Thoughts on the new Chairlift album

Word.

People familiar with this blog know that Chairlift is my one modern major label indulgence. Us 'true fans' were racked with some bad news last Fall when it was quietly announced that co-founder/songwriter Aaron Pfenning left to do his own thing (a decent sounding Cure-Depeche Modey band with one of those stupid ___s type names, called 'Rewards'). My hunch is that the split was romantically motivated, seeing as former gf/co-songwriter Caroline Polachek (above) is now living with the dude from Violens. Anyway, this presents a real problem for the band, both sonically, as one can tell that Chairlift's songs are a mélange of Pfenning and Polachek's influences, and logistically, because now the lineup has been reduced to a lame 'boy-girl combo' (multi-instrumentalist Patrick Wimberly).

So what the fuck is the new album gonna sound like? I have no idea... Caroline describes it as 'more acidic, and faster', which is surprising to me. I don't know how many songs Aaron wrote before he left, so who knows if the 'balance' is still there or not. I DO know that the album is schedule to be released June-ish, so we can expect a whole nother round of 'album cycle' promotion, which in fact, has already begun. Caroline collabed with hipster lingerie line 'The Lake & Stars' for the Fall '11 show, providing the soundtrack for the catwalk, and modeling (I couldn't find any shots of her in panties, but when I do you know TNRR is getting the hookup! All I could find was this so far).

Apparently the inspiration was 'Italian neo-classicism' meets '70s minimalism', so Caroline mashed up 60s electronica, classical pieces, with some of her own synth treatments. Here's a video of her 'collabing' in her apartment, playing Terry Riley's A Rainbow In Curved Air (because she's that kind of chick):

Could 2011 be the Year of Caroline? Will she do Playboy? (she would if asked I bet) Should I send her a mixtape pronto before she marries a subpar indie star?