Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Polar For The Masses - Silence CD

Hear The Track Here

Despite all the bad press they have been getting lately, I like Italians. I am particularly partial to Italian bands and I've come across some really good ones over the past few years with the absolute standout being the awesome Ophelia Dorme (and the Let Her Dive offshoot), but not forgetting RHA, a + m, Sdzeta et al who have provided some magic musical moments. Let Her Dive's The Bravest (September 2010) has grown on me more and more since I reviewed it and is now one of my all time favourite tracks - I even put the video on my You Tube channel and I'm ferociously picky about what goes on that. All this chatter obviously means that Polar For The Masses are Italian (in case you hadn't already guessed)...

Simone, Davide and Jordan comprise the band who specialise in 'alternative disco indie punkrock' whatever that is when its at home. I snagged a copy of the CD from Sit Still Promotions and promptly started in on it. Like the bands I have mentioned already, Polar For the Masses experiments with electronic noise in a way (as far as I can see) no other country does, so I guess it is an Italian thing. Great rhythms, snappy vocals with this low level of ambient noise that just has to be heard to be understood. It also helps that the band can come up with meaty, convincing songs as well, as Consequences and Rust (tracks one and two) will illustrate. If that isn't enough, there is even a Rust video that is well worth a look, it also convinced me that - whatever else - Polar For The Masses ******* rock like nobody's business.

Silence is an eight track CD which - for the most part - continues the fine work evidenced by the first two tracks although things calm down somewhat by Sailing Away (track four) which while still punk rock, has a slightly less relentless feel - not exactly a ballad but as close as this band comes to it. I kept returning to Dismembered (track three) because it's got relentless written all over it and better that than an (almost) ballad eh? ;) If you think that punk rock is a dead art, take a listen to Ignorance (track seven) and Guilty (track eight) then tell me it's true. For me, it's that combination of experimental, rock and punk that make this band work for me and - if you can't take a whole album - I definitely recommend you check out the Rust video. If you like that, you'll like the whole thing.

Italian punk rock (I kid you not). Highly Recommended.

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