Caroline Polachek recently stopped by NPR to perform as part of their Tiny Desk Concert series, putting a homey, acoustic spin on the usually synth-backed tracks from her album Desire, I Want To Turn Into You, which dropped in February. At the Tiny Desk, Polachek put the full ethereality of her striking voice on display while performing “Pretty in Possible,” “Blood and Butter,” “Sunset,” and “I Believe” in a stripped-down setting.
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Polachek was accompanied during her performance by drums, keys, guitar, bass, and backing vocals, creating a low-key atmosphere typical of a Tiny Desk Concert, but putting her vocals on full display. She hit the high, angelic notes in “Pretty in Possible” with confidence, letting a small smile grace her face after.
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The laidback nature of a Tiny Desk Concert contrasted yet at the same time complimented the rich, extravagant imagery of Polachek’s lyrics. As noted by NPR, she sings of volcanoes, angels, mayflies in a swimming pool, fiery red sunsets, and uses visceral, tangible language even while she’s singing about intangible concepts. She hit the warbling high notes in “Sunset” with a fearlessness which denotes her talent and ability, accompanied by classical guitar phrases painting the picture of wild, red sunsets.
The last song she played was “I Believe,” which she explained was the one she changed the most for the un-amplified performance. The “I Believe” from the album is synth-heavy with a rich beat and Polachek’s signature otherworldly sound. For the Tiny Desk Concert, “I Believe” was significantly stripped-down, opening with a wind chime-esque guitar phrase and continuing into slow, jazzy instrumentation. If literal angels appeared at the Tiny Desk to accompany her, it wouldn’t be surprising.
NPR noted that the Tiny Desk Concert is a great indicator of an artist’s talent and vocal control, being almost totally unplugged. Polachek possesses exceptional control, and while her current music is decidedly synth-based, there’s nothing stopping her from producing raw, acoustic performances with that same energy and ability. If you think Caroline Polachek uses Auto-Tune to get those ethereal vocals, just listen to her Tiny Desk Concert and think again.
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