Drawing the Target Around the Arrow

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Drawing the Target Around the Arrow
Studio album by
ReleasedJanuary 19, 2017
Recorded2012–2016[1]
Genre
Length60:41
LabelPannonica
ProducerCaroline Polachek
CEP chronology
Arcadia
(2014)
Drawing the Target Around the Arrow
(2017)
Pang
(2019)

Drawing the Target Around the Arrow is the sole studio album by American producer Caroline Polachek released under the name CEP. It is Polachek's first release since the breakup of her band Chairlift just one month prior. The project was released on January 19, 2017 by Pannonica, (an imprint of Bella Union), as a surprise album. The album was announced by a tweet on January 18, and the album was released as a free download the next day.[3] The album was promoted with a concert at National Sawdust with a twelve-person vocal choir.[4]

Composition

Drawing the Target Around the Arrow differs from Polachek's earlier work in that it consists solely of minimal instrumental tracks. Polachek crafted the album using raw sine waves, as she had been growing bored of how "genre-specific" music had become and wanted to strip it down to its basic parts. She was also drawn to the idea of creating "useful" music to wake up or do work to. The album's title comes from 18th century Jewish Lithuanian preacher Dubno maggid, in explaining how he comes up with his fables. As Polachek summarized, "It's about honoring your impulses and working with what you have in front of you."[4]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Pitchfork7.0/10[1]

Thea Ballard of Pitchfork called the composition "generally unobtrusive, and the individual tracks often run together" and that "perhaps the most satisfying aspect of this release is its definitively non-linguistic form of expression".[1]

Track listing

All tracks are written by and produced by Caroline Polachek.[5]

No.TitleLength
1."Lilian's Pavilion"2:57
2."Doves"1:37
3."Hive Dream"2:05
4."Borg Pillow"5:36
5."Low Tide"3:52
6."Water"1:53
7."Up the Flagpole"4:07
8."Missed Exit"2:14
9."Black Background"2:27
10."Vertical Sunset"2:22
11."Valley Hum"4:24
12."Singalong"5:12
13."It Can Wait"3:19
14."Pupil"5:32
15."Window Seat"3:23
16."Sleeping Fish"2:52
17."Verge of Crying"2:24
18."You Are Here"3:36
Total length:60:41

References

  1. ^ a b c Ballard, Thea (January 30, 2017). "CEP: Drawing the Target Around the Arrow". Pitchfork. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  2. ^ Snapes, Laura (October 17, 2019). "Caroline Polachek: 'Women in music are taught that once you're 35, you've expired'". The Guardian. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
  3. ^ Breihan, Tom (January 19, 2017). "Download Caroline Polachek's Free Surprise Instrumental Album Drawing The Target Around The Arrow". Stereogum. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  4. ^ a b Stosuy, Brandon (January 19, 2017). "Caroline Polachek on making work that's useful". The Creative Independent. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  5. ^ "Credits / Drawing the Target Around the Arrow / CEP". Tidal. Retrieved January 5, 2021.