Saturday, July 2, 2011

Polvo - Today's Active Lifestyles (1995)


Lets get this straight first and for most, Polvo did not invent math rock. If you really want to get into it a strong argument could be made for Bastro's 1989 album Diablo Guapo. Consider that Polvo formed in 1990 and the above mentioned argument is dead, I digress. This does not take away the fact that of the 90's Polvo remained one of the most creative and engaging indie rock/experimental bands around. oddly enough they were constantly compared to Sonic Youth which I find to be a rather large error in thought. What you can expect is the heart of an indie rock band, powerful eastern influenced angular guitars, inspired rhythmic song structures and some really tasteful vocals. As luck would have it Polvo also recently reformed and released new material, 2009's In Prism. With adding more progressive elements to the mix, Polvo has been surprisingly relevant in the 2000's. With many releases under their belts my personal favorite has always been Todays Active Lifestyles. It strikes a balance between their experimental side and their eastern leaning influences. While many groups of today draw inspiration from  them there are very very few groups that actually sound like them. I'd say The Joggers being one of the only in my approximation. (there are Joggers songs that actually lift entire chord progressions from them) If your unfamiliar or even if you have heard a couple times sit down and give them a hard listen. Its in your best interest.


Todays Active Lifestyles

In Prism

Cor Crain Secret

Exploded Drawing

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