Polvo—*Celebrate The New Dark Age*: I realize this is not quite a full album, but it absolutely feels like one. Outside of other artists diving deeper into noise or outright experimental music, I can’t think of another rock band whose guitars were so consistently interesting and weird. They just never committed to one sole device for their sound. Polvo, at their peak, employed just enough alternate guitar tunings, odd time signatures, noise, trashiness, atypical song structures, unhinged freak out parts, and perplexing lyrical metaphors juxtaposed with gut-wrenching personal confessions, to be perpetually fresh and unpredictable.

I’m pretty sure there were very few reviews of this album that did not quote the line, “And we just bought a sitar so be prepared,” which is as striking as it is self-aware lyrically. As the title relays, CTNDA is less a manifesto and more a genuine celebration. The lyrics to “Every Holy Shroud” reflect a band full of constant discovery, unequivocally striking the golden satisfaction of finding their voice and owning it. *Celebrate The New Dark Age* is, in a way, genuinely joyous and indeed deserves to be celebrated to this day. If you haven’t heard this record for whatever reason and it seems like something that will float your boat all the way up your alley, please check it out. Great overall catalog by Polvo, but this is their best work by an alternate reality country mile.