| I confess – I was not looking to review this CD, hadn’t really heard of the band and was a little miffed when it arrived in the mail – oh, great another CD I have to find time to review! I grabbed the CD and rushed off to work and popped it in the CD player in my car (always the best place, in my opinion, to hear a really good rock CD) and was pleasantly surprised. Where indie rock has become a little too industry and mainstream and, quite frankly, predictable and stale, Polarity, is a unexpected breath of fresh air. I see why they’ll be hopping around the main stage at places like the Cornerstone Festival this summer.
The second track is one of my favorites. The album starts with a short track one with a funky jazz beat, something you’d hear walking down Bourbon Street in New Orleans and fades seamlessly into a punk beat. And, what is even better – the lyrics are awesome as well – always a bonus.
“Whatever you’re preachin’ it isn’t me. …Do you want to walk with me? Do ya? Walk with me. Well if you love me, then just love me don’t you give me pretty words. Lay your life down at the altar, let me see how serious you are" (into chorus.)
The vocals on the whole are top-notch. The lead singer has perfect pitch and is almost crooning in the old style of Martin and Sinatra (which I know is an odd analogy, but the only one that keeps coming to mind.) The harmonies are incredible. Every guy in this band can sing – not just screech. The guitar riffs are thoughtful and flow from foreground to background as needed (listen to track 3.) The drummer is truly the timekeeper of each song and not just banging away in the background.
Track 5 is the low note, in my humble opinion. It is way too poppy and TRL for my tastes, and just doesn’t seem to fit in. Did they throw this song in so the teen girls would have a squeaky-clean song to sway back and forth to at summer camp? Have something CCM/KLOVE ready? Track 6 is better, still slow and and poppish, but sung soulfully and serves as a nice half-way point in the CD.
Whatever the case, hey, maybe they really love these songs, who knows? (I requested an interview with the band, they did not respond.) They just don’t fit with the rest of the album, which is full of shades of vintage Metallica from the ‘80s and one song where the vocals and guitar work makes me think of Fred Durst and Limp Bizkit (track 7.)
Polarity definitely has merit, and while I am too much of a workaholic to travel the three hours down to Bushnell this summer to catch the live show at Cornerstone, I highly recommend them and hope to catch a show if they journey up to Chicago.
www.hollywoodjesus.com |