Pang (album)

Pang is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter and producer Caroline Polachek. It was released by Sony Music, The Orchard, and Perpetual Novice on October 18, 2019.[3][4] Pang is Polachek's first solo effort released under her own name.[5]

Pang
Studio album by
Caroline Polachek
ReleasedOctober 18, 2019
Recorded2016–2019
Genre
Length46:30
Label
Producer
Caroline Polachek chronology
Drawing the Target Around the Arrow
(2017)		 Pang
(2019)		 Pang (Instrumental)
(2020)
Singles from Pang
  1. "Door"
    Released: June 19, 2019
  2. "Ocean of Tears"
    Released: July 24, 2019
  3. "Parachute"
    Released: July 24, 2019
  4. "So Hot You're Hurting My Feelings"
    Released: September 16, 2019
  5. "Look at Me Now"
    Released: October 14, 2019
  6. "Hit Me Where It Hurts"
    Released: November 4, 2019

Background and recording

In 2017, Polachek began working frequently with PC Music producers Danny L Harle and A. G. Cook after the dissolution of her band Chairlift. She appeared on Harle's single "Ashes of Love" back in 2016, and she also began collaborating with him and Cook in contributions with other artists, such as Superfruit and Charli XCX.[6][7] In an interview with Dazed, Polachek revealed what it was like to work with a range of different people, noting that "Working with different artists is always a learning experience, a new skill for the tool belt, even when it's more about realising what doesn't work." She elaborated, saying that she feels more in control of the things she writes and produces, and that she's "...Ultimately the one in control, the one who is filtering and controlling the palette in real time. I don't leave it up to someone else. It's actually more and more liberating to just get in and start making stuff."[8] Throughout the duration of 2018, Polachek shared a number of images of her in the studio to record material and hinted at the possibility of working on an album in their captions.[9]

Release

Pang was released on October 18, 2019, by Sony Music, specifically on Perpetual Novice (named to reference lyrics from the album's lead single, "Door"), Polachek's imprint under The Orchard.[3][4]

Singles

In 2019, Polachek released the album's lead single "Door", which was the first to be released under her own name (she previously released music under the names 'Ramona Lisa' and 'CEP').[5] It was also accompanied by a music video, directed by Polachek herself alongside London-based artist Matt Copson. The song was revealed by a press release as "the first taste of a forthcoming, larger solo project from Caroline to be released later this year."[10] rumouring further that the album could possibly have more than over 18 tracks. In an interview with Vogue, Polachek expressed her surprise that her label was happy to lead with "Door" as the first single, explaining "it's such a long and winding song. There are songs on the record that are a bit more twisty and moody. And this one feels like, no pun intended, an open door. It feels like an invitation."[11] Pitchfork listed the song at number 47 for the 100 best songs of 2019.[12]

The following month, she announced that she was to release two more cuts from the album "Ocean of Tears" and "Parachute". With their release sparked the announcement of the album, under the title Pang and its scheduled release period of sometime in fall of 2019. Polachek made both records with Danny L Harle, the sometime collaborator with Charli XCX and Carly Rae Jepsen. A. G. Cook also contributed production to "Ocean of Tears", alongside Valley Girl. Of the song "Parachute", Polachek said in a press release, "It was an incredible moment, realizing that this melody we'd written was unintentionally re-telling a dream I'd been shaken by. I went home, re-drafted the words to fit, and came back to the studio at 1 am to record the vocal the same day. And that's the take we kept. From that moment on, Dan and I knew we had a lot more work to do together."[13]

In September 2019, she released the album's fourth single "So Hot You're Hurting My Feelings", which was co-written with Daniel Nigro and Teddy Geiger.[14][15] Consequence of Sound reviewed the track with the statement, "While previous tracks "Parachute" and "Ocean of Tears" served up ethereal tones, "So Hot You're Hurting My Feelings" has a little more pep in its step. With a hint of an '80s pop vibe, Polachek's vocals ping-pong off the synths as she sings the refrain".[3] Around the same time, Polachek announced the album's release date of October 18, 2019.[3]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.9/10[16]
Metacritic82/100[17]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[18]
Clash9/10[19]
Exclaim!8/10[20]
Financial Times[21]
The Guardian[2]
The Line of Best Fit9/10[22]
NME[23]
The Observer[24]
Pitchfork7.3/10[1]
Q[25]

Pang was met with acclaim from music critics upon its release. At Metacritic, the album received a score of 82 out of 100 based on 14 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[17]

In the review for AllMusic, Matt Collar suggested that, "[Caroline] Polachek further distills her approach with a collection of deeply emotive songs that showcase her delicate vocals and intricate pop sensibilities. Helping her achieve this deft balance of art and emotion is British producer Danny L. Harle. Together, they craft arrangements that straddle the line between moody electronica and adult contemporary pop."[18]

Year-end lists
Publication Accolade Rank Ref.
Dazed The 20 Best Albums of 2019
1
[26]
Exclaim! 20 Best Pop and Rock Albums of 2019
20
 [27]
GQ Magazine The Best Albums of 2019
N/A
[28]
The Guardian The 50 Best Albums of 2019
11
[29]
Paste The 50 Best Albums of 2019
37
[30]
PopMatters The 70 Best Albums of 2019
45
[31]
Uproxx The 35 Best Pop Albums of 2019
19
[32]
Vice The 100 Best Albums of 2019
41
[33]

