Has anyone seen The Polyphonic Spree?

[ForeverAutumn]

They're opening for Bowie tomorrow night (yes, I'm going...with Hubby) and we're not sure that we'll be able to make it to the show early enough to see them as Hubby may have to work late. Are they worth the effort to get there to see them?

I've checked out their web site and on AMG and they don't really sound like they're something that I would enjoy, but I have to admit that I'm curious. AMG describes seeing them perform as "a happening". Is it? Is it really?

[mad rhetorik]

I heard a copy of their first LP The Beginning Stages Of.. and thought it was twee, stupid, obnoxiously sugary pop. I described it to my friend (who owned the album) as "the bastard child of my Junior High Glee Club and Jim Henson's Muppets," and I didn't mean that in a good way either. The last song on the album is a huge waste of 36 minutes (seriously, 36 MINUTES!!!), and my nominee for the Worst Song Of 2003.

Supposedly they can put on an interesting live show, seeing as they have 23 members all clad in white robes, giving them a goofy "cult" shtick. Frankly though, you might as well go eat or get some beers while they are on, then go watch Ziggy.

(100th post! Yay!)

[newtrix1]

Sorry 'bout that one.

No, I've never seen them perform, but I had their cd awhile back, which I promptly sold. My guess however, is that they'd be an interesting live show. Lots of non rock instruments and choir-like vocals. The music could still suck live, but at least you'd be seeing something out of the ordinary which you could tell us about, and that's worth something, eh?

Not sure what your hubby's tastes in music are, but I think I've seen you post that he's normal and not of music geekage status. If this is true, he'll end up hating you for making him see The Polyspree.

Sorry again for the contradictory reply, I generally start out with good intentions...

[newtrix1]

I heard a copy of their first LP The Beginning Stages Of.. and thought it was twee, stupid, obnoxiously sugary pop. I described it to my friend (who owned the album) as "the bastard child of my Junior High Glee Club and Jim Henson's Muppets," and I didn't mean that in a good way either. The last song on the album is a huge waste of 36 minutes (seriously, 36 MINUTES!!!), and my nominee for the Worst Song Of 2003.

.

Worst song of 2003??? How about worst song of the freekin' DECADE!! I couldn't believe I actually forced myself to suffer through the entire thing! I kept saying to myself "OK, somethings gonna develop now...it has to..they can't seriously have recorded a full half hour of this" but they did.

I remember something else now, when I sold my copy on HALF.COM, I actually added the following text in the description field: "Selling this cd because I think it sux".
Raverecs True.
It sold in less than 24 hrs, I hope it wasn't you that bought it!

[surgeandoj]

roommate says they throw a good show. which means they probably won't just stand their and play their instruments. They'll entertain, like an artist should

[JSE]

The guy that started Polyphonic Spree was the lead singer of Tripping Daisy, a great early 90's rock band out of Dallas. I saw them several times in college and they put on an incredible show. Polyphonic Spree is not my cup of tea but I bet they put on a fun interesting show.

JSE

[Stone]

thought it was twee, stupid, obnoxiously sugary pop. I described it to my friend (who owned the album) as "the bastard child of my Junior High Glee Club and Jim Henson's Muppets,"

That's a bad thing?? Sounds like a pure winner to me. Next you're gonna tell me you don't like the Beatles or Beach Boys either . . . . If you're not into pop, you're not, but I just don't understand it.

Oh, and I've never considered Polyphonic Spree to be twee, not that twee is bad in my book.

Actually, if you're into pop, FA, and especially chamber pop, I'd try to see them. I've never seen them, but if they came around here, I'd go in a heartbeat. I'm not a huge fan, but I bet their live show would be something to see.

Oh, and yeah that 36-minute song is bad, almost as bad as the last track on the Sunshine Fix album.

Stone

[DarrenH]

I have "The Beginning Stages Of" which I thought was their only album. If they have more than one release then I'm not aware of it. I first heard PolySpree on a comp that DLD sent me some time ago and it included one of their songs. I really liked the song so I bought the CD. I thought the album wasn't bad. Some catchy pop oriented songs backed by a choir.

The last track though had me saying "WTF is this sh!t". Literally 36 minutes of electronic white noise that changed frequency every now and then. And just like Newtrix, I listened to the entire thing thinking, "Something's gonna develop. There's gotta be more than just this". Never happened. Why on earth would they think people would enjoy that? Why? Utter crap.

But the rest, like I said before, wasn't bad.

I should pull that out. Haven't heard it in awhile.

Darren

[mad rhetorik]

That's a bad thing?? Sounds like a pure winner to me. Next you're gonna tell me you don't like the Beatles or Beach Boys either . . . . If you're not into pop, you're not, but I just don't understand it.

I'm not aggressively anti-pop. I dig the Beatles (who doesn't?), Simon & Garfunkel, Fleetwood Mac in their Buckingham/Nicks stage, the Stone Roses, New Order, Weezer, and some other "poppier" stuff. The Beach Boys still aren't my favorite band, but they put out some great singles, and SMILE is really fascinating stuff.

The thing with The Polyphonic Spree is that it's not just pop--it's downright bad. Excrecable lyrics like "Hey it's the sun, it makes me shine" sung by an amateurish choir (despite the fact that they have 10 members, they rarely harmonize--just tuneless singing in unison) with white robes and plastic smiles, backed by a band with at least 4 or 5 members it doesn't need. There's no edge, no cynicism, nothing more than disgustingly oversweeted vapidity. And while that may be yummy in small doses, it will eventually rot your teeth.

Oh, and I've never considered Polyphonic Spree to be twee, not that twee is bad in my book.

Main Entry: twee
Pronunciation: 'twE
Function: adjective
Etymology: baby-talk alteration of sweet
chiefly British : affectedly or excessively dainty, delicate, cute, or quaint

Sounds like a perfect fit to me.