| Polar Bear | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| 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 | ||||
| ||||
Polar Bear is the third album by Sebastian Rochford's British jazz band, Polar Bear.
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]
| Aggregate 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.
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 |
Leafcutter John is the recording name of John Burton, a UK-based musician and artist. He makes frequent use of Max/MSP in his compositions. Much of Burton's style is based in computer music and use of samples of everyday sounds. However, he also has roots as a folk musician, and this influence is apparent in his more recent work.
Acoustic Ladyland was a London-based jazz-punk band consisting of Pete Wareham on vocals and saxophone, Seb Rochford on drums, Chris Sharkey on guitar, and Ruth Goller on bass guitar.
Last Chance Disco is the second studio album by British punk jazz band Acoustic Ladyland. It was released on 16 May 2005 by Babel Label.
Polar Bear is a British experimental jazz band led by drummer Seb Rochford with Pete Wareham and Mark Lockheart on tenor saxophone, Tom Herbert on double bass and Leafcutter John on electronics and occasionally guitar or mandolin.
Sebastian Rochford is a British drummer and composer. He has recorded and released music as leader of the British band Polar Bear, as Kutcha Butcha and as part of numerous collaborations.
F-IRE Collective is a creative music community founded by Barak Schmool. It has been described as the UK's leading and perhaps most influential modern jazz group. The Collective also has a record label.
Mark Lockheart is a British jazz tenor saxophonist who was a member of the Loose Tubes big band during the 1980s.
Skinny Grin is a 2006 album by Acoustic Ladyland, featuring the singles "Salt Water" and "Cuts & Lies". It was recorded at Eastcote Studios in London, engineered by Philip Bagenal and Al O'Connell. James Chance's guest appearance was recorded at The Cutting Room in New York City.
Pete Wareham is a British saxophonist, composer and band leader. He led the genre-defying North African/punk/jazz/dance band Melt Yourself Down and was a member of Nadine Shah’s Mercury Prize-nominated band, Seb Rochford’s Pulled By Magnets and also ran the influential group Acoustic Ladyland. Formerly of Rochford’s now disbanded Mercury Prize-nominated Polar Bear, Wareham has also played saxophone and flute with The Smile, Sons Of Kemet, Mica Levi, James Chance, Supergrass, Ben E King.
Jonny Phillips is an English jazz guitarist and composer. He played the violin and studied theory from the age of five, however he swapped to guitar at fifteen to study jazz, Brazilian and African music. After his studies at Newcastle College of Music, Phillips moved to London where he set up his group Oriole, with whom he has released three albums on the F-IRE Collective label. Oriole is perhaps one of the few groups to feature two Mercury nominated artists: Ben Davis on cello and Seb Rochford on drums. Phillips is now based in South London after three and a half years living in Andalusia, Spain.
Menlo Park was an alternative-rock band, founded in 1999, and recording between 2000 and 2003.
Melt Yourself Down are a London-based band who incorporate elements of West African musical styles (afrobeat), punk, jazz and funk. Founded in January 2012, the band is led by saxophonist Pete Wareham, former leader of now defunct jazz/punk band Acoustic Ladyland and saxophonist in British jazz band Polar Bear. The original line-up included saxophonist Shabaka Hutchings, drummer Tom Skinner, vocalist Kushal Gaya, bassist Ruth Goller and percussionist Satin Singh.
Melt Yourself Down is the debut album of the London-based band of the same name.
Dim Lit is the debut album by British jazz band Polar Bear, formed and led by drummer Sebastian Rochford.
Peepers is the fourth album by Sebastian Rochford's British jazz band Polar Bear.
Held on the Tips of Fingers is the second album by Sebastian Rochford's British jazz band Polar Bear.
In Each and Every One is the fifth album by Sebastian Rochford's British jazz band Polar Bear.
Same as You is the sixth studio album by British jazz band Polar Bear. It was released on 30 March 2015 by The Leaf Label.
Your Queen Is a Reptile is the third album by British jazz group Sons of Kemet, released in March 2018 on Impulse! Records. Band leader Shabaka Hutchings wrote and plays saxophone on all tracks, Theon Cross plays tuba, and Seb Rochford and Tom Skinner play drums. It also features toaster Congo Natty and performance poet Josh Idehen.
Lest We Forget What We Came Here to Do is the second studio album by British jazz band Sons of Kemet. The album was released on 25 September 2015 by Naim label.