Great stuff, Chip.
Totally agree on the Ravi Shankar vibes. They began the bastardisation of the man’s music only to then hand the mantle to the irrepressible Grails who further redefined that sound. Emil Amos, too, was from Chapel Hill so it’s no coincidence.
I was lucky enough to Polvo at the Explosions in the Sky ATP and they were, as you would expect, very much on it. ‘Feather of Forgiveness’ being a personal highlight on the day. Said a quick hello to Ash Bowie during the weekend too. A genuine nice, modest, average-joe kind of guy. I believe he’s still in Chapel Hill and is a qualified electrician, or something? Great story!
‘In Prism’ and ‘Siberia’ are out and out classics. Out of all the reformations that have transpired in the last 20 years, none have – and I will ever – top Polvo’s. These two albums pretty much confirmed that they will forever be in my top 10 bands of all time. I think ‘In Prism’ is slightly better but only just. I remember it fondly, as it got me through some dark times which coincided with its release.
As for their earlier work, can’t go past ‘Exploded Drawing’, however listening to ‘Cor-Crane Secret’ and had they enlisted Bob Weston’s expertise from behind the studio glass, then I think that could well have been their finest album. The songs are absolutely immense (Vibracobra, Sense of It, Ox Scapula among the best).
No matter how many times you hold an ear to their music, they still manage to strike you out with a surprise curve ball. Listening to a lot of tunes over the years and generally, you can anticipate where a rhythm or a riff ends up. Not with Polvo, though. Dave Brylawski and Ash Bowie effortlessly guide you down dark allies only to then project you into a totally different stratosphere. Like an alternative sonic utopia. So so good.
Even the EPs owned and for new ears, wouldn’t be the worst place to start. ‘Celebrate the New Dark Age’ being the best of the bunch for mine.
What a band.
