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This focused, energetic band of musicians offers the listener harder Christian Rock with an edge which is reflective in nature, in their new album, Polaradio. This most enjoyable and convicting collection of rock anthems and prayer / worship songs looks inside a human being's struggles, expressing thoughts and confessions that we all can relate to on some level.
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<a href="http://christianmusic.com/polaradio/polaradio.htm" target="_blank">Polaradio on ChristianMusic.com</a> - ChristianMusic.com
While Polaradio isn't a name you're probably familiar with, the man behind it, Dusty Hughes should certainly be no stranger, as this is the third album Indie Launchpad has reviewed, from this creative artist and certainly a slight direction change from the last Dusty Hughes solo album, So Familiar.
Although this has all the familiar hallmarks, it's on the whole a much softer rock album. One thing I love about Dusty is his very distinctive voice, which is such a great match for the music he plays, whether it's an out and out rock song, or something more gentle.
There are 13 tracks on the album and they all knit together very well. Whilst I love Dusty's harder edge, I do love the light relief that comes with tracks like "Float" and "Don't Look Back" and in fact the second half of the album seems to take the more mellow approach, which is fine with me. My favorite track on the album would have to be "Better Day", but both the previously mentioned two track and "Hymn" are also right up there.
Conclusion : Whilst I enjoyed Dusty's previous album, this certainly feels like a much more polished offering. Really great stuff.
Colin Meeks
www.indielaunchpad.com
- indielaunchpad.com
Dusty Hughes has a knack for consistently releasing fantastic recordings, however, Polaradio has taken his talent to an entirely different league.
The disc starts with Moment of Truth's powerful drums and echoing guitar, quickly followed by Dusty's haunting and emotionally weary voice. Then the anthemic chorus with powerhouse vocals begins and the chillbumps start. Leaving no time to breathe, Only In Time, a song with a hint of 'Our Lady Peace', leaves you oddly satisfied, yet hungry for more. Like You, the first single, is a very earnest prayer that rocks hard. The cd changes gears for Float, an achingly beautiful ballad, destined to be a crowd favorite. The next track, Everything, shines most in its brilliant lyrics and emotional vocal delivery. Better Day is a study in contrasts, the lyrics of inadequacy coupled with the happiest music on the CD. I'm the One is a ballad that wouldn't be out of place on a Train CD. The only thing more touching than the sad lyrics on this track is the raw tenderness in his voice. Every CD has to have that one special track that screams for rock radio attention. Hold Me Down delivers in spades, possessing the potential to be a rock radio staple. The one song on the CD that made me actually cry is track nine, Don't Look Back. With an angelic, passionate, David Gray type delivery, this song heavily tugs at emotions. The End, which is not the end of the disc, serves a prophetic, possibly frightening lyric, set to a backdrop of throbbing industrial rock, which fills the mind with movies. Then just when I was supposing the last bit of the CD would be filler, Better Off Like This shook that notion away. Possibly the best performance on the whole disc, everything about this song is perfect. Who I Have Become has a jangle-pop sound, reminiscent of 1960's rock. The closing song Hymn is nothing short of gorgeous. The best CD from Dusty yet, and possibly the best CD of 2006.
- Freelance
Discography
Polaradio (2006)
Uphill Revolution (2009)
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Bio
Based in Colorado, Polaradio released their self-titled debut CD in September, 2006. Their Uphill Revolution CD was released in March 2009.
Polaradio members are anything but new to the music world. Dusty Hughes, founder of Polaradio, picked up his first guitar at age 10 and never looked back. He played lead guitar for Second Stone for 10 years before starting his own solo career, producing two of his own CD projects prior to Polaradio. These two solo releases resulted in five successful singles. Dusty is also a talented producer, mixing and engineering projects involving many household names. Polaradio is about hope. "I've felt nearly every pain life can throw at you, but faith has sustained me. The lyrics reflect real hurt, real trials, but most of all, a very real hope," explains Dusty who is on lead vocals, guitar and keyboards.
David Ashley plays electric and acoustic guitar for Polaradio and is the background vocalist. David "Buzz" Busby is the lead guitarist, Frank Romero is the base player, and Daniel Tucker rocks the drums. All four of these musicians have spent the past couple decades playing in a variety of genres before joining Polaradio.
That these five people have come together to form this band is viewed by all band members as quite distinctly supernatural. Although they all love what they do together musically, it isn't about the stage and the lights. They've all come from scarred pasts, having personally experienced the hope they express in their music. Ask any of them and they'll tell you, after all they've been through, it's about better days ahead.
One recent review finds this music is very emotionally charged. IndieLaunchPad.com reports that Polaradio is "Really great stuff." Kayla Lawton reports that Polaradio is in "an entirely different league" among all the other independent bands she had reviewed in the past year.
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