The Polyphonic Spree: Biography

• Overview
• Discography
• Biography
• Related Artists

• I'm from Barcelona
• Architecture in Helsinki
• Of Montreal
• Super Furry Animals
• Flaming Lips
• The Ladybug Transistor
• The 1900s

• Mercury Rev
• The Beach Boys
• The Olivia Tremor Control
• The Beatles
• The Moody Blues
• Grandaddy
• High Llamas

• Golden Bear
• Sally Shapiro
• Ra Ra Riot
• The Young Republic

• Tripping Daisy
• Pilotdrift
• St. Vincent

Genres:

Rock Music, Alternative Rock Music

Decades Active:

2000's

Artistic Quality

Low

Ratings Guide

Dallas symphonic pop group the Polyphonic Spree is less a band than a happening, in the 1960s sense of the word. When the group takes to the stage for a live performance, its two dozen members are costumed in flowing robes of snowy white, an appropriate backdrop for their happy and uplifting musical message that's catchy pop minimally laced by gospel. Fans have compared them to both the Flaming Lips and the Beach Boys, with a smidgen of lively +Godspell-like attitude thrown into the mix. the Polyphonic Spree was founded by Tim DeLaughter, who led Tripping Daisy until 1999 when a drug overdose killed his bandmate, guitar player Wes Berggren. Tripping Daisy folded, and DeLaughter and the other surviving members of the group pulled together as the Polyphonic Spree with the addition of about 20 more members. They put together a demo titled The Beginning Stages of...The Polyphonic Spree and distributed it to fans during a holiday performance. An indie label, Good Records out of Dallas, later issued the release. The group boasts a ten-member choir, a pair of keyboardists, as well as a percussionist, bassist, guitarist, flautist, trumpeter, trombonist, violist, a French horn player, a theremin player, and an electronic effects wizard. DeLaughter holds the post of musical director and contributes lead vocals. Road tours require more than a dozen full-sized vans. The group has performed in Texas at the ~South by Southwest Festival, and in London for the ~Meltdown Festival that was curated by David Bowie.

- Linda Seida, All Music Guide