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.
Nostradamus & Me
Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Me and Nos, Nostradamus
We road the alpha waves, we frolic on hill in dale
At night we walk, me and Nos
The Nos and me, Nostradamus and me
Goodbye! Bye-bye!
Soon the world of woe shall be overthrown
Over so long ago, over so long ago
The lyrics of "Nostradamus & Me" by Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti can be interpreted in a few different ways, but ultimately, they seem to be about a personal connection with the famous prophet Nostradamus. The lines "Reflecting on Gods riverbank, cobblestone cabin yard" suggest a contemplative mood, perhaps inspired by a peaceful natural setting. The second line, "Me and Nos, Nostradamus," is where the reference to the historical figure comes in. The lyrics then describe a sense of freedom and playfulness, with the references to "alpha waves" and "frolic[ing] on hill in dale." There's a sense of camaraderie between the singer and Nostradamus, as they spend time together walking at night.
The lines "Goodbye! Bye-bye!" and "Soon the world of woe shall be overthrown" suggest a sense of finality or closure, perhaps even alluding to the end of the world. However, there's a hint of ambiguity here; the final line, "Over so long ago, over so long ago," could be read as an acknowledgment of the cyclical nature of history, or even as a kind of resignation.
Overall, the meaning of "Nostradamus & Me" is somewhat open to interpretation, but it's clear that the lyrics are touching on themes of companionship, escape, and the fleeting nature of time. The reference to Nostradamus adds a layer of historical and mystical significance to these ideas.
Line by Line Meaning
Reflecting on Gods riverbank, cobblestone cabin yard
Thinking about life's mysteries, surrounded by nature and rustic surroundings
Me and Nos, Nostradamus
Myself and Nostradamus, the famous predictor of future events
We road the alpha waves, we frolic on hill in dale
Exploring the unknown, enjoying the highs and lows of life
At night we walk, me and Nos
Taking contemplative walks with Nostradamus
The Nos and me, Nostradamus and me
Emphasizing the companionship and partnership between myself and Nostradamus
Goodbye! Bye-bye!
Saying farewell or ending a chapter in life
Soon the world of woe shall be overthrown
Predicting an end to human suffering and sadness
Over so long ago, over so long ago
Emphasizing that the end of hardship has been a long time coming
Contributed by Carson J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.