My Dreams Dictate My Reality is the second studio album by French singer-songwriter Soko. It was released on 2 March 2015 through Because Music and Babycat Records. Produced by Ross Robinson, the album features contributions from singer-songwriter Ariel Pink, Revolver guitarist Ambroise Willaume and Warpaint drummer Stella Mozgawa.

<i>Fading Frontier</i> 2015 studio album by Deerhunter

Fading Frontier is the seventh studio album by the American indie rock band Deerhunter, released on October 16, 2015 on 4AD. Produced by Ben H. Allen, who had previously worked with the band on Halcyon Digest (2010), and the band itself, the album was preceded by the singles "Snakeskin", "Breaker" and "Living My Life".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Big Thief</span> American indie folk band

Big Thief is an American indie folk band formed in Brooklyn, New York, in 2015. The band consists of Adrianne Lenker, Buck Meek and James Krivchenia (drums). Between 2015 and 2024, the band also included longtime bass guitarist, Max Oleartchik.

<i>Dedicated to Bobby Jameson</i> 2017 studio album by Ariel Pink

Dedicated to Bobby Jameson is the eleventh studio album by American recording artist Ariel Pink, released on September 15, 2017, through Mexican Summer. It is the follow-up to 2014's pom pom and features a narrative Pink described in a press release as "a battery of tests and milestones, the first of which sees him [the protagonist] reborn into life out of death." It peaked at number 193 on the Billboard 200 and received generally positive reviews from music critics.

<i>U.F.O.F.</i> 2019 studio album by Big Thief

U.F.O.F. is the third studio album by the American band Big Thief, released through 4AD on May 3, 2019.

References

  1. ↑ "pom pom by Ariel Pink". 4AD . Retrieved 16 November 2014.
  2. ↑ Rodriguez, Juan Edgardo (November 17, 2014). "Ariel Pink – pom pom". No Ripcord. Retrieved April 2, 2015.
  3. ↑ Parnes-Katz, Arielle (November 20, 2014). "Ariel Pink – pom pom". CMJ . Retrieved April 2, 2015.
  4. ↑ Williams, Holly (September 12, 2014). "Ariel Pink Loses Haunted Graffiti Moniker For New Solo Album 'Pom Pom'". Contactmusic.com . Retrieved April 2, 2015.
  5. 1 2 "ARIEL PINK RETURNS WITH NEW ALBUM 'POM POM', LISTEN TO FIRST TRACK". 4AD . Retrieved 16 November 2014.
  6. ↑ "Interview: Ariel Pink – "It's like no one should listen to what I say, because it's full of shit"". Songs for Whoever. November 30, 2014.
  7. 1 2 3 Everhart, John (November 18, 2014). "Ariel Pink gets help from his friends on Pom Pom". The A.V. Club . The Onion . Retrieved November 27, 2014.
  8. ↑ White, Caitlin (24 February 2015). "Stream Soko's My Dreams Dictate My Reality (Stereogum Premiere)". Stereogum . Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  9. ↑ Gordon, Jeremy (November 6, 2014). "Surprise: Azealia Banks' Long Delayed Broke With Expensive Taste Is Out Now". Pitchfork . Retrieved April 2, 2015.
  10. ↑ Minsker, Evan (September 22, 2014). "Ariel Pink Pushes a Man in a Wheelchair Around a Mall in His "Put Your Number in My Phone" Video". Pitchfork . Retrieved April 2, 2015.
  11. ↑ "Ariel Pink Shares Creepy "Picture Me Gone" Video". Pitchfork. November 4, 2014. Retrieved April 2, 2015.
  12. 1 2 Gordon, Jeremy (January 26, 2015). "Ariel Pink Shares "Dayzed Inn Daydreams" Video". Pitchfork . Retrieved April 2, 2015.
  13. ↑ Pemberton, Nathan (August 1, 2017). "Ariel Pink Opens His Big Mouth Again: The Musician Returns to Explain His Controversial Past, and Predict His Own Future". Wmagazine.
  14. ↑ Smith, Sarah (October 14, 2014). "Ariel Pink is working on Madonna's new album: "They need something edgy"". Faster Louder. Archived from the original on August 3, 2017.
  15. 1 2 Samadder, Rhik (November 15, 2014). "Ariel Pink: 'I'm not that guy everyone hates'". The Guardian.
  16. ↑ Kim, Kristen Yoonsoo (October 14, 2014). "Ariel Pink: Indie Rock's Most Hated Man Right Now". Myspace . Archived from the original on January 30, 2017. Retrieved July 10, 2017.
  17. ↑ "Pom Pom by Ariel Pink reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
  18. 1 2 "Reviews for Pom Pom by Ariel Pink". Metacritic. CBS Interactive . Retrieved November 27, 2014.
  19. 1 2 Phares, Heather. "Pom Pom – Ariel Pink". AllMusic . Retrieved November 27, 2014.
  20. 1 2 Petridis, Alexis (November 13, 2014). "Ariel Pink: Pom Pom review – pop music by someone who thinks it's beneath him". The Guardian . Retrieved November 16, 2014.
  21. 1 2 Pattison, Louis (November 17, 2014). "Ariel Pink – 'Pom Pom'". NME . Inspire. Archived from the original on November 18, 2014. Retrieved November 18, 2014.
  22. 1 2 Empire, Kitty (November 16, 2014). "Ariel Pink: Pom Pom review – the interplay of cute and sordid is a constant". The Observer . Guardian Media Group. Retrieved November 27, 2014.
  23. 1 2 Weiss, Jeff (November 18, 2014). "Ariel Pink: Pom Pom". Pitchfork . Retrieved November 18, 2014.
  24. ↑ "Ariel Pink: Pom Pom". Q (341): 106. December 2014.
  25. ↑ Dolan, Jon (December 30, 2014). "Pom Pom". Rolling Stone . Retrieved November 2, 2018.
  26. 1 2 Joyce, Colin (November 18, 2014). "Review: Ariel Pink Makes Another Wondrous Mess With 'pom pom'". Spin . SpinMedia . Retrieved November 27, 2014.
  27. ↑ "Ariel Pink: Pom Pom". Uncut (211): 74. December 2014.
  28. ↑ Cosores, Philip (November 18, 2014). "Ariel Pink: pom pom Review". Paste . Wolfgang's Vault . Retrieved November 27, 2014.
  29. ↑ Houle, Zachary (November 18, 2014). "Ariel Pink: pom pom". PopMatters . Retrieved November 27, 2014.
  30. ↑ Essner, Dean (November 18, 2014). "Ariel Pink – pom pom". Consequence of Sound . Retrieved November 27, 2014.
  31. ↑ Zevolli, Giuseppe (November 12, 2014). "Album Review: Ariel Pink – pom pom". Drowned in Sound . Archived from the original on November 13, 2014. Retrieved December 5, 2014.
  32. ↑ "Ariel Pink- Billboard 200 chart". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 16, 2015. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  33. ↑ "Deafheaven – Alternative Albums chart". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 19, 2015. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  34. ↑ "Ariel Pink – Heatseekers chart". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 17, 2015. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  35. ↑ "Ariel Pink – Independent Albums chart". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 27, 2016. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  36. ↑ "Ariel Pink – Top Rock Albums chart". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 19, 2015. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  37. ↑ "Ariel Pink – Tastemaker Albums chart". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 19, 2015. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.