THE POLYPHONIC SPREE "THE BEGINNING STAGES OF..."
Good Records
Ranging in quantities of 24 to 27, the members of the Polyphonic Spree dress up in cloaks, grab their flutes, trumpets and tablas, and attempt to recreate the free spirit of the '70s. They currently have one of the neatest stage presences of any modern pop group, but that may be as far as it goes. During brief moments of "The Beginning Stages of...," the faintest medieval instrumentation mixes well with the choral sway in which the group clearly dominates. Take, for example, the toe-tapping yet alienating flavor in "Soldier Girl," or the high school orchestra balladry of "Days Like This Keep Me Warm." Both songs have a wonderful balance of ensemble orchestration and extra-tacky lyrics ("I found my soldier girl... she makes my head spin around"). The more you want to give the group a chance because of their creativity, however, the greater the rejection you feel when it just doesn't work out. The lead vocals of Tim DeLaughter reek of Blind Melon's Shannon Hoon's influence in the worst way possible. More often than occasionally, too many members try playing at once, which all the practice in the world couldn't fix. The final song, "A Long Day," is 36-and-a-half minutes of droning, annoying chants. Summary: brilliant idea, great writing, OK execution, horrible aftertaste. Let's hope the next stage is better.
Two out of five stars.
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