Pick of the Week: Caroline Polachek “Bunny Is a Rider”

By Nora Onanian, Web Services Coordinator

Caroline Polachek’s “Bunny Is a Rider” encapsulates an energy we all can draw from moving into the new year. The dancey alt-pop tune encourages living life at your own pace.
 

A NEW DIRECTION FOR CAROLINE POLACHEK

The first original solo material from Polachek since her debut album Pang from 2019, “Bunny Is a Rider” represents a new direction for the Connecticut-raised artist. In an episode of the podcast Charli XCX’s Best Song Ever, Polachek talks about some of these changes. “It’s very different than anything I ever made before. It’s like really dry and really beat-driven and really kind of talkative. And I sing in this low, percussive way in the verses, none of which make any sense.” 

As she appears to be working towards her sophomore effort, Polachek has made it clear that the new style she stepped into with “Bunny Is a Rider” is here to stay. Talking about the single, she went on, “it’s kind of like this genre of psychedelic sexy nonsense that we’re definitely gonna be seeing more of from me.”
 

BREAKING DOWN THE MEANING OF “BUNNY IS A RIDER”

Through the lyrics, Polacheck builds the character of Bunny as someone who revolves around her own schedule and sets the emotional and physical distance she needs. “Satellite can’t find her,” Polachek sings. “No sympathy, ain’t nothing for free,” she hints at the freedom attained with being unavailable. 

Listen closely to “Bunny Is a Rider” for several clever references to pop culture. At one point, Polachek makes a nod to Alice In Wonderland, which notably features a rabbit that is always concerned with time. And in another, a lyric from rapper Pusha T about “doing dirt” like it's Earth Day for 36 years — Polachek’s age. The song as a whole is also speculated to be a sort of response to the of Montreal song “Bunny Ain’t No Kind of Rider.”
 

THE ELEMENTS OF THE SONG’S CATCHY SOUND

A bouncy beat and bass line engineered by her frequent collaborator Danny L Harle backs the track. Polachek shared that she wrote the lyrics “almost immediately,” upon hearing Harle’s bass line. This contributes to the song’s single-stream of consciousness, dream-like feel. 

Experimental elements incorporated bring even more life to the soundscape. Harle’s daughter Nico makes her first vocal appearance and whistling, a bubble-pop sound and more are also incorporated into the beat. 

All of these components come together with Polachek’s biting vocals to create an undeniably catchy tune. Be on the lookout for more of this new sound, and in the meantime, take a note from Bunny and unplug at your leisure. 

In a statement, Polachek sums up the song’s ability to spread this freeing spirit. “Anyone can be bunny, at least for three minutes and seventeen seconds.”

Every Monday, our music staff brings you a new Pick of The Week, detailing some of our favorite songs. Check out our previous Picks of the Week here, and make sure to tune in to WERS 88.9FM!