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A friend of mine who works at a radio station handed me a CD the other day. He raved about how it was the coolest thing he had heard for a long time, blending choral and symphonic elements with pop/rock psychedelia into a spiritual musical experience. Naturally, I was curious. 

So it was that I first heard about The Polyphonic Spree, perhaps the strangest and (depending on your particular musical aesthetic) most wonderful thing to happen to pop music in the new millennium. “Truly unique”, says The Guardian; “Total bliss”, says The Face magazine; “We defy you not to fall under their influence,” says NME on the album cover promo sticker. So, do the goods match the hype? 

The story goes that the ten songs (or ‘sections’) on this album were originally recorded over three days for a demo. However, following stunning performances at various music festivals around the US and UK, a cult following ensued, as inevitably did demand for this release. 

The band itself is the brainchild of Tim de Laughter, former front man for alterna-pop misfits Tripping Daisy, who had a hit in 1995 with the quirky song “I Got a Girl.” De Laughter has brought the weirdness with him in that the band he now leads is twenty five Texans in white robes performing compositions that sound like long lost outtakes from Godspell, Hair or Jesus Christ Superstar. In stark contrast to the plethora of other “The” bands (eg. Hives, Vines, Datsun’s etc.) currently screaming blue apathy all over the radio, The Polyphonic Spree is a fresh adventure in retro, hippie escapism that finds its musical strength in the age old formula of community song. 

And it succeeds. You would think they are merely spoofing the idealistic, joyous music of the flower-power generation if they didn’t sound so sincere. Ignoring all convention, they give the impression of a church choir, rejoicing in the self-ordained church of free love. How else could a band get away with lyrics like, ”Have a day. Celebrate! / Soon, you’ll find the answer. / Holiday. Hide away. Soon, you’ll find the wonder” (from Section One) Or, “Hey, it’s the sun! and it makes me smile!” and “Love like this keeps us warm.” 

Musically, there are big hints of the Beach Boys and the Beatles at their most experimental, with strings, twittering flutes, keyboards, trumpets and horns complementing the rock drums and bass. Gentle melodies give way occasionally to pounding drums and even electronic beats as they play with the broad sounds of their ensemble in a delightful, uplifting sing-along. The only blunder on this album is perhaps the final 36-minute vocal montage, “A Long Day,” which rounds out the album’s circadian theme well, but is ultimately a bore, especially following the brief climactic anthem “Reach for the Sun.” (Section 9) Still, full marks for the courage to experiment.

The Polyphonic Spree brings to mind the modern epic pop sounds attempted by Mercury Rev, Ween, The Flaming Lips and The Danielson Family; the latter of which have indeed shared a stage with the Spree in one of their most memorable gigs. If these bands are your musical cup of herbal tea, I would suggest you jump on what appears to be an ever growing band-wagon following the Polyphonic Spree. You will be sure to fall in love with them. If not, avoid. But do listen out for the single “Hanging Around the Day Part 2” on the radio. Their positive vibe will be a welcome change from the negativity and lasciviousness of much modern pop music. 

Brendan Boughen 3/18/2003