What a strange and wonderful land Texas must be, capable of producing shuffling smirks like George W and brilliant eccentrics like Tim DeLaughter. DeLaughter, the last hippie known to be found out of captivity, caused quite a stir last summer with his two dozen be-robed bandmates invading festival stages like latter-day apostles, a So Hallowed Crew. Unfortunately, the music got lost somewhere in the novelty of it all, and few even noticed when the band were later dumped by their record company.
"Together We're Heavy" is the Spree's riposte, and it's a robust one. Anyone hoping the band would follow up their blissed-out debut with a darker, more difficult second album will be disheartened within two seconds of the opening "Hold Me Now". Built on a jaunty piano riff and candyfloss vocals, it suddenly explodes into a chorus as expansive and tender as a Brian Blessed bear hug. Like much of this record, it's in serious debt to The Beatles, but who cares when a song is this irresistible?
As befits a band of (give or take) 223, the Spree are most definitely not another indie band. There may be a guitar or two somewhere in their enormous orchestral sound, but it's lost amongst the horns, theremins, harpsichords, didgeridoos and flutes. When this works well the results are quite gorgeous, whether on the summery pop of "Two Thousand Places" or the giddy, flibbertigibbet "Everything Starts At The Seam".
Sadly, DeLaughter doesn't always display the same restraint. When he aims at the trippy epic sound perfected by Mercury Rev, the results are usually a mess, as on the sloppy, quasi-mysticism of the title track. Even that sounds wonderful compared to the eleven minute epic "When The Fool Becomes A King", which has moments of profound beauty but sounds like it's been badly stitched together from a "Now That's What I Call Hippie" compilation.
But criticism feels churlish in the face of the Spree's sunny positivity, and for every misfire, the band hit their target twice. One listen to a song as lovely and big hearted as "Suitcase Calling" is enough to dispel any black clouds. It's easier to give in to the Polyphonic Spree, and a lot more fun.
