Polar Bear Club – Demo EP

Since I received this wonderful-looking demo, I can’t stop listening to it. Polar Bear Club could be reduced to a mere side project, considering guitarist Chris Browne’s involvement in Achilles. That being said, I’m blown away by the sheer quality of these songs, and they easily deserve the credit of a full-time band. It’s about time influences such as Braid and Small Brown Bike are made relevant again.

A spirited group sing-along introduces listeners to the band, and it’s quickly obvious that “To the Engravers” will be memorable. Gruffly sung and shouted vocals match the moody rock riffs. “Overflow” stutters the pace midway through via subtle drumming and delayed, bent guitars for self-realization. “As quickly as it came I blink and it’s gone. Slowly settle into insignificance. So far away, I’m still making dams in puddles but always in range of bursting.” Moving from depression to urgency comes “Adam O” with the loud declaration of “Anyone, listen up!” The furious pacing and nuances remind me of Hot Water Music, and this maintains the raw energy from the beginning. The lyrics help convey that “I’ll get over this” refers not to a girl, but rather a state of discontent instead. A thought-provoking instrumental in the vain of Castor finishes the demo. Sadly, it’s a short one, but replaying the disc works wonders.

The back of my demo indicates that only 300 of these exist. Listen to the songs posted online, and if they resonate to you, grab a copy before it’s too late.