*** POLARA, “C’est La Vie,” Interscope

Polara’s major-label debut is a work for all rock eras, a collection of exceptionally accessible tunes combining the memorable melodic hooks found in the best classic rock with the attitude and bite of the most polished ‘90s alternative rock.

If that description brings to mind the Smashing Pumpkins and Oasis, you’re not far off. Like Billy Corgan and Noel Gallagher, singer-writer-producer Ed Ackerson is a student of pop rock, from the Beatles and the Velvet Underground to the Replacements and Nirvana.

Make a catchy video out of any of the half a dozen best tracks (which move between anxious uncertainty and soaring self-affirmation) and “C’est La Vie” could break into platinum status.

For all his skill in the studio, however, Ackerson needs to develop more of an individual stamp, showing in the songs more of an experimental, eccentric edge. At times, he seems content to simply master the pop-rock form, as if his goal is to only mirror the emotion of his favorite pop-rock memories.

The challenge is to reach inside more frequently for the insight and daring to extend those feelings into fresh territory. One listen to the quietly cleansing “Shanghai Bell,” which closes the album, makes you think he can live up to that task.

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Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (fair), three stars (good) and four stars (excellent).

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* Excerpts from these albums and other recent releases are available on The Times’ World Wide Web site. Point your browser to: https:/ /www.latimes.com/soundclips