After years of recording in relative seclusion in the hills of Los Angeles, Ariel Pink (the first non-Animal Collective member on the Paw Tracks roster) made his official Paw Tracks debut with The Doldrums. Recording at home with a guitar, bass, keyboard, and 8-track (the drum sounds were created with his mouth).
Ariel Pink blends Lite FM and warped lo-fi pop into something by turns beautiful and confusing. Some may find his personal yet detached approach highly addictive, while others may be instantly turned off by the obvious lo-fi production and the vocal drumtracks.
In the summer of 2003, Pink passed a CD-R on to New York based band Animal Collective after being introduced by mutual friend Jimi Hey (of All Night Radio and Beachwood Sparks) at one of their shows. Unbeknownst to Pink, Animal Collective had recently started their own record label, Paw Tracks, and several weeks later they contacted him expressing an interest in releasing his music. Pink became the first musician on the label aside from the members of Animal Collective. The next year, the label reissued The Doldrums, an album which had been originally recorded in 1999. Since then, Paw Tracks (now co-owned by Carpark Records) has released two other reissues of Pink's previous recordings, Worn Copy and House Arrest.
Pink has gradually caught the attention of media sources around the United States as well as internationally. As most of his albums are self-made, many of them have never been heard by fans. Almost all of Pink's albums which have been commercially released come from his yet-unfinished "Haunted Graffiti" series and are thus the best known.
Pink's tours have generally been met with much negativity, primarily because his music was never intended to be performed live for commercial audiences. As he explained to LA Weekly:
“People boo me everywhere...They don't even hide their contempt. I'm used to it now...Hey, I'm giving audiences the real thing...For better or worse, I'm out there, and those are the circumstances. People don't like it when it seems like you don't know what's happening, or I'm getting bummed out with certain aspects and I can't hide it. I think people feel that pain and just think it's bad.”
Initially playing shows alone with pre-recorded music, Pink has since employed the efforts of keyboardist Kenny Gilmore, bassist Tim Koh (White Magic), drummer Jimi Hey, and guitarist Cole M. Greif-Neill (Ethnik Klensr) as Haunted Graffiti. However, even with a backing band unfamiliar audiences are generally hostile towards the unrehearsed nature of the live compositions.
In July, the band embarked on Pink's "Thanks Mom, I'm Dead" tour.
One genre that may interestingly define Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti is one known as Hauntology.
Envelopes Another Day
Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Foreshadow my papers,
Dress the living room
With your tears and a smile
A clashing rain
Drops to the ground
Your wounds
Next to me are your silly notes that
Came around and reversed my soul
Envelopes empty, they're closed
On another day
Looking for you
The picture isn't all that's left of you
And I never knew what to do
And it wouldn't have been love
If it wouldn't have been for your ...
Ooh, ooh
In the grave silence (x3)
I locked your love
(x2)
Drapes were drawn
When I let you in
But you were never invited
... come
And they ain't cheap
If I can be late
It's gonna hurt
If I wet my seal, so
Don't say "Go back
The way to the moon"
Send me the postcard just as soon
And the bird clock ticks all afternoon
Curfew's past, back in two
There's two, with the name
And date and time
And you
In the grave silence (x3)
I locked your love
(x3)
I'll buy the envelopes on another day
When your blood makes stamp stick
Drop the papers on your child's head
The warmest color of the dead
The blackest white you've ever read
And the crooner's man instead
With a warrior's face
And an arm
And a crossbow head
In the grave silence (x3)
I locked your love
(x3)
I didn't love
Silence!
Silence, ooh
The lyrics of Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti's song Envelopes Another Day seem to be about the aftermath of a breakup. The persona waits for a lover who is no longer there, trying to make sense of the situation. The first lines, "Foreshadow my papers, Dress the living room with your tears and a smile," are particularly enigmatic, but they could be interpreted as the persona looking through old notes or thoughts of the lover who has left. The image of the living room decorated with tears brings an overwhelming feeling of sadness, yet the smile suggests an attempt to hold on and stay positive.
As the song progresses, the persona becomes more introspective, admitting that he never knew what to do with the lover. He reflects on how he felt when the lover was there and realizes that it wouldn't have been love if it weren't for the pain that came with it. This realization is emphasized with the line "The warmest color of the dead, the blackest white you've ever read," which highlights the pain and isolation felt by the persona. Finally, the lyrics end with a plea for silence, as if the persona wants to be done with the pain and move on.
