It could be very easy to be disappointed with Sometimes Things Just Disappear after Polar Bear Club’s awesome debut EP The Redder, The Better but just give this one a little time; it’s a slow burner.
On this (their debut full-length) Polar Bear Club continues to blend catchy pop-punk hooks with slower and more angular post-hardcore guitars, finding a balance between gruff vocals and melodic harmonies. It is a tried-and-true formula in today’s punk landscape, but Polar Bear Club somehow manage to escape being just another sound-alike. They slow things down just enough to sound a little more intriguing than the majority of their peers.
Now before actually hearing one note from Polar Bear Club people were telling me that they sounded a lot like Hot Water Music. To be honest (though) I really don’t hear it. On Sometimes Things Just Disappear the band sounds more to me like The Casket Lottery meets Rise Against; angular yet poppy (but not too poppy). It all adds up to something that can be blazing but is much more effective when it moves a bit more slowly. Slowly in a way that might disappoint those looking for something more biting and anthemic, but if you are looking for something that sounds like Hot Water Music, you should probably just go listen to Live At The Hardback instead anyhow.
MP3 | Polar Bear Club – Burned Out In A Jar Sometimes Things Just Disappear
MP3 | Polar Bear Club – The Bug Parade Sometimes Things Just Disappear
pretty spot on with your reveiw. i was initially disappointed for the reason you stated…comparing it to TRTB. but it’s a good record that grows on ya.
i don’t hear HWM as much as Small Brown Bike on that first EP, Casket Lottery is a good comparison for this one