Few movies can say their soundtrack is stacked with quality originals from the contemporary titans of the time. Caroline Polachek, Sloppy Jane and The Weather Station are just a few names to find within I Saw the TV Glow, the Jane Schoenbrun feature which plays host to Polachek’s latest single, Starburned and Unkissed. Removed from the context of the A24 project and issued as a standalone piece marks another inevitably impressive work from Polachek. More of the same resolute quality from the Desire, I Want to Turn Into You pile. Abundance of this form is welcomed for obvious reasons of shaping a new drive for Polachek and her off-centre stints on Starburned and Unkissed profile the guitar work which got her to the top.
It is in greater focus here than on her previous works and adds a mournful but pleasant tone to a song uncoupled to predictable genre expectations. Instead, it rushes through the bountiful indietronica tones taken up by Polachek and moulded by A.G. Cook. After a disappointing few months for other artists detailing the indie-like fixations on pop riffs elsewhere, it is an almost refreshing burst to hear Polachek rattle through it with ease. There is a loving homage central to this song. Polachek departs from her usual sound and marks this as a case of being capable of sifting through the ever-changing genres and experiences of her time as an artist. Doing so with ease is one thing, but creating a convincing track which marks all those wonderful grunge-like tones as a proud base of influence is an exceptional high for Starburned and Unkissed.
Angsty influences bubble over and give Polachek a chance to trial a genre she has not quite tried. These are the experiences hardened fans will thrive on, the chance to experience new sounds through a familiar artist. For many, it will spark the urge to listen to darker pangs of grunge and harsher tones away from the expectations levelled at Polachek. This can be nothing but good and for it to feature alongside these talented artists, Starburned and Unkissed is hard-pressed to leave an impact of its own. Exceptional work from Polachek should be no surprise and the bitterness, unmoved anger and rage which explodes through this noisy rock piece is a superb experience. Flutters of vocal manipulation take the tone higher and higher, this terror of some crushing inevitability bringing her back down to Earth.
Starburned and Unkissed plays well and where it may feel useful in its extract from I Saw the TV Glow, it can survive on its own and within a feature. These are the signs of great soundtrack singles. Polachek is once more responsible for an exceptional shift in her musical abilities and trial genres which, before the release of this and the wider creative partnership with Schoenbrun, would not have been thought of as a natural pairing. But until an artist proves they can do it we are never going to question it. For Polachek to fire out a grunge-inspired track which dips itself into those murky thoughts and mild fears is to challenge her work and her fans who were boarding the train when Desire, I Want to Turn Into You released. Another fantastic slice from Polachek, whose vault of extra bits and pieces following the release of her album last year is in no short supply of quality.
