The Bipolar Bears

The Bipolar Bears demonstrate a knack for window-down anthems, but on this eponymous full-length debut, the local quartet hasn’t quite cemented its foothold. The group’s clever moniker precedes its lithe sound, equivocating between Fifties beach rock and Eighties power pop, the product of a three-way frontman split. Bassist Devin Hanley, guitarist Daniel St. Claire, and keyboardist Caleb Holland take turns with the creative direction and vocals, backed by drummer Poda Guthrie, a collaborative thrust leaving the Bipolar Bears somewhere in the vast expanse between nuanced folk (“Empty Hooks”) and math-rock-inspired electronic quirk (“The Great Diaspora”). Rich harmonies and power ballads are the common denominators for The Bipolar Bears, with its best foot being “End of Marches,” nonplussed streamline rock with just the right amount of electronic glitch.

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This article appears in April 20 • 2012.

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