#Polar Bear Club

[sweetxvertigo]

i miss polar bear club

[punkrockmixtapes]

Polar Bear Club - Hollow Place

[confessionsofabargainbinaddict]

My Favorite Albums of 2022*

*not necessarily from 2022

Over the past 12 months, I've somehow acquired 260 CDs, so instead of doing a standard, "Top of 2022 list," I figured I'd share 10 favorite additions to my ever-growing collection, no matter if they were released in 2022 or not. I'll also do it in alphabetical order by album name for simplicity's sake (and 10 out of 260 is already subjective enough!). Here goes!

Tyler, the Creator - Call Me If You Get Lost

The brilliant wordplay more than warrants Tyler's oozing braggadocio but the fact that, in many cases, that same braggadocio is only thinly veiling deep insecurities elevates this to a truly astonishing level. "Drama, I need you. Can you turn the noise up?" isn't about getting the party hyped, it's about drowning out that critical voice in the back of your head. It's a call for help. It's a masterwork by an MC who's, somewhat surprisingly, coming for a Top 5 spot.

Soul Glo - Diaspora Problems

The CD came with liner notes and lyrics but you basically need a magnifying glass to read them. But you should get one. Because they're worth it. Verbose, brilliant, genre jumping hardcore.

The Beths - Expert in a Dying Field

Do you remember when "Mr. Brightside" came out and it basically was the "end-all, be-all" song about jealousy? "Expert in a Dying Field," is "Mr. Brightside" for breakups. The rest of the album is just icing on the cake. But the icing is also ridiculously good. Like nearly as good as the cake itself.

Origami Angel - Gami Gang

Dumb puns for song titles ("Neutrogina Spektor," "Tom Holland Oates," "Bed, Bath, and Batman Beyond,"), Pokémon, Game Boy, and Taco Bell references, and a smattering of sick riffs, anthemic choruses, and furious tapping. These 20(!!!) songs are more than just an album, they're a goddamn mission statement for a new generation of nerdy emo kids.

The Hotelier - Like No Place Is There

I can imagine Guy and Ian listening to this album and saying, "yeah, this is exactly where we imagined the genre ending up 30 years later." Devastating, cathartic, rough around the edges, but full of melody, and, most importantly, empathy.

Drug Church - Hygiene

Folks keep labeling this "hardcore," but its New Wave and 90's Alt-Rock influences are too abundant to keep it pinned down. Plus, it's catchy as fuck. An excellent 26 minutes that gets better with each listen.

Pusha T - It's Almost Dry

Focus on the latter half of Pusha's statement of purpose: "Cocaine's Dr. Seuss." It's not just that he raps about slinging coke, it's that he loves the words he uses to rap about slinging coke. That joy, that creativity, that fun is abundant on these 12 tracks. Hell, he even gets Jay to join in. (Hot take: Jay's verse on "Neck & Wrist," is better than his verse on "God DID.")

The Beatles - Magical Mystery Tour

A stone-cold-classic that I finally picked up on CD. Maybe my favorite from the fab four.

Denzel Curry - Melt My Eyez See Your Future

Stripping away the vocal acrobatics and spectacle that instantly hooked me, Denzel keeps his tone simple and direct and his lyrics powerful and personal, further highlighting his talent and chameleonic abilities.

Kendrick Lamar - Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers

Holding the controversial opinion that DAMN. was a clear step backwards, from the opening moments of "United in Grief," it was clear that K. Dot made a sharp turn back to the complexity and nuance of TPAB and GKMC. It's a deeply uncomfortable listen, giving us an in-depth view of a man struggling to find his true self and how that clashes with who others want (need?) him to be. It's messy and difficult and problematic and exactly the type of album only Kendrick can make.

Other assorted 2022 stuff

Favorite Albums NOT acquired in 2022:

mewithoutYou - Brother, Sister

Polar Bear Club - Clash Battle Guilt Pride

Broadway Calls - Comfort/Distraction

Iron Chic - The Constant Ones

The Beths - Future Me Hates Me

The Wonder Years - The Greatest Generation

Hot Water Music - Light It Up

Teenage Fanclub - Songs From Northern Britain

LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver

Queens of the Stone Age - Villains

Favorite Live Bands seen in 2022

Cursive (Irving Plaza - 1/26)

The Wonder Years (Webster Hall - 3/16)

Motion City Soundtrack (Terminal 5 - 6/19)

Less Than Jake (Saint Vitus - 12/12)

Favorite Movies watched in 2022

Terrifier 2

Nope

Don't Look Up

A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors

Inside

Favorite TV Shows watched in 2022

Severance

Joe Pera Talks With You

The White Lotus

Abbot Elementary

The Rehearsal

Favorite Books read in 2022:

They Can't Kill Us Until They Kill Us by Hanif Abdurraqib

Sellout by Dan Ozzi

The Power Broker by Robert Caro

Favorite Podcasts listened to in 2022:

Love and Radio

The Secrets Hotline

Detoxicity

Will Be Wild

The Trojan Horse Affair

[starrie-amethyst]

So adorable 😍

Mother and her cub

[ifonlyifonly]

[strawberryblondebutch]

polar bear club for band asks

Favorite song: Tie between "Religion on the Radio" and "One Hit Back." Don't make me choose between my beloveds

Least favorite song: You know, once a band has a certain number of songs, it's hard to rank a least favorite, except in cases where there's one song that's just so odious you pretend it doesn't exist. I skip "Bug Parade" a lot, so we'll go with that.

