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Polar Bear: In Each And Every One
Sebastian Rochford
drumsIn Each And Every One is the British band's fifth album. It appears four years after Peepers (Leaf Label, 2010) and ten years into a career that's included the Mercury Music Prize nominated Held On The Tips Of Fingers (Babel Label, 2005). The four year gap between releases hasn't exactly been filled with thumb twiddling and idle reflection. Rochford has worked with a host of musicians including
Brian Eno
synthesizerb.1948
Jason Moran
pianob.1975
Pete Wareham
saxophone, tenor
"
data-original-title="" title="">Leafcutter John have enlivened the scene with Melt Yourself Down. Saxophonist 
Mark Lockheart
saxophoneTom Herbert
bassThe 2014 Polar Bear has lost none of its creative spark. Starting with Rochford's compositions, the band takes off in all sorts of directions. Leafcutter John's electronics are at the heart of much of this music, whether creating the dreamlike soundscape of "Open See" or the darker moods of "WW."
Whatever the mood, whatever the tempo, there's a beautifully unforced feel to this music. Rochford's percussion, often underpinned by Leafcutter John's electronic beats, is key to this sense of relaxed cool. Wareham and/or Lockheart sound similarly unhurried much of the time—on the quirky "Be Free" for example—although they occasionally break into more frenetic flurries of sound.
"Lost In Death Part 2" (which appears before the rather slinky "Lost In Death Part 1") finds the band at its most graceful. It's a beautiful tune, centred on melodic tenor sax and driven by Herbert's pulsing bass. In stark contrast "Life And Life" belies its title—this is Polar Bear at its most harrowing, the playing at its most intense.
And the early favorite for Song Title Of The Year? "They're All Ks And Qs Lucien" takes that accolade. Blessed with a fine groove and some of Rochford's most imaginative percussion, it builds slowly to what appears to be a rousing finale before re-emerging with a somewhat mystifying coda. High drama. Indeed, there's excitement in all of these tunes, there's drama In Each And Every One. ">
Track Listing
Open See; Be Free; Chotpot; They're All Ks And Qs Lucien; WW; Lost In Death Part 2; Maliana; Lost In Death Part 1; Life And Life; Two Storms; Sometimes.
Personnel
Polar Bear
band / ensemble / orchestraPete Wareham: tenor saxophone; Mark Lockheart: tenor saxophone; Tom Herbert: double bass; Leafcutter John: electronics; Sebastian Rochford: drums.
Album information
Title: In Each And Every One | Year Released: 2014 | Record Label: The Leaf Label
Tags
Polar Bear
CD/LP/Track Review
Bruce Lindsay
The Leaf Label
United Kingdom
London
Sebastian Rochford
Brian Eno
jason moran
Pete Wareham
Leafcutter John
Mark Lockheart
Tom Herbert
In Each And Every One
Comments
About Polar Bear
Instrument: Band / ensemble / orchestra
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