The Beginning Stages Of... [Enhanced]

The Polyphonic Spree | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 24, 2003)
• Original Release Date: 2002
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced
• Label: Hollywood Records
• ASIN: B00009V7TI
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (71 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #63,960 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #88 in Music > Alternative Rock > Indie & Lo-Fi > Chamber Pop

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Potential that will hopefully be fully realized later., July 4, 2003

By 

Mike K. (Massachusetts, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Beginning Stages Of... (Audio CD)

It's kind of a cliche' thing to say, but this is a band that, at this point anyway, you kind of have to see live to fully "get". On record, it's possible to hear the orchestral instrumentation, former Tripping Daisy vocalist Tim Delaughter's Jonathan Donahue-esque vocal delivery, and choruses like "hey, it's the sun, and it makes me shine" and (mistakenly) write them off as a twee/hippy version of Mercury Rev. But being faced with 24 people dressed in robes up on stage performing this material with such abandon that it becomes contagious, such cynicism inevitably fades away.

Still, despite paling before their live performance, this is a very strong creative release, especially for what is essentially a demo recorded in 3 days. The main mood of the album is spiritual uplift, with Delaughter offering such advice as "have a day, celebrate, soon you'll find the answer" backed by a soaring chorus of backing vocals. As I said, it can all come off as a bit "twee" at first, bu they're truly sincere about this; Delaughter and company just want to bring the sense of joy back into pop music and cut down the prevalant angst at least a tiny bit, and terrific pop songs like "hanging around the day" and "light and day/reach for the sun" find the band poised to do just that. Not that it's a constant stream of happy music, although optimism mostly prevails, there are also darker moments like "middle of the day" (noticing a pattern in song titles here?), a spine chilling ballad with a cloud of dischordant instrumentation around it that brings a mood of weary uneasiness, and even "soldier girl", which is otherwise peppy in a bossanova era pixies backed by pet sounds-ish orchestration kind of way, has a strange disorienting moment where the backing music dissapears and the vocals suddenly go through an odd echo effect.

This band has an amazing album in them, but unfortunately this is not quite it. For one, the production by Delaughter himself doesn't quite do the group justice. Although the mix isn't bad, and I understand the inherent difficulty in having to produce such a large group, especially if you're a member of the group and not at all a professional producer, the album just sounds a bit too tinny for what is 20 or so different instruments playing at once. The bonus EP that now comes attached to the album mitigates this somewhat, offering up often better sounding re-recordings of tracks from the album, including an absolutely gorgeous "orchestral version" of "follow the day". Another minor complaint is that not counting the 36 minute "ambient" 10th track, the album offers a fairly skimpy amount of music (about 30 something minutes if my math is correct). Again, this is understandable since from what I've read these were the only songs they had at the time, and the album is essentially the live set they were playing in order. And finally there's the 10th track itself, "a long day", while interesting in theory (every sound in the song is actually Delaughter's own voice sampled and altered beyond recognition) and after a few minutes even hypnotic, it's essentially a waste of album space that goes nowhere, although at least it's not in the middle of the album or something. Still, as they say themselves, it is "the beginning stages", hopefully their next release (which is expected in 2004 and will be produced by longtime Pere Ubu member/sometime Frank Black producer Eric Drew Feldman) will more fully develop their budding genius.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Truely Original, September 17, 2003

By 

Andreas Graham (Englishman in the USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Beginning Stages Of... (Audio CD)

This has got to be one of the most original recordings I have heard in ages. I first caught the end of one of their songs on a TV show in the UK (Later with Jools Holland) and I was captivated, though it is only now that I have managed to get hold of the CD and listen to it all. Some have said that this is just hippie twaddle, but it is fantastic uplifting tunes, with a truly amazing sound. The first time I heard It's the Sun at full volume I was blown away. This is music to be played loud. I think that the next CD is going to be better and a little more formed but for now this will do. But I have to only give this 4 stars. Though the songs are great, Section 10 Long Day is self-indulgent avant gard stuff. I have tried to hear what some reviewer hear, but I can't. But nine great tracks can't be bad.

The Extra CD on the US release is a must, as there is a great live performance of Have a Day/It's the Sun, which might even be better than the Original.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars all about the sun, February 19, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: The Beginning Stages Of... (Audio CD)

If you are a fan of Mercury Rev or the Flaming Lips, or if you have grooved on the soundtrack to Jesus Christ Superstar, you really owe it to yourself to get this album. The mood of the album is so infectious, you will be smiling and singing along and that's a good thing.
Things tend to be dreary when you are in the dead of winter in New England - this album has put me in a good mood for a week now, and that's what music is all about, isn't it? Making life sweeter?