Customer Reviews

Chewing Gum

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Polar Bear is the first post-Deconstruction release from former Jane's Addiction bassist Eric Avery. This EP shows exactly why Avery bailed from Jane's: he has too much talent to be overshadowed by someone like Perry Farrell. Not that Perry isn't brilliant, just that Avery needs to do his own thing. If you enjoyed the Deconstruction album, you'll love this. It's not like Jane's, but it is unique and powerful. Definitely worth a listen.

I can not say enough to praise this EP. the songwriting, especially the first three songs, is excellent. I am a hard core Jane's Addiction fan and this work (and the Deconstruction album) all but proves to me that the lion's share of the musical brilliance of Jane's Addiction came from Eric Avery.

one warning: Avery does the singing on this album too, and I will admit his voice takes some getting used to -- he works the same vein as Peter Murphy in his vocal stylings. on the surface it comes out monotonous and dirge-like. but once you get used to his voice, you begin to appreciate how much nuance there is in his delivery and how much emotion and power he puts into it.

if you like Jane's Addiction or you simply enjoy solid, imaginative, impeccably crafted rock songs, get this album before they all go away. it is out of print so this may be the only way to get your hands on it.

I myself ordered three copies of this CD... due to my own personal negligence, I occasionally end up having to replace the CDs I play the most often because I leave them out, move them around a lot, and they get scratched up. I had to replace both Jane's Addiction studio albums and the Smashing Pumpkins' "Siamese Dream." this EP definitely goes into that category of "CDs I Will Play So Much I Will Have to Replace."

I accidenly stumbled onto Polar Bear's hyptnotizing sound in 1998 when a couple of my buddies and I went to hang out at The Whiskey on the Sunset Strip. Since then, we have followed Polar Bear to several of their other gigs at The Garage and Dragon Fly. This band completely rocks the damn house down! Their style of music is so far from the common junk you hear at these rock hang-outs. Their mix of rock with gypsy-like sounds takes you damn near Utopia!

This is a great companion to the band Deconstruction that Eric Avery and Dave Navarro formed at the demise of Jane's Addiction. Although Dave Navarro's solo album is better than Perry Farrell's, Eric Avery proves that he was really the mastermind behind Jane's Addiction. I just wish that he'd get back together with Dave Navarro and release another Deconstruction album and tour with it. Oh well.

Es genial la mezcla de sonidos que alcanza Eric Avery acá. Polar Bear es a Deconstruction como Decons. es a Jane's. Simplemente Genial.

Namely the bass player, Eric Avery, has once again outdone his former bandmates with an amazing, experimental and lyrically deep album. The sonic landscape that Mr. Avery creates along with his bandmates in Polar Bear is above and beyond anything that you'll hear on Strays.

I know a lot of people can't understand why Jane's produced such a dud of an album with their latest release. How could they with 3 of the 4 original band members present? Well, it's simple: Eric Avery was an integral part of the band, moreso probably than any other member besides Perry himself. But what Perry is missing now and had back in the Nothing's Shocking/Ritualo De Habitulo days is Eric Avery to challenge him to write better lyrics, to stay true to art, to always remind Perry and the others that THE MUSIC, not the money, the drugs or even the fans, was the only thing that really mattered.

Eric was and is a true artist. And that's why he, even with a voice that has the range of a couch potato, keeps making successful albums while his former bandmates just embarrass themselves.

I was surprised at how good this CD was. I picked it up for about 5 cents at my local library's annual clearance sale. I was surprised at how good the cd was. The songs were cool and crisp with shimmering melodies. It sounds kind of like Acid-jazz and rock, and I was overall impressed with the cd.

Eric Avery comes through with some new style blasting out of Santa Monica. If your a real fan you will get this. It's pyschedelic and better than what Perry's doing. Get you some!

This album was hit and miss for me. The songwriting was definitely more daring than Janes latest album, which I automatically compared it to, with layers and layers of interesting harmonies. The lyrics sound like stream-of-consciousness musings, mostly-not very direct and clearcut, and they're also a bit low in the mix, leaving them hard to understand when you throw in eric's low, tom waits-type voice. A lot of the songs sound like experimental jams played over programmed drum tracks, with unorthodox structures and odd melodies. It wasn't my cup of tea, but I'll give anything these guys do a listen. And I'd also agree with DJ's comment about bassists role in bands-as further example of hidden geniuses, go check out John Paul Jones' solo releases; he's blossomed as a musician.

I truly missed Eric Avery's musical talent. This CD is by far his best work. I can't wait until a new CD comes out. They are also great to see in concert!