Polaris - Polaris

by Andy Vincent

published: 14 / 4 / 2006

Label: Select Label
Format: CD

Over indulgent and drawn out second album from durable Leeds band Polaris

Review

While Leeds stalwarts Polaris have been together for 13 years, this self-titled recording is only their second album. Their experience as writers is clear, but it feels as if their experience as listeners isn't. With the majority of songs over the 5 or 6 minute marker, the band definitely know how to string their songs out. Opener 'The Moment I Said Yes' sets the pace for the record. The music rolls along with the bass work really leading the track. Sadly the second track 'Blue Sky Pink' doesn't maintain this pace. There are sections where it leads you to believe it's ready to explode, but it never quite reaches that point. 'Polaris' continues this progress. The songs move and flow quite well and are by all means very well written and maintain excellent structure and show strong musical ability. It feels, however, almost as if the length of the songs is purely for self indulgence and not because a long length of time is needed to allow each song its natural progression. The fifth track 'Conquering Small Spaces' allows the pace of the album to increase again, at least for a short while, before the last two tracks, 'You Don't Know Things' and'Without an Out' slow it all back down once again. This album slowly pulls its way through the 7 tracks and 45 minutes of its lifetime, with a whole bucket load of songwriting prowess which can be found when looked for, but for the average listener, the extra three minutes of opening riff that appears on each track are unnecessary. Unlike in the case of a lot of similar bands, these drawn out sections fail to create the build up for what should be an impressive section. This isn't because the build up isn't there. It's because the following section fails to materialise. Strangely, after making all of the above points, I still find myself lying on my bed, staring at the ceiling and enjoying this album, and I'm not sure why... maybe that's their plus side. The band have somehow managed to captivate me without impressing me. Overall, the album is a drawn out affair with clear ups and downs, but it does just feel like a slow crawl throughout when there should be at least a few more all out sprints.