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Review Thu May 17 2012
Review: The Polyphonic Spree @ Park West, 5/16
The Polyphonic Spree is a spectacle to be witnessed: numerous robed singers and musicians, an assortment of instruments (cello, an array of horns, various percussion, etc.) and an outlook that can make any dreary day sunny. But this is live music, and just looking good doesn't cut it. Where the Spree earn their accolades and separate themselves from many other large pop-oriented ensembles is in the full presentation when 14 people (the smallest I've seen them, actually) are completely in synch with each other. There are moments when it seems like everyone in the band is functioning off of one brain. It'd be easy for Tim DeLaughter's symphonic choral rock band to come off as a gimmick. But a lot of their songs would still sound good if by a standard 3-piece band. The extras just sweeten the deal.
A teasing opener and far too much standing around (the one clear drawback of the evening) kept the band from coming out with a bang, but they quickly pulled together for a rousing "Two Thousand Places" that elevated the crowd from gawking to engaged. From there they tackled songs from across their three full-length albums, though focused on the first two. And a nifty "Pinball Wizard" cover was a pleasant surprise in the middle. There's no excuse to not try new things when a large band's at your disposal, and they didn't disappoint by stretching songs with a little psychedelic rock edge or peppering in some horns and another layer of percussion.
DeLaughter runs shows as a singer and pep rally leader, and he's usually in control. But late into Wednesday's set, the crowd was dead. Maybe it was because atmospherics were stalely linking songs to one another. His attempts to amp the crowd (waving arms upward repeatedly and yelling "come on") were failing and he appeared a little flustered before finally getting a good reaction during a bridge. "Soldier Girl" and a new uptempo song "What Would You Do?" were late highlights that jumpstarted the show from rare low points. It really is difficult to stay down too long when a dozen-plus people in heart-adorned robes are smiling, singing, laughing and generally having a little party on stage. By the time the band exited, returned through the crowd for an encore and then exited again one by one (or in pairs), any deadness had been resurrected. Not too bad for a group who'd been on an extended hiatus for years and is just getting their bearings back.
