In Prism
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox album
| name = In Prism
| type = Album
| artist = Polvo
| cover = PolvoInPrism.jpg
| alt =
| released = September 8, 2009
| recorded =
| venue =
| studio =
| genre = Indie rock, math rock, progressive rock
| length = 49:22
| label = Merge Records
| producer = Brian Paulson, Polvo
| prev_title = Shapes
| prev_year = 1997
| next_title = Siberia
| next_year = 2013
}}
{{Music ratings
| MC = 79/100{{Cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/in-prism/polvo|title=In Prism by Polvo|via=www.metacritic.com}}
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1score = {{rating|3.5|5}}[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r1626266|pure_url=yes}} Allmusic review]
| rev3 = The Boston Globe
| rev3score = {{rating|3.5|4}}{{Cite news|url=http://archive.boston.com/ae/music/cd_reviews/articles/2009/10/05/polvo_in_prism/|title=Polvo, 'In Prism'|newspaper=Boston.com |via=The Boston Globe}}
| rev2 = The A.V. Club
| rev2score = B+{{Cite web|url=https://www.avclub.com/polvo-in-prism-1798206869|title=Polvo: In Prism|website=Music|date=8 September 2009 }}
| rev4 = Filter
| rev5 = Pitchfork Media
| rev5score = 8.1/10{{Cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/13398-in-prism/|title=Polvo: In Prism|website=Pitchfork}}
| rev6 = PopMatters
| rev6score = {{rating|8|10}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.popmatters.com/110421-polvo-in-prism-2496075948.html|title=Polvo: In Prism|date=September 9, 2009|website=PopMatters}}
| rev7 = Spin
| rev7score = {{Rating|7|10}}{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1wIe3FI6TI0C&q=polvo+influence+band&pg=PA84|title = SPIN|date = September 2009}}
| rev10 = Under the Radar
| rev10score = {{Rating|6|10}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.undertheradarmag.com/reviews/in_prism|title=In Prism|first=John|last=Everhart|website=www.undertheradarmag.com}}
| rev8 = Tiny Mix Tapes
| rev9 = Tom Hull
| rev9score = B+({{rating-Christgau|hm3}}){{cite web | url=http://www.tomhull.com/ocston/nm/get_gl.php?n=polvo | title=Tom Hull: Grade List: Polvo }}
}}
In Prism is Polvo's fifth studio album, and their first since 1997's Shapes. It was recorded by Brian Paulson and was released on Merge Records on September 8, 2009.{{cite web |url=http://pitchfork.com/news/35508-polvo-sign-to-merge-ready-reunion-album |title= Pitchfork: Polvo Sign to Merge for Reunion Album|website=pitchfork.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090611204628/http://pitchfork.com/news/35508-polvo-sign-to-merge-ready-reunion-album |archive-date=June 11, 2009}} The track "Beggar's Bowl" was streamed online.{{cite web|url=http://pitchfork.com/news/35665-premiere-polvo-beggars-bowl |title=Premiere: Polvo: "Beggar's Bowl" | News |publisher=Pitchfork |date=2009-06-18 |accessdate=2012-02-24}}
Reception
In Prism received a Metacritic score of 79 based on 14 reviews, indicating a generally favorable critical reception. Jason Lymangrover of AllMusic writes: "Polvo's first studio album since 1997's Shapes, 2009's In Prism is a solid return to mathy form. Although 12 years is a long hiatus, it's hardly noticeable that time has passed, with the exception of a few machinery and personnel updates [...] Along with getting mathy and ultra-precise, the band takes the opposite approach and elongates passages, stretching songs into psychedelic space rock territory and surpassing the eight-minute mark on several occasions. As an album, In Prism may not quite live up to the explosiveness of Today's Active Lifestyles -- it's more like the calmer (and produced) Shapes. But even if it's not their best ever, it's a valid comeback that should appease longing fans." Despite a middling score, John Everheart of Under the Radar called it "a sprawling, psychedelic masterwork, rife with knotty tangles of discordance and serpentine riffs." Stuart Berman of Pitchfork wrote: "In Prism could be the first Polvo album where the melodies leave as lasting an impression as the noise around them, with Bowie tapping into a more guileless mode of expression that rarely revealed itself before."
Track listing
- "Right the Relation" - 5:36
- "D.C. Trails" - 6:57
- "Beggar's Bowl" - 5:01
- "City Birds" - 5:21
- "Lucia" - 8:15
- "Dream Residue/Work" - 5:48
- "The Pedlar" - 3:37
- "A Link in the Chain" - 8:47
Personnel
Polvo are credited as the primary artists & producers. The remaining credits are adapted from AllMusic:
- Chris Eubank - Cello
- River Guerguerian - Percussion
- Brian Paulson - Engineer, Mixing, Producer
- Alan Douches - Mastering
- Julian Dreyer - Assistant Engineer
- Michael Klayman - Photography
- Ashley Worley - Photography
- Gordon Zacharias - Photography