Polar Bear, Held On The Tips Of Fingers

Held On The Tips Of Fingers is Polar Bear's second album and represents a strong development in writing and collaboration for bandleader Sebastian Rochford. The first track "Was dreaming you called you dissapeared I slept" entices with it's slow dark movements and weird electronica sounds from Leafcutter John. Then "Beartown" kicks off with its perfectly timed and coordinated weave of anglo russian threaded sax bass and drums, this track made me cry and dance. The album moves through different shades with lovely pauses and electronica bits. Each character brings new colours as saxophinists change and cello emerges on "Fluffy". The highlight: "Argumentative" really is something else and the two saxes (Wareham and Lockheart) bite into the chord sequences with perfect tone and playfulness. On "The King Of Aberdeen" (wrongly titled as "Your Eyes The Sea") The tack is different again with a real bouncy feel and swinging chorus, wonderful stuff. The CD ends with the unexpected but endearing "Life That Ends Too Soon" with Rochford on vocals. Altogether one of the most interesting, worthy and infectious CDs I have heard for ages.