I am generally not a fan of remixes. They rarely improve upon the originals, with the possible exceptions being that "Think About The Future" Remix of "W.F.L." by Happy Mondays, or whatever mix it was of "Higher Than The Sun" by Primal Scream that Andrew Weatherall fiddled with. That said, these Ariel Pink remixes of a fiver of recent cuts from the returned and resuscitated Royal Trux are aces. Collected on an EP out today from Fat Possum, the Pink Stuff EP serves as a nice counterweight to Spring's White Stuff, also on Fat Possum. While that release saw Jennifer Herrema and Neil Hagerty serving up a familiar brand of sleaze-rock, this EP finds the tunes made into semi-sleek jams by Mr. Pink.
"Suburban Junky Lady", as the song's title is spelled here, is almost lovely, while "Year of the Dog" is still a bit scuzzy, though now tricked out thanks to Pink. Elsewhere, "Get Used to This" is abrasive but accessible, the presence of rapper Kool Keith on the cut still a genius idea made real, while "White Stuff" in its remix-form is shinier and with an oddly futuristic vibe about it. Ariel Pink uses a fairly light touch here, one which makes this material feel a natural for his outlook, even as the unique grit and slime of the Trux is preserved. It's only on the clattering remix of "Whopper Dave" that a listener gets a sense of something entirely different transpiring. The track is the stand-out on this set of remixes, mainly thanks to how busy and rough it sounds. On the whole, Ariel Pink made the music of Royal Trux a trifle more accessible, even as he made it all sound somehow more otherworldly too.
Pink Stuff is out today via Fat Possum. The vinyl version is extremely limited so order now!
More details on Royal Trux via the band's official Facebook page.
[Photo: Royal Trux Facebook page]