Songbook Xtended: Fly To You

Caroline Polachek feat. Grimes & Dido - Fly To You (2023) [Original Post]

Songbook Xtended: Spalarkle

Felicita feat. Caroline Polachek - Spalarkle (Alys) (2023) [Original Post]

Recent tastes converge in an abrasive electroclash featuring Caroline Polachek buried somewhere within the warblings of Ladytron's worst harlequinned nightmare. God help anyone named Alice listening to this song. Don't get me wrong. I like it. I'm just seeing it from somebody else's perspective. The ineffectual nagging chant of "Alys" is bound to drive somebody clinically insane. Not me, though. The dissonant hyperpop is just keeping on the rails enough for me to call this a good time. They tell me its a new thing, but it really feels like a throwback.

Songbook Xtended: Smoke

Caroline Polachek - Smoke (2023) [Original Post]

Once again Caroline Polachek makes catching the charts & new releases worthwhile. If I had reservations about Welcome to My Island, Smoke delivers exactly what I needed. A full sound, consistent throughout. Big drums like CocoRosie's Rainbowarriors, with a jubilant Enya does End Credits vibe that makes me want to dance in the dirt in the setting sun. Or is it rising? I don't know if anybody cares about making music for me any more, but Polachek at least gives me hope and lifts my spirits. I only wish this single were longer. Its euphoric context over too soon. A hot, wet euphoric sound captured in a video that doesn't seem all that dissimilar to some of Polachek's live stage production. I believe she said somewhere she wanted it to reflect how it feels to perform the song. It seems pretty amazing to me. So does she. I hope it continues.

Songbook Xtended: Welcome to My Island

Caroline Polachek - Welcome to My Island (2022) [Original Post]

I wasn't immediately sold on this song the way I was Billions. It's not as clever, or interesting. Even if that wide-eyed, operatically orgasmic wail at the start immediately hooks me in -- it's the dips that bother me. The quiet moments. The small, mortal chatter. It reminds me of the shackles that burdened Chairlift songs I just couldn't quite get on board with. Caroline Polachek is an undeniably compelling talent. Her voice a siren song. When it takes full flight she is a force to be reckoned with. A force of nature. As singles from the Desire, I Want To Turn Into You album continue to appear - I think it will be an unrivaled favourite. I'm now fully tuned in to paying attention to Polachek's work. I've visited her island and so far I like it. A rare thing these days. I'm just looking for a more even, intriguing, enticing experience from her singles. The Desire sections of this song, without the muttering.

Songbook Xtended: Long Road Home

Caroline Polachek - Long Road Home (2022) [Original Post]

Songbook Xtended: Billions

Caroline Polachek - Billions (2022) [Original Post]

Songbook Xtended: The Gate

Caroline Polachek - The Gate (Extended Mix) (2020) [Original Post]