76 of 79 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
wonderful music mixed with nostalgia, March 20, 2003
This review is from: Music From the Advedntures of Pete & Pete (Audio CD)
This music makes me have a better outlook on life in general. Sadly, I can't name too many bands with the ability to do that anymore.
Every single song on here is wonderful; even the downbeat numbers ("Ashamed of the Story I Told," "As Usual," and "She Is Staggering") leave me with a sense of bittersweet nostalgia, and in turn make me smile (and yearn for the wonderful years of my youth).
I have and always will love "The Adventures of Pete & Pete." This only makes the album shine even brighter in my eyes. Certain songs remind can remind you of little Pete ("Summerbaby") and can also remind you of what times were like back then when you used to watch the wonderful show. Wasn't the past a beautiful thing?
I'm going to do a track by track analysis. Every song deserves a couple good words to go along with it, so here goes:
1. Hey Sandy - Ah, the wonderful signature Pete & Pete song. You'd see this at the beginning of every episode. The members of Polaris would be rocking about on the front lawn in full-blown glory. Heck, it's a wonderful song even if you never saw the show.
2. She is Staggering - Wonderful, heart-felt tune about being lovestruck. The lyrics are agreeable, and perfectly match the sense of being in love. It itself is a lovely song.
3. Waiting for October - Sunny, warm rock. Everyone seems to like this song, and for good reason. "Hoping that the end/will start it all again." A great song.
4. Saturnine - Highly accessible (in this case, that's a good thing), upbeat, and a bit punky (except for the chorus). It's a wonderful song, and makes you want to sing along with immediately.
5. Everywhere - One of the more bittersweet songs on this album. Some fine harmonica playing here. (Is in an episode of Pete & Pete called "King of the Road." In a very memorable scene, "Everywhere" plays in the background as Big Pete ponders life: "Why is it that when you miss somebody so much that your heart is ready to disintegrate, you always hear the saddest song ever on the radio?")
6. Ivy Boy - Fun, playful song. The little piano touches are perfect.
7. Summerbaby - The only song to have an episode of Pete & Pete dedicated to it. It was little Pete's favorite song! (Glad he picked it to be his favorite one, too.)
8. Coronado II - This song (along with "Hey Sandy" and "She is Staggering") was featured on a cereal box giveaway cassette tape. This song is definetely one of the best on here; it's lyrics are fun and so is the music.
9. Ashamed of the Story I Told - One of the best songs on the record, or perhaps THE best. Am I alone here in saying that? I think it's a beautiful song. I had dad help me learn how to play it on guitar; it's actually really simple. Simple, yet effective.
10. As Usual - Sounds like the experience of being on a long, imaginative, majestic journey. It's a great sad song. The ending of just the guitar playing for a bit gives me the goosebumps.
11. Recently - An ode to being alone, and enjoying it. I agree with the lyrics ("Recently I'm all alone/but I'm not lonely") as I rather enjoy my own personal company.
12. The Monster's Loose - Contender (along with "Hey Sandy" and "Ashamed of the Story I Told") for being the best song on the album. Wonderful lyrics match a sense of fun unmatched on nearly any song anywhere.
In conclusion, Polaris (aka Miracle Legion w/o one of the members) is a must-buy for fans of the show or just fans of music in general. It will make your days feel much more special than they feel now, believe me.
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good Time Music for Everyone, April 1, 2002
By A Customer
This review is from: Music From the Advedntures of Pete & Pete (Audio CD)
Like many other listeners, I became an instant fan of Polaris the moment I heard them. I actually tossed out all but a few of my other albums, because most other bands pale in comparison to these masters of the pop-rock genre. Of all the bands who have been introduced to the public via a TV show, Polaris is one of the best. Their music fit the show perfectly, and for those not fortunate enough to have obtained one of the recordings from the cereal box, this disc will do very nicely. All the songs are wonderful, with some really deep and thoughtful lyrics, and delivered with equal measures of vocal and instrumental skill. With the possible exception of the Sound Committee or the Electric Shoes, no other TV band comes close to the greatness of Polaris. If they are not the best band in the world, they are at least in the top two or three. What a band!
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13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Grrrrrreat!, November 22, 2002
This review is from: Music From the Advedntures of Pete & Pete (Audio CD)
This CD is wonderful, even if you have never seen 'The adventures of Pete & Pete'. The first 5 tracks are golden, especially 'Hey Sandy' and 'Everywhere', which contains wonderful lyrics:
"I put your photograph away, I can't look at you today.
I put your letters upstairs but it's no good because you're everywhere.
I can try to hide but I waste my time."
and the most beautiful harmonica solo I've ever heard. 'Waiting for October' is probably the strongest song on the disc, and, besides the theme song 'Hey Sandy', best expresses the feeling of 'Pete & Pete'. Whether you are looking for an honest, interesting alt-rock album or you miss 'Pete & Pete', this album completely satisfies! The only thing better for Pete fans is the satellite channel 'noggin', which replays the show at 7 and 10 pm and 1 am (central) everyday.
review brought to you by Krebstar ;-)
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