3 posts tagged “polara”
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11/28/08 Varsity Theater Minneapolis, Minnesota
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I have here Ed Ackerson's Ackerson2 album in my frozen fingers, I don't think there is an official release date, other than that it's already available for purchase. Incidentally, if you don't know who Ackerson is, he is probably best known for being the singer/founder of Polara.
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Sleeper and Polara ♥ Whiskey A-Go-Go, Los Angeles (29 Apr 1995) |
Polara opened up for Sleeper, I didn't know who they were back then, but my friends were all savvy to them. It was 90s alternative rock and from this set, they threw a Polara T-Shirt into the crowd and my friend Shawn ended up grabbing it.
So, that's how I was introduced to Polara.
I can't say I have followed them that closely through the years, I am happy to see that they recently released Beekeeping, so be sure to check out Andrew's review.
As the '2' on Ackerson2 indicate, this is Ackerson's second solo album. While, I don't have his earlier album for reference, I can tell you that it's somewhat of a departure from Polara. I get the impression that Ackerson have a lot of songs and demos in his head, and they don't necessary fit in Polara's noisy rock music.
The one song that really sounded different is a banjo-driven song called "Run Away With Me". Maybe it's the banjo, or maybe it's the singing style, but it does bring up that folksy question.
Ackerson explains it:
"Go Ahead And Cry" is my favorite song on the album. It's a little upbeat, for the title and theme of the song, but I like it. I'll bet it should be fantastic live, especially with that banjo section. Which, shock, there will be a CD release party at the Varsity Theater on November 28th. Going there is now a pleasure as they have finally fixed that 35W bridge (it looks and drives much better now!).In a lot of ways this record is about me exploring my pre-noise roots, the influences at the beginning of my musical life before I got into more experimental stuff. Sixties stuff, like Beatles, Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, Dylan, Simon and Garfunkel—the first material I learned to play on guitar. The tight harmony singing, odd juxtapositions of instruments, and playful production on records from that time is still very appealing to me.
- Ed Ackerson, City Pages - November 19, 2007
You can pick up Ackerson's album via Susstones Shop.
Links:
www.edackerson.com
myspace.com/polara
www.susstones.com
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05/14/08 First Ave Minneapolis, MN
05/30/08 Upfront & Company Marquette, MI 05/31/08 Upfront & Company Marquette, MI 06/07/08 Fine Line Music Minneapolis, MN 06/14/08 UW Terrace Madison, WI 06/28/08 Triple Rock Minneapolis, MN 07/05/08 Summerfest Milwaukee, WI 07/12/08 St. John Center Rochester, MN |
Just two weeks short of 13 years since I'd first seen Polara, I visited Minneapolis' Varsity Theater to see if they were still the band I remembered so fondly.
Their first opener, Mercurial Rage, performed an entertaining, if not amazing, electro-rock set. Being the fashionably late sort, I actually missed most of it, so it wouldn't be fair to judge them entirely, but I did see some potential there and certainly didn't dislike what I saw. The Faint meets INXS, perhaps. They seemed a bit like a work in progress. I'll definitely have to check them out again down the line.
Thoroughly exploiting my weakness for co-ed punk were the Mood Swings. The Mood Swings are what I would call no-scream girl-punk. Sometimes I forget that female-vocalized punk can still have an edge and an energy without being angry or harsh (Though in all honesty: the good stuff is often both). This narrow-mindedness is no doubt due to stubborn attachment to my Bikini Kill, Babes in Toyland and Muffs collections. But anyway The Mood Swings were lovely. Check out myspace.com/themoodswings and listen to No Limit, my personal favorite. I think you'll find "Lovely" is an apt descriptor).
Polara chose not to play last, instead allowing the Alarmists to take that spot, saying they would be able to more enjoy their release show that way. It had been over two years since their last live show, and I was impressed at how effortlessly they hit the stage running. No sign of rust whatsoever. Lead singer/guitarist Ed Ackerson took to the stage looking - with his disheveled hair and trademark clunky glasses - less like a rock star and more like someone at the IT desk who would help you reset your password. As a whole, the band looked both very natural on stage and very much as if they enjoyed themselves, soaking in the attention with humble professionalism. And why not? There were enough photographers darting back and forth in front of the stage to make me wonder when Posh Spice would make her appearance. It was a good set, actually even better than I remembered them and certainly well worth the hype.
Then, at exactly midnight, it was time for my first glimpse of the Alarmists. I soon became aware that, like Cinderellas in reverse, dozens of 18 to 25-year old women had appeared as if from nowhere to join the ball, flooding forward in order to gaze in rapt attention at the poster-ready boys who took the stage. I thought their set was good, indie, post-punk hard rock - not typically conducive to legions of screaming girls, on the face of it - but as I attempted to peer over the impenetrable wall of Scandinavian female flesh, I could only arrive at one conclusion: these boys must be dreamy hot. The highlight of their set - the highlight for me anyway, and likely also for the male hipsters who had largely by this point retreated to a safe distance - was when they called Ed Ackerson back to the stage in an old(er) meets young(er) set evoking Neil Young with Pearl Jam. Don't roll your eyes at me. The song was Cinnamon Girl, OK? Alright then.
 The Mood Swings ♥ photo by andrew |
 Polara ♥ photo by andrew |
 The Alarmists ♥ photo by andrew |
Links:
myspace.com/polara
thealarmistsband.com
myspace.com/themoodswings
www.susstones.com
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Polara possesses what I consider the classic Twin Cities rock sound - distort guitars and crisp vocals which provide just enough of a radio-friendly pop-rock feel to appeal to the masses while retaining enough artistic originality to placate even the most snobby hipster (that's me). Some call it "noise-pop," others "psychedelic." I call it ear-candy. I call it bliss. I call it Saturday afternoons in spring 1995 spent writing e-mails to local bands begging them to "please play more all-ages shows." I call it vintage Minneapolis.
Polara continues their long-standing relationship with the Susstones label with their first full-length since 2002, "Beekeeping," released today. (Incidentally: it's my opinion that Susstones is the most underrated Twin-cities-based label in business today). This album is simply quintessential Polara. Ed Ackerson, Jennifer Jurgens and Peter Anderson have turned out the kind of quality effort I've come to expect in every offering since their 1995 self-titled debut. With rockers like "E-Flat" and "Out Of Your Hands," Ackerson's agreeably sweet voice balances the guitar-work like the second spoonful of sugar in my deliciously powerful French roast. And like that coffee, it's filled me with a sort of heady euphoria that will have me buzzing around the neighborhood for hours. With 11 tracks coming in at a brisk 39 minutes, this album is a must-buy for any Minneapolis rock fan - or anyone wondering just what the hell I'm going on about all the time.
If you can; check out Polara's album release show at the Varsity Theater this Friday (May 9th). Fellow Susstones acts The Alarmists, The Mood Swings and Mercurial Rage open.
Links:
myspace.com/polara
www.susstones.com
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