''Before Today'' is the eighth studio album by American recording artist

Ariel Pink Ariel Marcus Rosenberg ( ; born June 24, 1978), 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 al ...

, credited to "Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti", and released on June 8, 2010. The album marked Pink's debut on the record label

4AD 4AD is a British record label owned by Beggars Group. It was founded in London under the name Axis Records by Ivo Watts-Russell and Peter Kent in 1980 as an imprint of Beggars Banquet Records. The name was changed to 4AD after the release of th ...

. It was his first official LP of new recordings since 2003's ''

Worn Copy ''Worn Copy'' is the seventh studio album by the American recording artist Ariel Pink, under his "Haunted Graffiti" musical project. It is the eighth release in the eponymous series of works and was released on the label, Rhystop, in 2003. It was ...

'' and his first written and recorded with a supporting band, referred to in the liner notes as "Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti". The album was critically acclaimed upon release, with ''

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'' placing the album at #9 on its list of "The Top 50 Albums of 2010".

Lead single A lead single (or first single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date. A similar term, "debut ...

" Round and Round" was also ranked by ''Pitchfork'' as the best track of 2010.

Composition

The album's opening track, "Hot Body Rub" previously appeared (in an alternative version) on an EP ''Ariel Pink with Added Pizzazz'', which was a collaboration between Vas Deferens Organization (as producers) and Ariel Pink who are friends to each other. VDO provided production for this track, as well as thanks to one of its members, Eric Lumbleau, Pink made friends with Gonzales family who appeared on it.Niklas Records, Jakub Krawczynski (2011, August)
"Vas Deferens Organization and Brad Laner: Transcontinental Conspiracy presskit".
Retrieved 09 September 2012. The album contains several homages to vintage rock and pop songs, including "Bright Lit Blue Skies," written by Ronn Campisi and performed by the Rockin' Ramrods in 1966, and "Beverly Kills," which draws heavily on Ago's 1982 track "For You" and Olivia Newton-John's "Physical." "Reminiscences" is an instrumental cover of an

Ethiopian Ethiopians are the native inhabitants of Ethiopia, as well as the global diaspora of Ethiopia. Ethiopians constitute several component ethnic groups, many of which are closely related to ethnic groups in neighboring Eritrea and other parts of ...

pop song, "I Remember a Man" by Yeshimebet Dubale.

Critical reception and legacy

Exclaim! ''Exclaim!'' is a Canadian music and entertainment publisher based in Toronto, which features coverage of new music across all genres with a special focus on Canadian and emerging artists. The monthly ''Exclaim!'' print magazine publishes seven ...

named "Before Today" the No. 15 Pop & Rock Album of 2010.

writer Dimitri Nasrallah said that "Before Today is a hard-earned victory lap for Pink, not only the most triumphantly realized album of his left-of-centre catalogue, but a much-needed second wind for an artist who very nearly finished off the decade as another minor curiosity in outsider-pop's long lineage." The album placed seventh in ''

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''s annual critics' poll. As of 2011, it has sold 25,942 copies in the United States, according to

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Track listing

Personnel

Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti

*Ariel Pink *

Aaron Sperske Aaron Sperske is an American drummer who has played in several bands, including Beachwood Sparks, Father John Misty, Lilys, The Miracle Workers, Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti, The Chapin Sisters, and The Pernice Brothers. He also played drums ...

* Cole M.G.N. *Kenny Gilmore *Tim Koh

Guest musicians

*Tamara Cauble – violin (#1) *Aaron González – bass guitar (#1) *

Dennis González Dennis González, often credited Dennis Gonzalez (August 15, 1954March 15, 2022), was an American jazz trumpeter, artist, and educator from Texas. He hosted ''Miles Out'' on KERA-FM for over twenty years. Early life González was born in Abilen ...

– trumpet (#1) *Stefan González – drums (#1) *Jim Lehnert – alto & baritone sax (#1) *Eric Lumbleau – vocals (#1) *Chris Cohen – backing vocals (#9) *Max "Sax" Kaplan – saxophone (#9) *

Nedelle Torrisi Nedelle Torrisi is an American musician who lives in Brooklyn, New York. Biography Torrisi grew up studying classical violin and performing in musicals. Her mother is an ex-nun and pianist, while her father was an ex-Jesuit priest and jazz drum ...

– backing vocals (#9)

Technical

*Van Deferens Organization – production & engineering (#1) *Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti – producers (#2–12) *Sunny Levine – producer, engineer (#2–12) *HG – engineer (#2–12) *Rik Pekkonen – engineer (#2–12) *John Golden – mastering (#1–4, 6–12) *Christian Wright – mastering (#5) *Douglas Lee – artwork

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Before Today 2010 albums Ariel Pink albums Albums recorded in a home studio Experimental pop albums