The Beginning Stages Of... - The Polyphonic Spree

I wish I could remember why, but at some point late yesterday afternoon, I found myself reading the editorial review/blurb entry for Ultimate Yes: 35th Anniversary Collection. In said blurb, they relate Yes' influence in the twee vocals area, going on to list 'influencees' such as The Flaming Lips and Polyphonic Spree.

This is one of those groups whose name I've seen here and there without initiating further investigations. Never heard a note of their stuff. So I pop over to Amazon and partake of a coupla samples.

What the hey?! This is reminiscent of so many things flower power. It's like, well....I haven't decided yet. OK, so they're billed as a "choral symphonic pop band". The CD wrapper namechecks Pet Sounds, the Flaming Lips and the Beatles. That's getting there. It's as though a group of ex-hippies who have an extreme Flaming Lips & Godspeed You Black Emperor fetish have decided to record a tribute to what they perceive as the best album of all time: Age of Aquarius, by the Fifth Dimension.

Add to this aural weirdness the fact that Polyphonic Spree is this big group (25, or so) of folks (from Texas...what the heck is in the water down there?) who perform in white robes. I tell ya, it's a pop version of Sun Ra's Archestra.

Ah..and the music itself. You will certainly hear lots of elements from all of the above namechecked groups, structures that unfold very much like Godspeed, twee-ish vocals via a chorus, and endlessly happy lyrics. Vocals like this would normally make me run away screaming, ears safely plugged with index fingers, tongue a waggin'. But somehow...it works. Even the 36 minute "A Long Day", a vocal collage that would make Philip Glass grin.

It's just weird enough.

Happy Friday the 13th.

(First posted on Mark Is Cranky)