RTP-area local music and culture

["Woody" <woody AT deadceo.com>]

I had to think of you good folks recently as I just picked up the above
mention Polvo album used last week and suddenly its 2005 and I'm
listening to way too much Polvo again.  Richard chimed in recently
about current musings so I will too...

at first, I wasn't sure if I was nostalgic for the rock of an earlier
era but I think Polvo sort of symbolizes the last breath of modernism
in rock... maybe?  I mean like Polvo was actively working on a
development of some sort of new music or new guitar work or some sort
of furthering of the rock genre.  I mean there were a number of Chapel
Hill bands that while referenced the rock past, had something of a new
sound.  I'm just saying this in reference to the ummm post-rock to
follow.

I mean Polvo faded out as Tortoise sort of became the CMJ darlings.
Tortoise on the other hand, with the exception of their 1st cd, is more
or less just a combination of a number of 70s bands.  Following
Tortoise, is a slew of bands now combining their favorite moments from
the 60s, 70s, and 80s or are just hyper-stylized versus content.

While not qualifying any of these developments, am I just out of it as
far as interesting new rock or am I right that indie rock or whatever
has made the transition from formalist developments to
recontextualization of its past?  I mean the late 90s saw Storm and
Stress and all those Kranky bands taking rock away from its rhtymic
constraints and Polvo challenging melodic content (in ways much
different than the no wave 20 years before).  Am I making sense?  What
I am missing going on now that counts as rock other than Lightning Bolt
and brutal prog?
-Woody

PS. Uncle Woody Sullender @ Nightlight March 3