Polar Bear Club - Sometimes Things Just Disappear

Rating

single starsingle starsingle star

RIYL

Braid
Sparta
Alkaline Trio

Tracklist

1. Eat Dinner, Bury The Dog, And Run
2. Hollow Place
3. The Bug Parade
4. Another Night In The Rock
5. Burned Out In A Jar
6. As 'Twere The Mirror
7. Tried
8. Our Ballads
9. Heart Attack At Thirty
10. Convinced I'm Wrong

Users Rating

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4 ratings

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Recent Ratings
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Polar Bear Club, releasing their debut album through up and coming label Red Leader, display a sound that is indeed refreshing, but not necessarily unique. Instead, the band hearkens back to the days of Braid when the indie sound interacted effortlessly with hardcore. A new take on the old post-hardcore sound can be just as fantastic as the bands that constantly attempt to carve out a unique sound. In our current oversaturated music world, sometimes all we need is an updated take on an old sound. Polar Bear Club provide just that.

Indeed, this sound may have existed for a while now, but few bands have succeeded in keeping it exciting and fun throughout an entire album. The guitars are crunchy and fast-paced throughout Sometimes Things Just Disappear yet there are moments of a melodic and catchy nature sporadically inserted throughout. Somehow, it all works. The drums do exactly what they are supposed to do and beyond, creating a pop factor that keeps your head bobbing without being boring. Sometimes Things Just Disappear will be one of those albums you blast with your windows down all summer.

The final factor, the vocals, are poppy enough in placement to be a Fall Out Boy hit in many sections. However, don’t strip scene points over that comparison as the vocals are always delivered in a gruff, raspy tone that gives them a feel of genuineness and authenticity that Pete Wentz and company would (and probably have) attempt to pay for. If you aren’t screaming at the top of your lungs the lyrics to songs like “Our Ballads,” “Heart Attack At Thirty,“ and “Hollow Place” while driving 80 MPH down the freeway this summer, then you’ve lost sight of how fun, while still remaining respectable, music can be.

--Michael Smer

Author

Michael Smer
Last updated: 09/29/2009 09:00PM

Comments

Great Refuser
05/08/2008
06:44AM
Age: 32
Location
Colorado Springs, CO
Great, great album. Deserves at least 4-4.5 stars.
philthy
05/08/2008
07:49AM
Age: 33
Location
Hoboken, New Jersey
I agree with the score. While I like think this is a solid debut from a good young band, it is way, way, way overhyped. My biggest issue: the lyrics are awful, not always, but quite frequently. But again, all in all, I like this album. It's just not as good as everyone has been saying it is.
Guitar108
05/08/2008
10:12AM
Location
Washington, DC
This album is fantastic, and deserves at least a 4. Keep in mind that this is a DEBUT album - it might not be perfect, but it shows so much potential.

Also, I think the lyrics are really good, especially on As 'Twere The Mirror, Convinced I'm Wrong, and Hollow Place

Music sparked the fire, and it burns in me forever.

lezsolt
05/08/2008
02:26PM
Age: 26
Location
Budapest, Hungary
Did they get their name from the Silent Majority song?

Bukkakeface
05/09/2008
10:26AM
Age: 29
Location
Telford, PA
I love this album. I would give it a 4 or higher. Convinced I'm Wrong is such a good song.
nasirface
05/09/2008
01:42PM
Location
North Jersey, USA
i'm barely ever on this forum at all, so i couldnt help but comment that this record deserves more than a 3. this is incredible for a debut full length. their last ep "the redder, the better" is fucking incredible as well. and i could see the comparison to braid (maybe), but sparta and alkaline trio? not so much. more like small brown bike during the "dead wreckoning" era. which this record, musically,is already up to par with.

jamoncito
05/11/2008
04:41PM
Age: 23
Location
Los Angeles
Have never even heard of this band and am loving it right now.
Michael Smer
05/11/2008
05:31PM
Age: 27
philthy
I agree with the score. While I like think this is a solid debut from a good young band, it is way, way, way overhyped. My biggest issue: the lyrics are awful, not always, but quite frequently. But again, all in all, I like this album. It's just not as good as everyone has been saying it is.


Yeah, I mean I may have different issues, but I like the album as the review itself shows if those ripping on the score would care to read.

The problem is that the album is just good. It's not going to blow your mind and I don't think the band would expect this album to blow anyone's mind. It's good pop-punk meets indie meets hardcore and not anything beyond that. The 4 or 5 star albums as far as my system goes are reserved for those albums that go above and beyond.
nasirface
05/14/2008
11:05PM
Location
North Jersey, USA
yeah, we never said you didn't like the album. we just said that you didn't give it enough credit. to each their own i suppose. but just keep listening and uncover the magic.