Customer Reviews

Bad for Business

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

One of the greatest disappointments in my many years of music fandom was the break-up of this band. Just now I was trying to find an adjective that adequately embodies the power of this music but I am at a complete loss. Columbia Records' lack of faith is what broke them up. They refused to release this LP/CD. What a loss to all of us!

Jules' work with the Polar Bears was like the best of beat poetry set to really catchy pop tunes. The eccentricities only added to the allure. Seldom does one encounter such clever twists of a phrase or such vivid depictions of human emotions. You can really "feel" it.

The only things missing from this CD are some great live cuts like You Can't Stop It. In Love with the Ballet and Only a Motion were a bit richer in their live forms than they are here but they still shine.

It has been nearly a quarter of a century (OMG!) since the demise of the Polar Bears and I still haven't gotten over it. (Few things are worse than showing up at the Starwood in Hollywood looking forward to a Jules & the Polar Bears gig only to find they've bailed and been replaced by the Circle Jerks and their posturing mobs.)

The recorded works were incredible and the high energy live performances were out of this world! I recommend that anyone who has any interest at all in thought provoking, entertaining, inspired music go out and scare up every recorded work of the Polar Bears - even if you have to resort to vinyl!

Jules Shear is a genius. His distinctive vocals backed by the strong rock beat of the Polar Bears make this CD very enjoyable. Although not nearly as refined and sharp as "Phonetics", my personal favorite but unavailable on CD, this set brings back that rare J & PB sound unparalleled in the industry.

Oh, what could have been! The two previous J&tPB albums are staggeringly good, five-star-plus . . . and this album clearly HAD the potential to get that good. You can hear it in every track -- great melodies, a snatch of lyrical brilliance, sweet vocal tones, juicy guitar -- but there's a lack of direction which ultimately frustrates the listener.

A lack of discipline, as well. The aggressive intros of "Ballet" and "Over And Over" go on far too long -- the point is made; I WAS interested five seconds ago. Some songs seem to disappear, or end abruptly. As another reviewer noted, the arrangements are highly cluttered -- it's as if they knew this was their last album, and wanted to fit a career's worth of ideas on it.

Finally -- as blasphemous as it feels to say so -- Jules errs in his songwriting more than once. The band's failing career must have influenced the dreary "All Day Moods" and "When the World Looks Old". Unfortunately, there's no great insight to these songs; they merely pass the depression from artist to listener. Meanwhile, "Why Fight" is tonally obnoxious and lyrically vapid. The titles of the last two songs exemplify the redundancy and confusion in this album.

On the other hand, perfection is reached with "Only A Motion". Flute-like harmonies, a soulful lead, a slow and jazzy guitar solo, heart-rendering lyrics, and THE MOST GORGEOUS tom-tom fills since the early Cars albums! Also, "Problems" and "Waiting" feature infectious, unforgettable melodies, and the heavy-rock riffs of "Shame" and "Over and Over" will appeal to many. A fair enough return on your investment -- but "fair enough" was never the aspiration, now, was it?

While there's no problem with sound quality, what is sorely lacking here is a sympathetic producer, a guiding hand who could have influenced Jules and company to refine their ideas further. According to the liner notes, the band wanted the album this way. Artists shouldn't necessarily get everything they want.

Jules and The Polar Bears 'Fanetiks' is a great album...I can listen to it over and over and it stays utterly fresh..."Bad For Business" is a great leap forward from 'Fanetiks'...sonically adventurous and with songs that take left turns that are delights...the band is tight and strong and the vocal harmonies are outstanding...I will listen to this over and over...

What a shame that "Got No Breeding" & "Fenetiks" are out of print. They were breathtaking with the loud riffs and lyrics crammed willy nilly into every crevice that the music would allow. After heaping the abuse of neglect on this brilliant band, Columbia ignored this final disc. While it may not be quite as memorable as the first disc, it certainly has some excellent moments that make it well worth exploring. Of the tracks here, my two chronic repeaters are "Only A Motion" with the high-pitched semi-soul vocals. The music sounds sweet with the edge in the lyrics, "Sweet without the sugar's edge, she talked so happily; Four drinks separated my behavior & me; When she slipped the final blow, I fell into the impact." "Round Peg" is similar to the classic Polar Bears set that beats at you like a drum kit speeding out of control with stinging electric lead guitar. There aren't too many bands that have followed in the Polar Bears' footsteps. Possibly Hot Hot Heat's "Elevator" is a bit on this careening course. Other tracks like "It's A Shame" & "When the World Looks Old" are also excellent. This is a great blast from a band too good to forget. Enjoy!

What a great sound. Very refreshing. Songs that make you think and move at the same time. I am hooked.

This recording was never released until the '90s and dates back over a decade. In the liner notes, Jules Shear describes the CD as the best of their music. The liner notes also imply poor sales stopped this one from being initially released ... my guess is someone at Columbia simply thought it sucked. Even for a J & PB fan, this is a disappointing legacy.

Their first two records (out of print) were so refreshing. This CD feels much more like a major change - for the worst - in musical direction. Not nearly as fresh or lyrically interesting as the first 2 Jules & the Polar Bears records. Nothing catchy, nothing crazy, this one isn't worth a $5 gamble in the cut out bin.

I'm a very late arrival as a Jules Shear fan. I first heard him singing on MTV live on a beachfront. I dont remember anything about the song, other than it was really good. Having heard Jules
as a solo artist BEFORE ever hearing J&PB, I found myself really let down with this stuff. Jules seems to not have any idea what he wants to do with this band (at least at this point in time when this music was recorded). Grabbing snatches of what seems to be a dozen influences, J&PB sing and play as if silences were
anathema, and play a never ending torrent of mediocre instrumental fills and needless vocal refrains that come up quite short of being astute or witty. In other words I give a word of warning to those who love Shear's solo work: DONT ASSUME
YOU WILL LIKE JULES AND THE POLAR BEARS! (You may, of course, but
only if you are prepared to travel in a distant musical environment from the one he has been in for over a decade). I think its great any time anyone can like ANY music, and I'm sure the fans of this music enjoy it every bit as well as they say. Just a word of warning, however, for those who may think they are
getting more of what they have been hearing lately.