| | Polvo Today's Active Lifestyles CD Polvo Discography of CDs
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While not an innovative leap forward from their debut a year before, TODAY'S ACTIVE LIFESTYLES merely cements the formula that confounded and enthralled so many in the first place. Much as the explosive dynamics of guitarists Dave Brylawski and Ash Bowie are front-and-center once again, their odd anti-compositions feels a bit less abstract this time, making way for an appreciation of how the rhythm section of Steve Popson and Eddie Watkins is keeping things together. It's this thoughtful balancing act that makes even a manic seven-minute track like "Stinger" feel somewhat stabilized. Overall, this sophomore effort takes something almost perfectly imperfect and points it in even more invigorating directions.
Polvo: Ash Bowie (vocals, guitar); Dave Brylawski (guitar); Steve Popson (bass); Eddie Watkins (drums).
Recording information: Chicago, IL (12/18/1992-12/21/1992).
Spin (6/93, p.86) - Recommended - "...Polvo cuts its own niche on LIFESTYLES by taking the innovative guitar sound first heard on its debut, COR-CRANE SECRET, and twisting, stretching, and tuning it to even more unheard-of levels...its queasy, unstable feel is refreshingly potent..."
Magnet (p.114) - "This 1993 gem was recorded in a mere three days and took Sonic Youth's atonal, alternate tunings and Slint's disregard for meter or consistency and made them the blueprint for an entire branch of the rock family tree."
Melody Maker (5/1/93, p.32) - "...Polvo is Prog[ressive] Rock in the nicest way...it certainly manages to avoid the self-indulgence lumberings of the average Prog behemoth thanks to a snazzy line in razor-sharp guitar and a truly disturbed outlook..."
NME (Magazine) (5/15/93, p.35) - (7) - Very Good Today's Active Lifestyles Music Polvo Today's Active Lifestyles Songs | 1. | Thermal Treasure |
| 2. | Lazy Comet |
| 3. | My Kimono |
| 4. | Sure Shot |
| 5. | Stinger (Five Wigs) |
| 6. | Tilebreaker |
| 7. | Shiska |
| 8. | Time Isn't on My Side |
| 9. | Action Vs. Vibe |
| 10. | Gemini Cusp |
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Today's Active Lifestyles Music Review Average Rating: (5 out of 5 stars)  We call them...Spanish for DUST!
This review seems almost unneccesary, but the lack of respect and recognition towards such an incredibly gifted group of musicians (not to mention gifted in their own rights), forces me to make it known. Polvo could easily have been on another level of consciousness bordering on genius, just too ahead of their time. It takes many, many listens, trying very carefully to understand what they're doing for me to be able to say that with confidence. With this album in particular, I couldn't believe the first time I heard it that anyone could really rock out to this with the sound quality SO poor. And I like a lot of grit and noise in my recordings, but this was nearly unlistenable. Not Quite. so, many, many listens go by and I start to get the grooves and the melodies are pretty cool, I still had my heart for the Celebrate The New Dark Age EP. And then one day, the fifth track, "Stinger (five wings)" was really picking up its pace, getting into action and I was blown away. I couldn't get over how well the guitars were working inbetween and around and through each other. Ever since then, the attention I give to each Polvo recording has been rewarded heavily because there is such an incredible level of care and consideration to their instrumentation. Sure, they bury it in odd harmonized guitars, and noisey, messy recordings (that I think have now really attributed to the over all attraction I have for them). This is THE band that will always deliver a reward if you're patient. Anyone who likes music that takes time to appreciate, or enjoys "finding news things" in each listen will fall deeply in love with Polvo's recordings. I give my two cents to this one, because it took the longest for me to appreciate. But, the payoff has been tremendous. May I suggest a few really good spins of this with headphones in a comfortable setting for potentially astounding results. Highly recommended.
Submitted by eer_kandy (Madison, WI, USA)
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