Polvo

After dissolving 11 years ago, Chapel Hill's Polvo return with In Prism, but unfortunately not quite to form. One of the most distinctive and fearless post-punk bands of the '90s, Polvo were rightly compared to Sonic Youth for their artful attention to tight-knit arrangements, subtle yet sobering lyricism and, of course, the angular guitar complements of Ash Bowie and Dave Brylawki. Their return to active status this year was pleasantly unexpected in underground indie rock and, for some, In Prism is the most anticipated record of the year. It's too bad then that, by and large, the record sounds quite ordinary. At the super-charged intervals of songs like "Right this Relation" and "Beggar's Bowl," Polvo could be the most sophisticated bar-band in any city anywhere. In poppier instances, such as "D.C. Trails" or the sleepy build of "Lucia," there are hints of glory but Polvo's greatness is generally curbed on In Prism.