Pollen - Chip LP - Silver Vinyl (/200)

President Gator (2022, Reissue)

Originally released in 1999, Chip was the final full length released by Pollen, a band that I really dug at the time.  This album came out a couple of years after Peach Tree, which was (and is) my favorite album of theirs.  By the time Chip came out, the band was no longer on Wind-Up and had relocated to Fueled By Ramen records.  I do remember being quite excited that the record was coming out, but when I did pick it up, it didn't really do anything for me.  I likely listened to it a few times and just filed it away, preferring to listen to Peach Tree again if I needed a Pollen fix.

Looking back on it many years later, I have no idea why I didn't listen to Chip all that much.  When it was announced that Pollen was reissuing this record, I figured I should pick it up.  After all, I still had the CD and did want to put together a complete Pollen collection on vinyl if possible (Still waiting on their first album Bluette).  When I listened to this album again for the first time in decades, the only thing I could really think was that it sounds pretty great.  

It is a strong record that isn't all that dissimilar from Peach Tree at the end of the day.  The songs on here are just as catchy, with lots of great hooks and the sort of big, fat guitar sound that I went crazy for in the late 90s.  It's honestly kind of perplexing that I didn't really get it at the time and I'm glad I ended up grabbing this as it's allowed me to reconnect with an album that I very unfairly didn't give the time that it deserved.

Pollen - Chip:
https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kV-E6l0K8evh69GlUz0LgQbLB2EwoJZKw

Pollen - Crescent LP - Green Vinyl (/300)

Double Helix (2022, Reissue)

Is it shocking that I'm reviewing another old record that's gotten a reissue?  Probably not.  Is it surprising that said reissue is of the relatively obscure, second album by Pollen?  Well it is to me even if it's not for you.  I was really excited when Peach Tree got reissued last year, but even for that one I was surprised that it was finally coming out on vinyl.  That Crescent now exists and is sitting in my record room right now is blowing my mind in the best possible way.

This album was originally released on CD only back in 1995.  It came out on Grass records and went out of print and became very difficult to find, particularly in the pre-Discogs era along with their debut album Bluette.  I'm not going to say anything obnoxious like no one has heard this record, but the amount of people that have heard is probably substantially lower than the two Pollen albums that followed.

But this is a great record, every bit as catchy and well written as Peach Tree.  Lots of catchy hooks and crunchy guitar riffs.  The production isn't quite as polished as Peach Tree, but in some ways I think that's a benefit as it's a little rougher around the edges in a way that I prefer.  Though the reissue is remastered and everything sounds way cleaner than it ever had before.  I'm just incredibly excited that this came out.  They've also released their fourth album Chip, and I have that here waiting in the wings.  I hope they get to Bluette as I would love to have all four of these guys on vinyl.

Pollen - Peach Tree LP

 President Gator (2021, Reissue)

I have to be honest, I'm shocked beyond words that there is demand for a vinyl pressing of this album.  I'm happy there is, and obviously I bought a copy, but if you were asking me about 90s records I thought would be reissued, I don't think I would have ever mentioned Pollen.

For me, Pollen was another one of those late 90s bands kind of major label bands that probably spent a lot of time in cut out bins.  They were on Wind Up who was distributed by BMG so the promos flowed plentifully.  I got my CD copy when I was writing for my college newspaper.  The band had released two earlier records on Grass, but that was the first time I had personally heard of them.  The record is good and just listening to the vinyl the other day, I was kind of surprised just how well it held up.

You have the big crunchy guitar sound that I love, catchy choruses and slightly gravelly vocals.  The Stevenson/Egerton production credits were always pushed, but I never thought Pollen sounded too much like All or Descendents. For me, they were more melodic and were never playing super fast, trying to race to the finish of the song.  

As much as I think the record holds up ("Almond-Coated" in particular is just such a killer song) I still laugh at the chorus of "Tiny Shoes" every time I hear it.  It's a good song, but the lyrics in the chorus repeating "Tiny shoes for tiny feet" always struck me as being beyond goofy.  I also remember to record label promo item of wind-up walking shoes that was given out, but I don't think I ever actually owned one of those.

Anyway, minor lyrical criticism aside, I do still enjoy this album and I think it's one that probably under the radar for a lot of folks.  It's worth a listen if you didn't check it out in 1997.  And for the one thousandth time, someone please put out Onehundredpercentfreak by Alligator Gun on vinyl.  You can't possibly convince me there's more of a demand for Pollen reissues than there is for AG.

Pollen - "Almond Coated":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ohSZ1RGsZw&ab