Truth be told I love metal, classical and heavy rock lead guitar. On the other hand, I love the vocals of smooth jazz. What would happen if the two were combined? You'd probably end up in a place where a guitar arpeggiates, distorts, morphs, wails and pleads, an exacting bass line that owns the groove, drums that keep time like a grandfather clock if days were only 12 hours long, and vocals that would get standing ovations from the Manhattan Transfer, Bobby McFerrin and Astrud Gilberto. Sounds great doesn't it?
Polaris Rose does just that on their sophomore EP, The Moon & Its Secrets, that debuted on September 17, 2013. The EP consists of four tracks and runs less than seventeen and a half minutes - 1. Chartreuse; 2. Dreamers; 3. Oceana Sleeping; and 4. The End Of All Things - but offers a hard hitting, tight, progressive pop rock sound that fills the imagined musical sweet spot. This Los Angeles band is really a duo, consisting of Peter Anthony and Madelynn Elyse, who sing and play all of the instruments and, for good measure, write and arrange all of their own material.
Anthony and Elyse don't just have "good" voices, they can truly sing. There are many good voices in rock music but there are few that can achieve the clarity and brilliance of tone, cadence, expression and emotion exhibited by Anthony and Elyse on The Moon & Its Secrets EP. Even fewer can sing and shred on guitar, bass, piano and drums like Anthony and Elyse. Elyse calls it "Berklee Music," sort of a progressive rock pop sound that originates from the esteemed Berklee College of Music in Boston.
True, you cannot tell much about a band from only two EP's. However, there’s is a novel musical path to be followed that is paved with soaring melody, excellent musicianship and a progressive music fusion that crosses over into jazz, metal, alternative, classic rock and pop. Take a listen and hear the rise of the outermost star of Ursa Minor. This is a band that bears watching.
- Old School
