Ariel Pink’s music and albums are pretty bad for the most part. I say this as a super fan. Dude will basically release anything he makes without giving a fuck, but when this man strikes gold, it’s the purest form of musical alchemy. That said, it’s hard to truly decipher which of his releases are official releases, as he seems to market each album he releases as a proper album, regardless of the music’s intent. 

Let’s back up a bit. I discovered Ariel Pink in the lamest way possible, through Pitchfork. I’m a hip-hop head, and I know nothing outside of my genre. That said, I think I’ve got a killer ear for music, and Ariel Pink’s With You Every Night is easily my favorite non hip-hop album I have EVER heard in my entire life. Shit, I’d put it up there with some of my all-time hip-hop favorites. 

Why is it so great you ask? Well you’d have to listen to it to truly understand, but Ariel Pink has proven time and time again that he can make flawless music when he wants to (see Kitchen Witch, Round & Round, Bright Lit Blue Skies, etc.). In equal parts he seems to get off to challenging you with abrasive music that seems to be intended for no one, not even himself. 

I’m convinced that him getting cancelled from attending the Donald Trump Insurrection protest is what caused him to make this fantastic album. While he didn’t participate in the violence, he was there, and of course the music industry canceled him afterwards. How did he respond? By dropping Ariel Pink’s version of MBDTF, his magnum opus (this is just a storyline that people love tbf, Kanye’s Graduation is really his best work). It’s the ultimate comeback album, and in a sense a revenge album on the music industry as a whole. 

Who gets cancelled then drops the ultimate stroke of genius? Ariel Pink, that’s who. And Kanye after Taylor Swift. This is rarefied air we’re breathing in people. 

Really all AP (Ariel Pink) did here is choose not to troll us for the length of an album. I’m convinced he could drop a flawless album any time. I imagine it’s a lot of work. 

If there isn’t at least one song on here that you don’t teem a classic record, your music taste fucking sucks homie. Shit most people’s music taste sucks, and most people aren’t even into music. It is what it is. Anyways, stream this masterpiece, or don’t, it’s your life. 

I’m driving 4 hours to see this thing live, something I’ve only done for the legend Roc Marciano, who no showed me at THOPfest, which took years off my life due to the stress and drugs I consumed prior to his set time. Roc Marci did me dirty, but I can’t fault him, that festival was mad lame for a man of his stature. Anyways, Ariel Pink is my goated musician outside of hip-hop, and I think real music heads would agree that he is one of, if not the best musician alive today.