Favorite album: Chasing Hamburg, but it's a close one. I think out of their entire discography it's the most cohesive full album, so it gets the edge.

Least favorite album: Death Chorus. I know they had to change their sound to preserve Jimmy's voice, but it just doesn't hit the same. (This album does get honorary applause for being produced by my Actual Personal Friend)

Song that got me into them: "Living Saints" was on Bridge Nine's 2010 sampler and was one of the only songs I got into from that compilation

Seen live? Nope. Sad clown noise. I begged my parents to take me to their Electric Factory show in 2013 but they said no.

Rate: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

[cuatro-y-medio]

Está canción me llena de tanta nostalgia, de tiempos de antaño, de amistades que no volverán.

[midwestisolation]

i miss the times in streets where we never got tired laying down in the grass by the empty campfire like spies on the roof as we'd watch stars expire but the image is a million years old

[isthisthingstillcxrsed]

I don't know if I'm good, and everyone knows it

You ever feel you were meant to be alone?

Because I saw a play and and a character said

that he was destined to never feel at home

[pbandjstew]

Newest Mx Cd (#108)

-----Mx 108: Molten Solution (subq)----- (#1-23, 1:18:34)

Young Fathers "Rice" (2:40)

A Pair of Kings "The Monster" (1:46)

Flyying Colours "Do You Feel the Same" (3:01)

heir MAX "Today's for Us (w Gentle Jones)" (3:17)

Valerie June "Look at Miss Ohio" (3:25)

Polar Bear Club "I'll Never Leave New York" (2:50)

SBTRKT "No Intention (w LEILAH)" (4:07)

Glitterer "Try Harder Still (2:23)

Atmosphere "Party Crashers" (3:36)

Roy Orbison "Working for the Man" (2:27)

Flaming Lips "Bad Days (Aurally Excited Version)" (4:40)

Sextile "Lost Myself Again" (2:34)

Leon Bridges "Mrs." (4:02)

Waax "Whoever" (3:53)

Kendrick Lamar "Auntie Diaries" (4:42)

Cindy Wilson "Wait" (3:15)

Irk "Mammalian Love March" (3:09)

Tanlines "The Big Mess" (2:31)

Neelam "Rick James" (3:33)

Damien Jurado "I Cannot Want Such a Thing" (3:21)

Yves Tumor "Echolalia" (3:00)

Murder in the Red Barn "They'll Need Me Alive" (6:20)

Baby Rose "Stop the Bleeding" (3:49)

An age between again, but a new mx is done.

[laurastudarus]

I love New Year’s resolutions: the chance to reevaluate my life, redefine my goals, and maybe do a bit better at the top of each calendar year. For type-A personalities, this is our Super Bowl. However, last December, I found myself in a completely different headspace. After a fun, final trip of the year to Istanbul ended with a sprained ankle and broken foot, I had to jettison my lighthearted Christmas season plans in favor of what felt like a lifetime of lying on the couch with my foot elevated.

(via I Spent a Year Pushing Myself Outside My Comfort Zone)

[thelastdaysofanalogue]

09.03.09 - Polar Bear Club at The Joiners, Southampton

The other morning I woke up with an idea for a podcast. The title would be ‘I’ve Never Seen..’ or something along those lines. For each episode someone would talk about a major pop culture property that they’ve just totally managed to skip. My list is endless, Game Of Thrones, Lost, Breaking Bad.. you name it, I’ve probably not seen (or heard) it.

During the podcast they’d talk about what’s kept them from the film, show, etc, what was going on in their life when it debuted, if they have any reference points that would draw them to it (they like an actor that’s in it for example). The episode would finish with a quiz to test what small pieces of information about that thing, whatever the thing might be, the guest has managed to pick up without realising.

The reason I’m sharing this with you in a post about memories of seeing New York’s post hardcore five piece Polar Bear Club at The Joiners Arms on a Monday night in early March 2009 is.. I have never listened to an album by this band in my life. 

I came mightily close to owning one. I picked it up on vinyl in a London branch of HMV, but the sleeve began to fall apart and I gave up on it. You have to remember that this was pre-Spotify and post downloads being easily accessible without completely frazzling your computer.

So this gig is the most exposure to this band I’ve ever had. Thank God I didn’t buy a t-shirt because if someone were to be an arsehole and ask me to name five songs I’m not sure I could. I’d give it a bloody good go, but I think two of the five might be the same one. 

Why on earth did I go to see them then? Because in 2009 I was a single man, with very little commitments and was quite able to jump in a car with two friends (who did know and like the band), head to Southampton for the evening and not think much of it. Also. £6.60. What a time to be alive that was.

I’ve had a lot of conversation of late about the price of gig tickets having risen exponentially. Factor in this. £10 for the fact almost nobody buys a bands records. Another £10 for cost of living, particularly fuel. This gig today would probably cost £26.60.

[liveorganism]

for you i kneel on nails!!! and never give a reaction!!! and we all we all!!! sign deals!!! some cash it in on the backs of the castoffs!!! on the backs of the castoffs!!!

the cool kids got you at thirty!!! living owed over earning!!!

HAVE WE NOT GROWN UP SINCE SCHOOL TIMID ME AND GUTLESS YOU 

[dressedtopunx]

Polar Bear Club - Premier League

Item: #943 (T-Shirt)

Colore: Grigio

Brand: Fruit Of The Loom

Anno: 2021

Città: Vinted (-)

[strawberryblondebutch]

And if none of these bands sound familiar, give them a spin! Tell me what you like! (links under the cut)