Polvo: On recording with Brian

After taking a break for more than a decade, Polvo released In Prism on Merge Records at the end of 2009. Working with Brain Paulson at Echo Mountain Recording in Asheville, NC, they recorded an album that sounds familiar to fans of the band, but also shows their deep love of classic rock. At times it even grooves. I sat down to talk with new drummer Brain Quast, guitarist/vocalist Ash Bowie and bassist Steve Popson about their recent album.

Did you do any pre-production for In Prism?

AB: We usually record here in the practice space. Brian has a good recording setup. We'll practice and everyone can leave with a CD. I do demos at home.

SP: We don't do any studio pre-production — we just "craft the song." Being able to record demos on our own has been a boon on many different levels though. We can send them to Dave. That's how we operate now.

Can you explain that — how Dave "ends up in practice" without actually attending?

SP: We can email him a song, or a few songs or even a loop of the chorus of "Song A." If it's more than that, we mail a disc.

AB: He and I communicate by email often. We make suggestions for each other's songs. It works well. These days, since we're spread out, we're forced to communicate more directly, I would say. In some ways the distance has helped. We have to focus harder.

Why did you decide to work with Brian Paulson for In Prism?

AB: He did an EP for us around 1994 [This Eclipse] and we liked the way it sounded. It wasn't the most well prepared for record we've done, but you could hear everything. It sounded good. We didn't have to negotiate about how loud everyone's parts should be — it's all there, just right, nothing else to say. Plus we're friends. I lived with him for a year. Also, he can function as a producer. He has ideas and can have an active role in how the record should sound.

Why did you choose Echo Mountain Recording to record at?

SP: Matt Gentling [Archers of Loaf] mentioned it to me years ago. His girlfriend, Jess Tomasin, is the manager there and he told me how great of a space it is. Years later when we got back together, I remembered that conversation. It was good to get out of town, and it really is a fabulous studio. Having friends in town made things easier. We got to stay at Matt's place, so we had the comforts of home although we were away.

AB: We did some Peel Sessions for the BBC, so of course that was nice. Asheville was very comfortable though. We were afraid we weren't going to get any work done at times! Echo Mountain was the nicest place we've worked, certainly in terms of amenities. On the first day we had some timpanis, wind chimes, tubular bells and gongs brought up.

So the tubular bells on the record are real? Were the synth sounds done there?

AB: That's my Casio MT-65 that I've had since I was 12. I've played it on every record.

Was it hard to resist the "kid in the candy store" urge?

AB: Again, we didn't have the time. I mean they have one of the prototype Marshalls there, and I didn't even plug into it. I'd love to be up there for a month though. We had our work cut out for us over those four days. It's like heaven there. It's an old church with stained glass and everything. I sat back and soaked it all in while the guys were running cables. Brian [Paulson] and Julian [Dreyer, engineer at Echo Mountain] made it easy to relax.

What was the set up?

AB: Our amps were isolated in separate rooms, and we sat in a circle around the drums. Everyone was in headphones. I used my Ampeg V4 for most of the songs. We sent the guitars through a Helios preamp to tape. I've used the same guitars since the second record with the exception of a Guild [S-300] that replaced an old Galanti that became unplayable. That one's tuned to D flat.

BQ: I had my big, '70s Ludwig kit. I brought a few snares, and we decided to use a 6.5-inch [Ludwig] Superphonic. I got a chance to use my concert toms too!

SP: I used my rig a little, but I mainly used their Fender Bassman with the folded 4 x 10.

AB: I wanted to use their Rhodes on one song, but that didn't work out. I came up with some ideas I'll try to use on future records though.

Do you print effects or add later?

AB: Both. Reverb is added later because it makes sense to do it that way. On the new record we were more open minded to different treatments during mixing, but we didn't go overboard. In the past if we needed a boost, we just hit the pedal while tracking, and you can hear that. This is really the first record we've done where we could even think about it. In the past there was no time or even awareness.

I heard phase shifting on the bass on "City Birds."

SP: We got lucky when we were in Birmingham...

AB: We met a guy named Emanual Ellinas. He owns a guitar store there. He builds pedals under the name Sitori Sonics [www.sitorisonics.com]. He mailed us a bunch of pedals, and we used all of them in the studio. 

Did any accident or mistakes happen that turned into advantages?

AB: I can give you plenty of examples of mistakes that didn't turn into an advantage, over the years. [everyone laughs]

SP: Hmmm... the early music was just a series of mistakes.

Do you ever write in the studio?

AB: We don't write in the studio per se, but sometimes things that aren't note perfect are kept. The first song on the record could be a little ragged around the edges, where others couldn't. It's sloppy at times, but I like the rawness. I wouldn't want to clam any notes on the prettier songs, though. It would create a distraction.

BQ: I'd love to be able to just roll tape and jam in the studio, but we don't have that kind of time.

SP: Brian and I have to keep it locked down, which allows for a little more latitude from the guitarists. That allows me to lend an objective ear too. Julian and I did that a few times.

AB: The idea was Dave would come down, do his guitar parts, get everything done and go back to New York.

Did that work out?

AB: I can't speak for him, but I feel like it did.

I thought you'd have some nightmare story about last minute flights from New York...

AB: We were pretty lucky, actually.

Do you enjoy recording?

SP: I enjoy recording, but that's because my job has a "my work here is done here" aspect to it early in the game. I enjoyed hearing this one come together. Brian [Quast] and I would drive up from Raleigh to Brian [Paulson's] place in Chapel Hill every night and hear it unfold.

AB: This was the first time we had the opportunity to enjoy the process. It was new in a lot of ways. Recording digitally there's a different kind of down time. You have to clean things up, move around files — and that gave me bits of time to think about what to do next. On the other hand it's not as immediate. You miss something that you get in the bang, bang, bang style of recording, but I like the way it's done now.

BQ: I think I like being recorded more than I like recording. I was excited to learn some things that could help me when I record other people. Looking over Paulson's shoulder and picking up some science! r

www. mergerecords. com/artists/polvo read more of this interview with Polvo at www. tapeop. com