Polvo - "In Prism"

Admittedly, I could be the poster child for the typical aging indie-rock left over, with my personal tastes somewhat still planted in the 1990's eclectic independent music scene which emanated from the Triangle in NC. The music coming out of that fertile region particularly resonated with me at the time. On several occasions I took the long drive from my parent's house in NY to NC to see bands perform at the Cat's Cradle and Local 506. It was magic seeing some of these artists on their home turf. One band stood out for me in particular. Their sound was notably intriguing. Hypnotic guitar layers, anomalous song structures, off-kilter time signatures, all combined with a masala of eastern-influenced sonic splendor. Polvo was that band. Their 1992 debut Cor-Crane Secret featured subtle hints of Sonic Youth-tinged art rock, with the unique intertwining guitars of Ash Bowie and Dave Brylawski carving out elaborate soundscapes. The Polvo sound was further developed in 1993's follow up Today's Active Lifestyles, in which my first copy eventually wore out due to non-stop rotation on my record player that year. The subsequent release of the 1994 EP Celebrate the New Dark Age was an archetypal collection of Polvo genius. From the beautiful sleeve design of the triple 7" edition to the unforgettable time I first listened to “Every Hold Shroud" and "Fractured (Like Chandeliers)", Celebrate the New Dark Age firmly established Polvo as the gods of indie psych rock. The release of their subsequent EP This Eclipse (1995) followed by the full length LP Exploded Drawing (1996) were arguably the band at their creative peak. The exotic and often overlooked LP Shapes (1997) was released amidst a state of flux. Members were each starting to go their own separate ways. While not a bad record by any stretch of the imagination, it was met with mixed reviews. With what seemed to be the end of Polvo, we were fortunate to be left with an incredible discography.

After more than a decade of hibernation came the surprising news of a Polvo reunion and a new album. Band reunions are nearly always met with both praise and some criticism, partly because a portion of them turn out to be embarrassing for everyone involved- including the audience. Thankfully, this isn't always the case. Witness the reunion of Dinosaur Jr.'s original lineup, who have been releasing what is in my opinion the best music of their careers and show no signs of slowing down. Polvo is no different. In fact, they may have timed their comeback perfectly. The original lineup is quasi-intact with the exception of Brian Quast (Cherry Valance) replacing Eddie Watkins on drums. In Prism seemingly picks up where the band left off, as if they never left in the first place. The record opens with "Right the Relation", a raw and dynamic track which sits well alongside older Polvo gems like “Feather of Forgiveness”. One of my favorite (and probably the most accessible) tracks on the record is "The Pedlar". This song in particular demonstrates the bands talent for creating impressionable melodies. The vocals on this record continue to be somewhat buried in the overall mix. I don’t see this as a negative however, just more of the same trademark brilliance which contributed to each of their iconic releases. The Polvo guitar sound seems to be a bit more polished on this record and this may be due to the fact that Bowie and Brylawski admittedly use better quality instruments, as opposed to the glorious Sears-era yard sale guitars from earlier in their career. In summary, I don't expect any long time fan to be remotely disappointed with this record, and for newbies just discovering the band, well this is an excellent entry point into an amazing body of work.