Frank’s Corner #16: In Conversation With caroline
Intricate live arrangements, operating as an octet on the road, and collaborations bringing new members to an audience.
Hi folks. I hope January has been treating you nicely and you’ve been keeping as warm as you can. This week, I’m checking off a super mega bucket list moment, and I’m stoked to a point that it kind of makes me gag a little bit. Last year came with some exceptional experimental releases, many of which topped personal rankings of records and projects I couldn’t get sick of even if I tried. This one in particular fell especially high on that ladder.
Caroline, ironically, is the mononym for an octet of multi-instrumentalists, vocalists, and purveyors of some of the wonkiest, most awe-inspiring sounds of 2025 with their sophomore album “caroline 2”, the successor of their debut “caroline” (there’s a theme you’ve now probably noticed by now). The only feature on the record? Why else would it be anyone but Caroline Polachek?
On a serious note, “symphony” is the first concept that comes to mind, frequencies flowing from instruments that only logically could be played with each member’s fingers and toes (or an additional 10 or 12 members) to make the sounds it does. It’s the random bursts of abrasive string frequencies that bleed into cinematic releases, and the sporadic, deeply automated vocoder placements (among so much more) that give them that enigmatic, inhuman, genius-deity sort of feel. Transparently, there were many moments where I convinced myself “that HAS to have been improvised.” It is, in fact, not improvised…they can just do that.
“It’s a remarkable group of talent”, vocalist and instrumentalist Jasper Llewellyn assures me. “They’ve all got their own work and endeavours, and I’ve got mine, but as Caroline, we all bring something that I think is quite special.”
I had the amazing opportunity to sit down with Jasper to chat about touring the record, travelling with a group this size, and audience interaction with the music. This was such a treat, and I hope you check it out.
25F: With all of the dates you’ve been doing on this tour, what has touring taught you about the record that you might not have realised while recording it?
Jasper: That’s an interesting question. Touring has taught me that I really do like the record. We like it enough to keep playing it all the time, which is a relief, and not always the case for many. I’ve also learned that the songs are pretty complicated and need careful consideration to work live. The live versions are naturally very different from the album versions, especially for this record. But it’s been a relief to know we can play it live and that it still works, just in a different way.
Were there any tracks you had to rearrange live, or realised you should after the first few shows?
Definitely. However, we actually knew pretty early how we wanted to play most of the songs live, since we had rehearsed extensively before the first tour. My bandmate Mike [O’Malley], who plays guitar, usually leads in arranging how we do things technically. We worked out versions before the tour began, so we haven’t changed much since. Though we’ve been revisiting older material like “Dark Blue” from our first record. The live version now has a new, extended outro that developed over time. So, there have been some changes, but most big decisions were made in rehearsal.
Was there anything on this record you created with a live audience in mind?
Not directly. But this record was definitely influenced by our experience playing live after the first record. Many ideas came from dealing with sound bleed onstage—like what happens between chords or between songs. We became interested in creating “two worlds at once,” the tension between overlapping sounds. Still, the songs were written mainly as recordings, not with live performance in mind.
Did developing the live show feel like its own creative process, similar to making the album?
To an extent, yes. While not to the same degree as creating the record, there was definitely creativity involved. We tested some songs live while still finalising them, so the live aspect became part of the songwriting. For example, the song “Coldplay cover” on the record is just a live performance, and that’s the same version we do onstage. A lot of our music naturally translates live because it’s people in a room playing together. We also like manipulating sound spatially, like sending certain parts through different speakers in the venue, to make the space part of the performance.
Touring this record, did anything surprising come up about someone’s playing that shaped Caroline 2?
Yeah, a few things. Some parts of caroline 2 were written as challenges for the rest of the band. For example, the straight drum part in “Total euphoria” was something outside Casper [Hugh’s] usual style. Or the addition of trombone and bass clarinet—we asked Freddie [Wordsworth] and Alex [McKenzie], who used to play trumpet and clarinet/sax, to try those out. That came from how much we explored improv at the end of touring our debut. We also learned to use things like screeching strings more intentionally. Touring helped us understand each other’s strengths better, which shaped how we approached the new record.
What makes a good show for you?
A good show is when we can tell the audience is really engaged…that’s the most important thing. It also helps when the sound on stage is great because then we can hear what the audience hears. We used to play in the round, which helped us experience the sound from their perspective. That immersion makes a big difference.
What kind of audience interaction do you usually get? Are people quiet, expressive, or loud? I feel like if I were there, I would want to do all of that stuff.
It’s usually a mix. People often don’t know what the vibe will be because our music doesn’t fit the typical “gig” atmosphere. Some wonder if they should stand quietly or be expressive. The more people show their enthusiasm, the better for us. We don’t interact much verbally, don’t chat a lot onstage, but the energy exchange is there regardless of whether it looks or sounds like anything specific.
What has the band learned about collaboration during touring that you didn’t know in the studio?
Touring teaches you patience. In the studio, you’re confined in one place together; on tour, you’re moving constantly but still confined as a group. Having a big band helps because people can go off on their own for space. We’ve gotten better at being patient and open to each other’s ideas. During rehearsals, things take ages. Yesterday we had a whole day of rehearsal, 10 to 5, and we spent that whole time on just a couple of songs.
That’s how it goes sometimes, though, and everyone’s learned how to make that work. At this point, we really try everyone’s ideas, more than we used to, which has improved how we collaborate overall.
With the Caroline Polachek collaboration on “Tell Me I Never Knew That,” what was it like performing that live? And have you noticed new listeners at shows, perhaps from that specific pop scene?
Yeah, definitely. We’ve seen more women at our shows since this record, partly because Magda [McLean] is singing more. That’s been great. As for performing that song, it took a while to figure out. That vocal line existed way before she agreed to be a part of it. Originally, before Caroline got involved, Mike and I used to sing it ourselves in a rougher, shoutier way. When she did her version, it changed the feel completely, so we had to reinvent our approach. In the live version, we have a version with Magda and me—she’s got light autotune, I’m off-mic with a slightly harder tone—and it works really well.
Now that you’ve been touring this record for a while and have more shows ahead, is there anything you wish you’d done differently on the album based on what you’ve learned?
Maybe a few things, yeah. Personally, I’ve already made another record since caroline 2, and that experience puts some distance between me and this one. There are definitely things we’d do differently now just because we’re interested in new approaches.
But we’re so proud of this record. It represents where we were at the time. As we start working on the third record, which we’ve been working away at, it’s definitely going to feel and sound different—but in a good way, I think.
Listen to “caroline 2” on Spotify, Apple Music, and Bandcamp. Follow caroline on Instagram.