"I've gotta take my grab at something great" those words resonate loudly as vocalist Jimmy Stadt sings on "Pawner" the opening track on Polar Bear Club's third LP Clash Battle Guilt Pride. The five-piece Rochester, NY outfit seems to have finally come into own over the course of the last six years from their first release The Redder, The Better which in my opinion was a strong debut but always left a desire for wanting something more.
The first thing about this record is that each song matters, unlike 2008's Sometimes Things Just Disappear and 2009's Chasing Hamburg I found that there is no need to skip to the next track, ad each one of these songs flows effortlessly into the next; an astonishing feat for a band considering how difficult it is to make the perfect record.
The is filled with melodic undertones along with Stat's coarse voice match up well against the rapid drum assault, creating a blend of pop-punk similar to contemporaries The Gaslight Light Anthem and Fucked Up. On "Screams In Caves" Stadt's delivery of each phrase is riveting in the way he transitions from gruff screams to calm crooning that flows with unrest and resolve while matching every riff coming from guitarists Chris Browne and Nate Morris.
"My Best Days" hones in on Stadt's vocals accompanied by minimal instrumentation, and carries on a bit of nostalgia either about the history of the band or about a past relationship that went south. Clash Battle Guilt Pride is a versatile album that lyrically reaches out to a variety of different tastes that are relatable to a wide spectrum of listeners.
What PBC have done at this point in their career with Clash Battle Guilt Pride, is craft an album that is organic in sound and personable yet very genuine. While not many albums contain this much energy packed into every song - it feels nice when you listen to it, it becomes one of those rare instances where it feels like each song was written specifically for you. It captures the emotions and uncertainties that face many twenty-somethings in post college life as they transition into adulthood.
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