Polar Bear (album)

2008 studio album by Polar Bear

Polar Bear

Studio album by

Polar Bear

Released| 1 September 2008
Studio| Miloco Pool Studio
Genre| Jazz
Length| 72:00
Label| Tin Angel and The Leaf Label
Producer| Sebastian Rochford and Mark Rankin
Polar Bear chronology
| Held on the Tips of Fingers
(2005)  | Polar Bear
(2008)  | Peepers
(2010)

|
|

Polar Bear is the third album by Sebastian Rochford's British jazz band, Polar Bear.

## Background

[edit]

According to the band, they spent "a lot of time" recording Polar Bear; Seb Rochford stating that he wanted the album "to have the saxes not so much soloing, but more interacting with (Leafcutter) John, and it took a while for everyone to get their heads round improvising in that way".[1]

The album was initially released on Tin Angel in 2008, but was re-issued by The Leaf Label in 2014.[2]

## Critical reception

[edit]

Professional ratingsAggregate scores

Source| Rating
Metacritic| 72/100[3]
Review scores
Source| Rating
BBC| Positive[4]
Drowned in Sound| 8/10[5]
The Guardian| [6]
The Observer| [7]

On the Metacritic website, which aggregates reviews from critics and assigns a normalised rating out of 100, Peepers received a score of 72, based on 1 mixed and 3 positive reviews.[3] Drowned in Sound praised the album's "seamless motion and playful interplay" and "sheer musical pleasure", awarding it 8/10.[5] The BBC called it a "triumph" in their review, calling Polar Bear "a fine record".[4] The Guardian write that Rochford is a "proper jazz composer, whose themes are spare, colourful and strong enough to frame and support extensive improvisation from his talented crew and guests" and call the album "brilliant".[6] The Observer are less impressed, writing that "this is a band running out of ideas", calling Polar Bear "good in small doses".[7] Ultimately, the album did not receive the same press as the previous album, Held on the Tips Of Fingers, which had gained extra media attention after being shortlisted for a Mercury Music Prize.

## Track listing

[edit]

All music is composed by Rochford, except 4 & 13 by Rochford, Lockheart, Wareham, Burton & Herbert and 11 by Rochford, Burton, Herbert & Laubrook

No.| Title| Length

|
|

1.| "Tay"| 4:48
2.| "Goodbye"| 7:59
3.| "Appears, Moves and Sails"| 6:31
4.| "Tomlovesalicelovestom"| 6:02
5.| "Voices"| 5:53
6.| "Industry"| 3:39
7.| "Brian"| 7:06
8.| "Sunshine"| 4:42
9.| "Leafcup"| 8:11
10.| "It Snows Again"| 5:00
11.| "Sounds Like a Train to Me"| 2:39
12.| "I Am Alive"| 4:55
13.| "Woollen Blanket"| 2:14
14.| "Joy Jones"| 5:28

## Personnel

[edit]

### Polar Bear

[edit]

* Pete Wareham – tenor saxophone
* Mark Lockheart – tenor saxophone
* Sebastian Rochford – drums, bass (13)
* Tom Herbert – double bass, drums (13)
* Leafcutter John – electronics, mandolin, kalimba, glass, bowed cymbal, samples and balloon

### Additional musicians

[edit]

* Julia Biel – vocals (7 and 8)
* Ben Davis – cello (8)
* Amanda Drummond – viola (12)
* Brian Edwards – tenor saxophone (7)
* Ingrid Laubrock – tenor saxophone (11)

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Gibb, Rory (15 December 2010). "DiS Meets Polar Bear's Seb Rochford". Drowned in Sound. Archived from the original on 28 May 2015. Retrieved 28 May 2015.
2. ^ "Polar Bear Album Reissues". The Leaf Label. December 8, 2014. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
3. ^ a b "Polar Bear by Polar Bear". Metacritic. Retrieved 28 May 2015.
4. ^ a b "Polar Bear, Polar Bear: Review". BBC Music. July 14, 2008. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
5. ^ a b "Polar Bear, Polar Bear". Drowned in Sound. July 27, 2008. Archived from the original on 13 September 2015. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
6. ^ a b Walters, John L (11 July 2008). "Polar Bear, Polar Bear". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 May 2015.
7. ^ a b Nicholson, Stuart (10 August 2008). "Jazz review: Polar Bear, Polar Bear". The Observer. Retrieved 28 May 2015.

* v
* t
* e

Polar Bear

* Seb Rochford
* Pete Wareham
* Mark Lockheart
* Tom Herbert
* Leafcutter John

Albums|

* Dim Lit (2004)
* Held on the Tips of Fingers (2005)
* Polar Bear (2008)
* Peepers (2010)
* In Each and Every One (2014)
* Same as You (2015)

*[No.]: Number
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template