Reviewed by Mike Rimmer

Polarboy's last outing, 'Back From Nowhere', was one of my favourite rock albums and this one tops it by miles! This is emotional rock'n'roll with plenty of soul but with all the fundamentals firmly in place - well constructed songs, great guitar riffs, solid rhythm section, strong melodies and plenty of energy. Most of the band met while studying to be youth pastors at Bible College but they make music that can be enjoyed by Christian and non-Christian alike with lyrics penned from life experiences. For me, I love it when they let loose on "In The Name Of" which has that catchy familiar feel as you get drawn into the hooky chorus; and "Fall" is acoustic-driven melodic rock with plenty of style. "Longer Weekend" starts with an understated intro which bursts out into brittle rock riffs reminiscent of Tom Petty or John Cougar Mellencamp. "At Least I Tried" has a bouncy guitar riff that sounds really happy and to illustrate, my wife Pippa is doing a silly dance round the room as I write this! So it must be good! But it's not all upbeat, there are moments of introspection which are equally compelling. "Night Drives" has a touch of blues and the opening cut "Lower" has its own intensity which draws you in. Ignoring musical fads, Polarboy create timeless music that does the business.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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