I value those e-mails from readers who want to tell me about their own independent artist discoveries. It was one such e-mail that turned me on to indie pop-rock group PolarSun. Their two online albums, free under a Creative Commons license, reveals a passionate musical force at work.

Tunes and Tones is full of well crafted pop tracks. The musical variety is rather impressive. “Star Rip N Special” packs a lot of power while the acoustic “Someday Somebody Somewhere” carries a 60s nostalgic ring. “Coffee Cup” is one of the best tracks, a lively pulsing pop song. Just as good is “Poppy People”, one of the catchier tracks I’ve heard in a while with its reverb guitar and retro organ riff.

Santa Maria’s Acoustic Session starts with an short instrumental track then goes into a wistful “The World is Going To End”. This all acoustic setting is a more intimate affair. While I like both albums I prefer this one. The excellent songwriting stands out and you can catch the intricate interaction between vocals and guitars. Some tracks like “Alice” and “Poppy People” offers nice comparsion to their counterparts on Tunes and Tones but the soft and haunting “Time Fades Away” stand out as the highlight on this acoustic offering.

Tunes and Tones is available in 256kbps MP3 while Santa Maria’s Acoustic Session is in 192kbps. They have a CD titled The Magic of Crashing Lights out so if you like the music, support the artist by buying their CDs.

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