The Polar Frontier - GROVER CLEVELAND

The Polar Frontier

Grover Cleveland
self-released; 2014

3.2 out of 5

By Ted Rogen

The five-piece The Polar Frontier consisting of Chris Akers (vocals, electric and acoustic guitars), Nehemias Ulloa  (vocals, electric and acoustic guitars), Nick Gallus (electric guitar), Cameron Naglak (drums), Will Quinn (bass) and Jeremiah Janney (keys) recently released a three-song EP entitled Grover Cleveland. The band plays inspirational sounding rock/pop that seems to be ubiquitous on mainstream radio. For the type of music they play they do it well but unfortunately it is held back by sub-par recording quality, which is almost essential with this type of music. 

The EP starts with “Kiss Me With All You Are,” which out of the three songs is the highlight. It contains shades of bands like U2 and Switchfoot. The vocals are delivered with confidence and guitar riffs are notable. That being said some of the music seems too simplistic at times and predictable. Overall, the band is able to get in a couple of decent climaxes and hooks which make it enjoyable.

Nehemias Ulloa sings the second song “Grover” and he has a very different singing style that contains a bit of Americana/country vibe. The song was in desperate need of better production especially during the chorus. Ulloa’s voice needed to be properly compressed and the lead guitar needed some more beef. With that the song is a grower. Upon the first listen I thought it was ok but it gets better and more ear friendly upon additional spins. 

They close with “Sign of Light,” which reverts to the style of the first song. It contains an inspirational/motivational/ nostalgic vibe that is reinforced by the copious amounts of reverb on the guitar. Out of the three songs this one is arguably the most radio friendly. The hook comes quick and gets stuck in your head upon first listen.

Grover Cleveland is far from perfect but showcases some potential. There isn’t a lot of material here so it is a case of wait and see. I would say first and foremost they would want to find a way to get their recording to sound a bit more professional. Other than that I look forward to seeing how they progress.

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