Polvo Make a "Heavy Detour"

Living my very impressionable high school/early college years in '90s, it's a given that I'm a sucker for all of this reuniting many of my favorite bands have succumbed to for various reasons --to promote the 10 year re-issue, for the money, for retribution, for the glory. Trust me, there are varying scales of excitement when it comes down to it. From "OMFG the classic Guided By Voices line-up has lost nary a step," to "though I was nonplussed by Pavement, I still knew all the words and sang along with a smile," and down the grade with "there's no fucking way I'm driving to Detroit to see Archers of Loaf." Perhaps my favorite reunited band from those halcyon days is that of Polvo. They could easily be schilling their long underrated records from back then (Merge has re-issued the excellent Celebrate the New Dark Age EP in a deluxe version) but have instead chose to re-ignite the flame and return where they left off, in complete earnest. Their sole purpose is to rock again -- and show that their oddball antics of the past were ahead of their time. Their return was invigorating -- sounding nothing like the Polvo of 1997 (the last we'd heard from them) but yet, just like we left them (as strange as ever). 2009's In Prism was one of my favorite records of that year. It didn't sound like there was even a scrap of rust or regret on it.

And now, two years later, they are back again. We'll have to see what another new album morphs into, but if "Heavy Detour" (the first single) is any indication, it will be another massive left turn for the band. Ash Bowie sings as if he is mortally grizzled (in the best way possible) here, chomping and choogling through some futurized boogie prog. Tambourine on a Polvo record? Yes. They are an American band after all. I hate to bring in Grand Funk here but this is the gnarliest the GFR has ever chugged down the tracks. Add in some serious Wakemen-esque synth arpeggios and I'd be remiss to add Emerson, Lake and Palmer. OK. That last comparison is a bit of a stretch (and a wretch were it not for Tarkus), but I'm trying to make a point. Just listen. They deserve your attention.

Polvo - Heavy Detour by MergeRecords