Line by Line Meaning
Foreshadow my papers,
I see trouble coming, but I'm warning myself with notes that I've written down
Dress the living room
I'm making my living space look inviting, perhaps to distract myself from my troubles
With your tears and a smile
I'm remembering you fondly, both for the happiness we shared and the sadness we endured
A clashing rain
The weather outside is tumultuous, reflecting the emotions I'm feeling inside
Drops to the ground
The rain falls heavily, like my tears when I'm longing for you
When you miss, you kiss
When I'm feeling lonely and missing you, I try to hold onto the memory of your love
Your wounds
I feel pain and hurt over our separation
Next to me are your silly notes that
I've kept the notes you left behind, which bring me comfort and remind me of your love
Came around and reversed my soul
Your presence always lifted me up and instilled light into my life
Envelopes empty, they're closed
The envelopes you once filled with love and words of devotion now lay empty, as if they could never have meant anything in the first place
On another day
Perhaps someday in the future, things will be different and we can start anew
Looking for you
I desperately want to find you again, and I've been searching everywhere
The picture isn't all that's left of you
I may have a photograph of you, but it's not enough to fill the void in my heart
And I never knew what to do
I was lost without you and never knew how to move on
And it wouldn't have been love
Our relationship was not true love, since it was never meant to be
If it wouldn't have been for your ...
But despite this, you still had a profound effect on me and changed me for the better
Ooh, ooh
These sounds are expressive of my emotions, which are difficult to put into words
In the grave silence (x3)
I am alone and the silence is suffocating, reminding me of the emptiness I feel inside
I locked your love
I kept the memory of your love locked inside me, holding onto it as tightly as I can
Drapes were drawn
I've shut myself off from the outside world, closing the curtains and hiding away
When I let you in
But you were able to break down my walls and gain entry to my heart
But you were never invited
Despite this, I was not ready to be vulnerable and let anyone else in
... come
I'm hesitant and unsure of what to say next
And they ain't cheap
There is a price to pay for love and intimacy, both in terms of money and emotional risk
If I can be late
While I may be hesitant, I still hope that I can find a way to be with you once again
It's gonna hurt
But I am aware that there may be pain and heartache along the way
If I wet my seal, so
If I make the first move and drop my guard, I know that it will be difficult to go back
Don't say "Go back
I don't want to be pushed away or rejected by you once again
The way to the moon"
This is an expression of my desire for something that is far out of reach, like going to the moon
Send me the postcard just as soon
Despite the difficulties, I still hold out hope that we can find a way to reconnect
And the bird clock ticks all afternoon
Time moves slowly when you're waiting for something or someone you desire
Curfew's past, back in two
I've been gone a long time, but I promise to return soon
There's two, with the name
This could refer to two of us, or perhaps two items or objects that are important to me
And date and time
I am meticulous and organized when it comes to keeping track of details, like dates and times
And you
Ultimately, you are the one that is always on my mind
I'll buy the envelopes on another day
I'll be ready to fully commit to something new, but not quite yet
When your blood makes stamp stick
I'll know that the time is right when I feel a deep emotional connection to you
Drop the papers on your child's head
I hope that the next generation can learn from our mistakes and grow to lead happier, healthier lives
The warmest color of the dead
The memories of you are comforting and bring me peace, like the warmth of a cozy blanket
The blackest white you've ever read
Our love was full of contradictions and complexities, like the stark contrast of black and white
And the crooner's man instead
I wish that I could go back in time and live during a simpler era, before all of our complications and heartache
With a warrior's face
Despite my gentle exterior, I have endured many difficult trials and fought through them with strength and courage
And an arm
I am ready and willing to embrace life's challenges head on
And a crossbow head
I am sharp and focused, with an unshakable aim and the power to overcome all obstacles
I didn't love
Despite my deep devotion and feelings for you, it's hard to say whether or not it truly was love
Silence!
Despite the chaos of the world, I sometimes crave the peace and quiet of isolation
Silence, ooh
The sounds of silence are both eerie and soothing, depending on my mood and feelings at the time
Contributed by Tristan W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
N S
The beauty of Ariel's Haunted Graffiti tracks are that you can really interpret his lyrics in what make sense in your head. I'm drunk.
mark david
Fuck you're so right dude.
jbomb895
If I ever get a band together I want to cover this song.
Jackson Fritts
Had this stuck in my head alllllll day.
N Burton
Now becoming one of my favourites :)
SugarSigur
Maybe one of the reasons why I love Ariel's work so much is because he reminds me one of my ex boyfriends...briliant, sociopathic, gorgeous, and selfish...but all at once more beautiful...and no one can understand but those of us who love him...
Syd Barret
you have described the soul of many artists...
B. M. S.
And I wonder what's so great about being selfish...
William Robinson
This is a thing? People are attracted to sociopaths?
alakazam123
He sounds like a cool dude. Does he make music, like, ariel quality music?