I’m a big fan of the first few weeks after an album is released. No matter how famous or underground the artist is, for a glorious fortnight I can toss their music on the aux and watch as everyone in the room reacts. People will bob their heads and tap their toes, running through the iTunes libraries of their mind trying to figure out who the hell sings this song. In that moment, I feel like god, holding the power of a great song as well as the holy knowledge of its origins.
Ariel Pink’s latest album has been on the airwaves long enough wear its novelty thin, yet his music always has a similar effect on a room. Nostalgia confronts experimentalism in songs like “Death Patrol,” leaving listeners in a frustrating state of deja vu. Dreamy disco melodies combined with Pink’s eclectic vocal range make this track familiar yet uncontrived. “Death Patrol” is a perfect song for parents’ weekend, as music fans from any era can recognize something likable in it.
