Disclaimer: After reading my review of their Radio Special Disk (a collection of singles from Polarboy's debut album that was prepared for radio disc-jockeys), Rustproof Records opted to have me review the actual album. Since the singles collection contained seven of the ten songs found on the debut album, my estimation of the band is very nearly the same. Consequently, this review is a lot like the last one, only more accurate.
Polarboy occupy a space on the musical map somewhere between Collective Soul, Counting Crows, Hootie & The Blowfish, Spin Doctors, Third Day, Vigilantes of Love, and The Monkees (yes, there is a common thread there...). They are also gratefully unique enough that none of these influences slap you upside the ears. Having created their own sound by melding these divergent influences into an accessible and popular rock format, and being a group of handsome young men with a deliberate and commendable mission, they are now poised to be the next Big Thing. If they continue to mature as well as they've begun, a successful marketing campaign should get them to the top of the heap and in this case, being the next Big Thing would be a good thing.
Polarboy's real strengths lie in a few areas. Firstly, the lead-singer, Pol, has an incredible voice with a decent range and pleasant appeal. It's not overly distinctive, but he uses it effectively and interestingly at all times. Secondly, the band has written some fine lyrics geared primarily for the youth group and college set, but with the same care and surprising maturity that Jars of Clay demonstrates. For example, "Do You Think" is a clever song conjuring Adam's pain at losing Eve late in life. Additionally, the lyrics to "I'll Try," while not up to Bill Mallonee/Mark Heard standards, offer a commendable plea to God to help avoid the mistakes of the "music business." My favorite lyrics are from "Nickels for Green Eyed Girls" which suggests all forms of financial fortitude require the Lord's oversight, but one of their other strongest points, worth remembering, comes from "Four Leaf Clover:"
What do you see when you look at me?
Do you see Jesus or just another side effect of me?
...If all I'm gonna be is a lukewarm Christian
You might as well bring me home.
These hard hitting words are central to Polarboy's mission, and inform the themes of this ultimately encouraging album. Overall the album's lyrics tell a number of simple tales worth telling, but from different and often divergent perspectives. Careful readers and listeners will get the whole effect with repeated listening, which is recommended.
Musically, Polarboy experiment with different song textures but generally fall in an area that feels consistently comfortable for them. Their full-throttle folk rock is revved up to high speeds via Southern sensibilities, resulting in ten songs that all work surprisingly well. One of the highlights new to me on this disc (because it was not presented as a single on the previously reviewed collection), is "One Bad Date" which proves to be the hardest sounding song among the ten and laments a really bad date as the title suggests. The other two new songs, "Babystarr" and "Do What You Can" also show themselves to be consistent with the previously presented material. The overall production of this album, however, is not consistent with the singles collection, resulting in a rougher, less polished mix which will appeal more to people who prefer raw to slick.
Lastly, the harmonious upbeat sound Polarboy generates is easy on ears accustomed to rock radio: both effectively energetic and pleasantly emotional without being overly sappy or silly. Can God use another band of this particular format to bring praise to His name and encourage His saints? The evidence in these songs suggests absolutely.
4 tocks
Other coverage for this album
HM Magazine #74Reviewed by Brian Vincent McGovernThere 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…The Lighthouse Unsorted 1998Reviewed by Bert Gangl / Mark MarusIn the past, categorizing the influences of the various artists in Christian rock music has been a fairly straightforward undertaking. Late '70s Southern rock progenitors like DeGarmo and Key, for example, drew heavily from the soulful, bluesy stylings of groups like the Doobie Brothers, while early '80s pop artists such as Vector took their cue from the synthesizer-driven sound of new wave acts…ReAL Magazine 1998Reviewed by Doug E.If you like the sound of The Waiting with just a touch of Matchbox 20, you will love Polarboy's sophomore release. Polarboy definitely has a passion for spreading the Gospel of Christ in their music. The song 'Nickel For Green-Eyed Girls' includes experimental retro, much like Soulfood 76 (minus the vibrato). The song is a cry that we need to separate ourselves from society's view of success--we…The Phantom Tollbooth 1998Reviewed by Bert GanglThe members of Polarboy, who met while studying to be youth ministers at Lexington Baptist College in Kentucky, began their musical careers performing at church youth assemblies and worship services. These early shows led to concerts at a more varied list of venues in Kentucky and the neighboring states, including a fall 1996 show at Rocketown Club in Nashville where the band members met talent…Similar sounding releases
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