Track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."The Gate"Caroline PolachekPolachek1:42
2."Pang"
3:33
3."New Normal"
  • Polachek
  • Harle
  • Polachek
  • Harle
2:34
4."Hit Me Where It Hurts"
  • Polachek
  • Wyatt
3:04
5."I Give Up"
3:06
6."Look at Me Now"
  • Polachek
  • Harle
  • Nigro
  • Polachek
  • Nigro
  • Harle
3:03
7."Insomnia"
  • Polachek
  • Harle
  • Polachek
  • Harle
3:14
8."Ocean of Tears"
  • Polachek
  • Nathaniel Campany
  • Kyle Shearer
3:25
9."Hey Big Eyes"Polachek
  • Polachek
  • Cook
3:54
10."Go as a Dream"
  • Polachek
  • Harle
  • Carey
3:27
11."Caroline Shut Up"
  • Polachek
  • Harle
  • Polachek
  • Harle
3:32
12."So Hot You're Hurting My Feelings"
  • Polachek
  • Nigro
3:03
13."Door"
  • Polachek
  • Nigro
  • Stack
  • Harle
  • Polachek
  • Nigro
  • Stack
  • Harle[a]
5:22
14."Parachute"
  • Polachek
  • Harle
  • Polachek
  • Harle
3:32
Total length:46:30

Notes

  • ^[a] signifies a co-producer
  • ^[b] signifies an additional producer

Instrumental album

On April 11, 2020, Polachek released a version of the album on Bandcamp featuring instrumental versions of every track.[34]

Charts
Chart (2019) Peak
position
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[35] 40

References
  1. St. Asaph, Katherine (October 18, 2019). "Caroline Polachek: Pang Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  2. Beaumont-Thomas, Ben (October 18, 2019). "Caroline Polachek: Pang review – pop that hits like a southpaw's hook". The Guardian. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  3. "Caroline Polachek confirms Pang release date, shares "So Hot You're Hurting My Feelings": Stream". Consequence of Sound. September 16, 2019. Retrieved October 16, 2019.
  4. @carolineplz (October 7, 2019). "Pang LP now available to pre-order / On clear gold-streaked vinyl with double sided poster / Designed by @tmthyluke / Excited to announce I've switched lanes within the Sony family to release Pang via The Orchard under my own imprint, Perpetual Novice 🗝" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  5. "Caroline Polachek – "Door"". Stereogum. June 19, 2019.
  6. "Caroline Polachek, Danny L Harle Team With Superfruit (Pentatonix) for TK". Pitchfork.
  7. "Charli XCX drops new mixtape Pop2: Stream/download". Consequence of Sound. December 15, 2017.
  8. "Caroline Polachek is taking control of her own narrative". Dazeddigital.com. May 22, 2018.
  9. @carolineplz (April 4, 2018). "Whole lot of this at the moment" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  10. Sicurella, Savannah (June 19, 2019). "Caroline Polachek, Formerly of Chairlift, Releases First Proper Solo Track, "Door"". Paste.
  11. "Step into the Surreal New World of Caroline Polachek's First Solo Track". Vogue.
  12. "The 100 Best Songs of 2019". Pitchfork. December 9, 2019. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  13. Monroe, Jazz (July 24, 2019). "Chairlift's Caroline Polachek Announces New Album Pang, Shares 2 Songs: Listen". Pitchfork. Retrieved August 18, 2019.
  14. "Caroline Polachek's 'So Hot You're Hurting My Feelings' is So Hot It's Hurting Our Feelings". September 17, 2019.
  15. "ACE Repertory".
  16. "Pang by Caroline Polachek reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  17. "PANG by Caroline Polachek Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved February 4, 2020.
  18. Collar, Matt. "Pang – Caroline Polachek". AllMusic. Retrieved January 31, 2020.
  19. Lowe, Nick (October 16, 2019). "Caroline Polachek – PANG". Clash. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  20. Nafekh-Blanchette, Spencer (October 17, 2019). "Caroline Polachek: Pang". Exclaim!. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  21. Hunter-Tilney, Ludovic (October 18, 2019). "Caroline Polachek: Pang — classy and grown-up songs". Financial Times. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
  22. Bray, Jack (October 18, 2019). "Caroline Polachek's Pang establishes her as a singular, indispensable voice". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  23. Hunt, El (October 16, 2019). "Caroline Polachek – 'Pang' review: years of experiments pay off". NME. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  24. Empire, Kitty (October 20, 2019). "Caroline Polachek: Pang review – lush, ultra-modern ecstasy". The Observer. Retrieved October 28, 2019.
  25. Solomon, Kate (December 2019). "Caroline Polachek: Pang". Q (405): 113.
  26. "The 20 best albums of 2019". Dazed. December 11, 2019. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  27. "Exclaim!'s 20 Best Pop and Rock Albums of 2019". Exclaim!. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
  28. Nast, Condé (December 3, 2019). "The GQ Staff's 21 Favorite Albums of 2019". GQ. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  29. "The 50 best albums of 2019". The Guardian. December 16, 2019. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  30. "The 50 Best Albums of 2019". Paste. December 2, 2019. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  31. "The 70 Best Albums of 2019". PopMatters. December 9, 2019. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  32. "The Best Pop Albums Of 2019". Uproxx. December 6, 2019. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  33. "The 100 Best Albums of 2019". Vice. December 12, 2019. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  34. "Pang [Instrumental] by Caroline Polachek". Bandcamp. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
  35. "Caroline Polachek Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
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