lambchops's Full Review: The Beginning Stages of...The Polyphonic Spree by ...
It is very rare that the word “unique” can be honestly used to describe an album or a band. But “unique” is the most appropriate descriptor when it comes to talking about Texas-based symphonic pop group The Polyphonic Spree.
The Polyphonic Spree had their beginnings in the alt-pop band Tripping Daisy. That particular band folded after the death of the guitarist, and remaining members Tim DeLaughter (vocals, guitar) and Mark Pirro (bass) decided to continue on under a new name and with a mission unlike anything else ever seen in popular music. The Polyphonic Spree is first and foremost different because of the expansive lineup—some nearly thirty members with talents ranging from vocals to trombone and from piccolo to timpani. Needless to say, the music that results from the amalgamation is creatively wild and free.
But it is also damn near perfect. The Polyphonic Spree manages to put together rousing, intelligent, fun, and whimsically entertaining pop music that harkens back to The Beatles among other influences. But whereas The Beatles were limited by their comparatively small membership, The Polyphonic Spree benefits from a vast number of talented individuals. This is the most uplifting brand of pop music anywhere. There’s no question that the ambitious self-described symphonic-pop act is one of the most incredible things to grace the music industry in quite some time.
It really is a shame that more people haven’t heard of them, but then again those who have know the truth and the secret pop scrumptiousness that the act’s only album to date boasts. That album, The Beginning Stages Of…, is brilliant. It lacks nothing in intelligence, emotion, or musical variety. And as strange as the relatively obscure act seems, their music would most certainly appeal to a wide variety of people ranging from fans of psychedelia to fans of chamber pop. Complex, timeless, and unexpected The Polyphonic Spree is something that needs to be heard to be believed.
The first thing listeners will notice about The Beginning Stages Of… is that the songs are not titled on the disc. They are simply referred to as Sections 1-10. But the songs do indeed have titles (although they aren’t always used). There’s so much that can be said about this disc, but I have to just demand that anybody even slightly interested in neo-psychedelic chamber-pop craziness pick this wonderful album up.
A few songs do stand out to me, but this isn’t to say that they are any better than the others. I just particularly like a melody here or some vocals there. Whereas I found Tripping Daisy sporadically annoying, The Polyphonic Spree is always on target. Album opener Have a Day/Celebratory/Section 1 starts modestly with just a piano. But as the track progresses, it is clear that there is much more to this act than classical acoustics. Toss in a French horn here and a flute there, and the resulting song would seem at first to be too fantastic to be appealing. But as more elements are added—including DeLaughter’s vocals—the song builds to a crescendo. It works wonderfully as the opening introduction to this outstandingly flawless album.
The act’s luscious sound continues in perfect step with It’s the Sun. The song regardless of lyrics is uplifting, but DeLaughter speaks with vitality about hope and happiness and thus everything else wonderful in the world. The brightness of the disc could seem trite or sarcastic, but the fact remains that he music is so incredibly well arranged that I find it difficult to even criticize the group (band? act?) for anything but being incredibly talented.
Days Like This Help Me Warm continues in the same vein. At first light and melodic, the song picks up in pace as it progresses and more instruments are added. I’m truly set aback by the childlike optimism here (and everywhere else). Music just doesn’t get better than this, and for once I am able to stomach a largely instrumental song. It is pop, it is classical, and it is uniquely a creation of The Polyphonic Spree all at the same time. La La is a complete change, catching the listener off guard with the surreal combination of trombone, a chorus of “la-la la-la la la-la-la” behind DeLaughter’s uneasy voice, and hip percussion. The fact that this song can so perfectly fit this album lends credence to my claim that this is a band that should appeal to damn near everybody.
Middle of the Day definitely experiments in the combination of jazz and psychedelia. Listen to the songs very closely, the layers are deep and the arrangements are complex. Each experience with The Polyphonic Spree should add to the respect the listener feels upon the positive initial reception. A fascinating, entertaining, truly outstanding arrangement is at the center of the two versions of Hanging Around the Day. The first part is an entirely instrumental selection while the second eventually adds DeLaughter’s voice to the already upbeat song. The Beginning Stages… is a gift. It is the bright, shimmering light that is so very necessary today when most of what music offers up is dark, dank, and all too often angry for no particular reason. The Polyphonic Spree gives listeners a reason to be not just content but gleeful.
Soldier Girl is one of the best offerings here. I’m particularly fond of the combination of percussion, the upright strings, and a harp (I think—these elements are so seamlessly combined it is difficult to delineate instruments). This track proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that creative passion can prove to be very, very entertaining but only when done well. And very few (if any) acts are this adventurous or this unabashedly free.
Wrapping things up, Light & Day/Reach for the Sun is a wonderful, light, whimsical, sparkling song. It is, in fact, being used in a Volkswagon Beetle commercial. DeLaughter’s voice is at the center of the whirring, tapping, and synthesizers. So much about the song just smacks of perfection. From the arrangement to the vocals to the lyrics to the instruments themselves, this is the best kind of pop music I’ve heard in quite some time. The lyrics here are absolutely representative of the feeling of the album on the whole. If these happy lines can’t cheer you up for the day, nothing will:
Just follow the day
Follow the day and reach for the SUN!
What finishes everything up is the lowest point of the album, the unfortunately chaotic A Long Day. On many levels I love it. I really appreciate the hypnotic nature of the track, but I’m still unsure as to what to make of the synthesized, droning melody (if you can call it that). Overall, it just puts points of ellipses on the album, leaving listeners wanting more. And for people who purchased this album starting in late June, more is exactly what you got!
Included is a four-track EP with re-recordings and remixes of already familiar songs. Have a Day is slightly slower and less complex than the original, but it is nonetheless recognizable and absolutely lovely. It’s the Sun and Light & Day too are worth hearing. But I’m most impressed by the UK Single Version of Soldier Girl. It is imminently obvious why the UK fell in love with the band more so than the US. With songs this incredibly pleasurable, The Polyphonic Spree is unquestionably a force to be reckoned with.
I only hope that the act can do it again.
Are they weird? Most definitely. Are they unlike anything else you’ve heard? No way. Should you buy this album? Without a doubt. The Polyphonic Spree and their debut The Beginning Stages Of… represent the best that music has ever offered up. Just open your eyes, you ears, and your heart and take it all in.
Rating: 5/5 stars
Track Listing:
01. Have a Day/Celebratory
02. It's the Sun
03. Days Like This Help Me Warm
04. La La
05. Middle of the Day
06. Hanging Around the Day, Pt. 1
07. Hanging Around the Day, Pt. 2
08. Soldier Girl
09. Light & Day/Reach for the Sun
10. A Long Day
2003 Bonus EP:
01. Have a Day
02. It's the Sun
03. Soldier Girl [UK Single Version]
04. Light & Day [Orchestral Version]
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