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Review by Lucy Hayes |
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This review, concerning one of the emerging bands of the moment, was kindly
submitted to the pages of Indielondon by Lucy Hayes. Feel free to do the same,
whether gigs inspire, disappoint, or simply bring out the wordsmith in you.
We look forward to receiving your views....
Polyphonic Spree, Barfly, Camden, July '02
TWENTY five people enter on stage, all visions in white robes, heads swaying
with Cheshire cat grins, waving arms and clapping hands, some carrying instruments
to the melodic sound of Hey Jude.
My first thought was that I’d been summoned to a mass religious cult
worshipping night and Coombayar my lord was gonna ring in my ears at
any second.
Preconceptions aside, the spectacle of 25 people, of mixed ages, onstage in a mass jamming session, is a pretty amazing sight, combining guitar, drums, keyboard, trumpet, French horn, violins, tambourines, timpani, thermion, gong, flute, farfisa, acetone, percussion, popchords, rhythmic vocals, and choir-like singing.
It was also pretty amazing to see them all crammed onto the tiny stage upstairs
at The Barfly, at The Monarch in Camden, a classic venue for launching
bands - Oasis and Feeder previously performed there in 1994.
"You gotta be strong, you gotta be 2000 places at once, you gotta be
good, you gotta be 2000 places at once," sings Tim Delaughter on the
opening track, the ex Tripping Daisy frontman, from Dallas, Texas, echoed
by the choir section, quivering spaceship sound effects and instruments blending
to create a surreal and atmospheric start to the gig.
Gizmo, from The Gremlins, sounds then take over, combined with birds tweeting,
whistling, French horn solos and slow-building instrumentals, leading to repetitive
"ba, ba, baas" and the second psychedelic track of the night.
Each track is unique and a celebration (without sounding like an obscure American
motivational conference guru). They are spiritually uplifting and cheerful,
and contain anecdotes about life, such as ‘life is a wonderful slide’,
‘the trees are getting harder to climb’, ‘hey now, it’s
the sun and it makes me shine’.
There are morals, too, such as ‘soon, you’ll find your own way,
hope has come, you are safe’; ‘don’t fall in love with diamond
rings or tragedy will somehow find it’s way in all you hold true’.
These are all stated during a track, or chanted repetitively to create a catchy
chorus.
But the effect is positive. Each new track is so well-received that Delaughter
tries to recruit the crowd for more members: "You’re just missing
the robe, you get the robe and we’re all on the same page!" he declared.
The ultimate crowd-pleaser and most recognised track is Soldier Girl,
which has received a lot of coverage on XFM and Radio One. It is definitely
the most indie influenced, rocky and memorable.
Delaughter has a distinctive Texan twang and melodic warble effect in his
voice and sounds similar to Jonathon Donahue of Mercury Rev and Grandaddy’s
Jason Lyttle – which is coincidental, as Grandaddy gave The Polyphonic
Spree their first exposure as a support for them in Texas and became instant
fans.
After 35 minutes, the Polyphonicers left the crowd wanting more; a truly spectacular
and original performance emblazoned in their memories and a montage of new
and experimental sounds fresh in their ears.
Next up were The Rapture and Finga Thing and what an act to follow; we didn’t
wait to let them wow us, instead mingling in the funky bar downstairs, where
Grant Nicholas, from Feeder, and Mark Lamarr were enjoying some bevvies amidst
the ‘musos’ waiting to pounce on the band to sign this wondrous
new act from, as Delaughter put it, ‘our little country of Texas’.