DESIRE, CAROLINE POLACHEK WANTS TO TURN INTO YOU

CLAIRE LYONS ASSOCIATE SCENE EDITOR

Caroline Polachek’s sophomore solo album, “Desire, I Want to Turn Into You,” has a song for everyone — “White Lotus” season two fans, students studying abroad in Greece and Rome, enjoyers of long drives by the beach and anybody who has looked into somebody else’s eyes and wondered what they were thinking.

It’s the intellectual pop album of the summer. Written at the base of Mount Etna in Sicily, the album’s atmosphere reflects the place of its conception. The scope is both expansive like the glittering Mediterranean Sea and foreboding like a volcanic explosion. It’s the euphoria of love and the shadow of heartbreak. And, I bet it’ll be playing on your car radio approximately five to six months from now.

Polachek is like a siren beckoning you to her summer oasis in the album opener, “Welcome to My Island.” Her crisp and soaring wail as she sings, “Desire / I wanna turn into you,” is punctured by backup vocals that feel like a wave and squawking seagulls. The song feels like running into the arms of your lover on the beach. Then, the scope snaps back to Polachek as her voice goes from lyrical to rhythmic, rapping “Go forget the rules and forget your friends / Just you and your reflection.” Her bel canto operatic training and indie-pop lyricism help her hit soaring notes as she introduces listeners to the expanse of the album: Here’s my island where I am totally in charge, yet totally isolated. Here’s how desire can make you selfish.

From the opening, Polachek grapples with the dynamics of desire and the self. In the last song of the album, “Billions,” she highlights the messiness of selfishly wanting things and selflessly wanting people (if that’s even possible).

Lines like “Hand it over, broker / Give me the closure” and “Cornucopeiac / Yeah, my cup overfloweth” evoke excess (“XS”) and abundance, physical sensuality at its finest. The bass and Polachek’s angelic voice — the only two constants in the beginning — get crowded out by a wild electric guitar and a children’s choir singing, “Oh, I never felt so close to you!” The transition suggests that desire is the driving force behind both greed and charity.

In “Blood and Butter,” she asks how far this “desire as charity” thing can go. It’s selflessness to the most extreme. Polachek wants to abandon her body and become her lover, singing, “Say you want to show me a place / The place is here, the here inside you,” and “Oh I get / Closer than your new tattoo.” It’s body horror posed as the peak of romance. Throughout the song, Polachek’s voice switches from rhythmic and low to lyrical and soaring, reflecting the pain and pleasure that come from letting yourself get swept away by a new relationship. As she sings, “Look at how I forget who I was / Before I was the way I am with you,” I wonder if the pleasure of desire is worth the pain of losing yourself.

Oh, the song also features bagpipes.

“Blood and Butter” is the thesis of the album. It’s about the difficulty of human connection. No matter what we do, we will never know what another person is thinking, even if Polachek can climb into her lover’s skin. “Blood and Butter” is about the delusion of thinking you can get that close to somebody, to know them better than you know yourself.

“Blood and Butter” is desire. No matter how close you are, you can never get close enough; if you do, it comes at a price. As Cat Zhang from Pitchfork Magazine says in her (much more poignant) review of the album, “Being close to is still not the same as being subsumed by, having turned into. So we nudge and nudge and nudge, never quite reaching fulfillment, longing until the end.”

If “Blood and Butter” is desire, “I Believe” pushes past it and becomes something more like love. Written for her late friend Sophie, who passed away in 2021, the song serves as both a celebratory memorial and a joyous assertion that love will persevere. Dramatic synth noises that sound fit for a Wii combat video game make it seem like Polachek is ready to fight to defend her belief, too. Even her foreboding lyrics like “Violent love, feel my embrace, oh” sound more optimistic: “Fall in love, feel my embrace, oh.” She sings about seeing her friend again despite the circumstances, “I don’t know, but I believe / We’ll get another day together.” Desire, in this case, is perseverance, is grief, is love.

She says it’s a miracle that “You made it home / With silver string unbroken,” referring to the mythological silver chord that connects the higher self and the physical body. She is surprised that her desire hasn’t consumed her completely. She’s still intact. It’s a joyous celebration about staying true to herself and the truest love of her life — her art.

Released on Valentine’s Day, “Desire, I Want To Turn Into You” is a banger of an album that’s been on repeat on my headphones for the last week, and I don’t think I will get tired of it soon. With Polachek’s impressive vocals and precise artistic vision, this release might go down as album of the year and it’s only February.

ALBUM: ”Desire, I want to turn into you”

ARTIST: Caroline Polachek

LABEL: Perpetual Novice

IF YOU LIKE: Rina Sawayama, Sophie SHAMROCKS: 4/5 happy Birthday: Dream on, but don’t lose sight of reality. Truth matters; offering false information will cost you emotionally. let your uniqueness shine through. you’ll find a cost-efficient way to forge ahead. Expand your awareness and spread joy to those you meet along the way. A balance between work and play will help you build strong relationships that influence how things unfold throughout the year. your numbers are 2, 13, 24, 26, 33, 35, 41. gEMINI (May 21-June 20): Do what you do best, and don’t let jealousy or emotional manipulation point you in the wrong direction. Take a moment to evaluate how you can help others and still reach the goals you set for yourself. keep sensitive issues to yourself. lEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Play to win, be the entertainment and let your charm dazzle someone you want to impress. Be open about your intentions. Offer your skills to help round out a group addressing a concern you share. Personal growth and romance are apparent. vIrgO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Traveling or attending a conference will encourage you to try something you’ve been afraid to pursue. Don’t let fear of failure hold you back. Embrace challenges with open arms, and focus on changes that deliver personal happiness. lIBrA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Time spent with colleagues, clients or classmates will lead to fresh insight and intelligent solutions. Start a discussion addressing expectations, and hash out what you are willing to do and how much. Be forthright; you’ll make a lasting impression.

ArIES (March 21-April 19): Assess your situation and subsequent move. Don’t share too much information until you have sorted out the pros, cons and possibility of putting your plans in motion. reevaluate your relationships and consider who is an excellent candidate to work alongside.

TAuruS (April 20-May 20): Stubbornness and hesitation will be your downfalls. verify information and head for the finish line. your vision, hands-on help and openness will win favors and encourage someone with something to contribute to support your effort.

CANCEr (June 21-July 22): Don’t take on too much, or you’ll miss out on something special. Coordinate your plans to include people and activities offering a different perspective on life, love and happiness. Take the path that promises the lifestyle you desire.

SCOrPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): listen to complaints and find solutions. Compromising and finding unique ways to get along with others will make your life easier. get involved in the creative process that goes along with any plans you want to incorporate into your everyday routine.

SAgITTArIuS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Tell it like it is, or someone will correct you. look on the bright side, but don’t lose sight of your responsibilities. use intelligence to create a financially sound plan to attract support and partners. romance is in the stars.

CAPrICOrN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Consider the past and what you must do to improve your life. A home improvement project or changing your lifestyle or living arrangements will set you on a positive path. Trust and believe in yourself instead of bending to someone’s demand.

AQuArIuS (Jan. 20-feb. 18): Offer hands-on help, but don’t give away money you cannot afford to donate. reach out to someone you lost touch with and pick up where you left off. Doing so will change how you move forward and where or how you live.

PISCES (feb. 19-March 20): Stick to the truth, and ask questions to avoid making mistakes. get the facts, and make safe decisions that won’t jeopardize your position or long-term goals. Adjust your spending to stay within budget.

Birthday Baby: you are expressive, sensitive and bold. you are original and active.