Polarboy
Back From Nowhere
Reviewed by Brian Vincent McGovern
There are a few melodic similarities to Tracy Bonham's material, and vocals courtesy of Pol Buckingham as smooth, clear and passionate as folks like Seven Day Jesus' Bryan McSweeny. "Do You Think" is a great song, dealing with loneliness. The whole track has an underlying needle crackle. Thank goodness it's limited to just one song. "Nickels for Green Eyed Girls" has some of the fastest disco wah I've heard in a long time, and explodes into a full-on rocker or as much of a full-on rocker as this energetic, otherwise acoustic-oriented, band can do. Don't think this is Caedmon's Call or something, though, as there are quite a few electric moments here, usually bordering on the jangly. The standout track would easily be "In My Shoes," with its catchy bounce, and bitingly pointed lyrics. Polarboy is one of those bands whose CD gives me a large desire to see `em live.