By: David de Young
 The Polyphonic Spree - Live in store at Let It Be Records, Minneapolis (Photo by David de Young - click for full sized image.) |
Members: And... Official website: http://www.thepolyphonicspree.com |
Saturday was a beautiful day for riding around on a two-wheeled vehicle or with the top down in the Twin Cities. It was the first truly gorgeous weekend day of the season, and the music the city had to offer started as early as 2 p.m. when it kicked off with a brilliant 30 plus minute, six song in store performance by the Polyphonic Spree at Let It Be Records in Minneapolis. Despite the weather, however, I am more than grateful that by the time we made a late night jaunt between the Turf Club and the Terminal Bar, unknowingly driving through the Baghdad, er Dinkytown riots that we were "safe" inside my girlfriend's hard-topped Toyota.
Texas-based cult, um band The Polyphonic Spree's performance at Let It Be was as packed as I've ever seen an in store gig. I'm bad at judging crowd size, but I'd have to say 100 to 150 people were there, nearly as many as actually attended the early evening ive show later at the Quest. The band entered from downstairs, filing right past me where I'd taken up position by the Badfinger records in the vinyl section. They went out the front door and down 10th street to re-enter by the side door to take the stage. This white-robed clan must have been a site to see for Saturday afternoon strollers on Nicollet Mall; it would not have been so dramatic perhaps if there weren't so many of them. When Let It Be owner Ryan Cameron announced the names of the group members it read like the list of military MIA's in GWII. 23? 24? 29? Who can keep count? Let's just say there are a lot of them and leave it at that.
The Polyphonic Spree play music with influences as varied as the Moody Blues, Sgt. Pepper-era Beatles and the Morman Tabernacle Choir, with soaring choral and brass arrangements that have you half expecting to see angels flying out of a sunlit crack in the sky blowing on trumpets, French horns and even trombones.
After a brief ritual chant as a warm-up, the band opened up with "Section 7", the incredibly uplifting song AKA"Hanging Around the Day Part 2" giving me goose bumps right from the start. Similarly to Sigur Ros, whose recent album "()" features only untitled tracks, the Polyphonic Spree's album "The Beginning Stages of …" (Good Records, 2002) is titled only by section numbers 1 through 10. Here's a brief translation of those tracks into something a little handier:
1. Section 1 (Have A Day/Celebratory)
2. Section 2 (It's The Sun)
3. Section 3 (Days Like This Keep Me Warm)
4. Section 4 (La La)
5. Section 5 (Middle Of The Day)
6. Section 6 (Hanging Around The Day Part 1)
7. Section 7 (Hanging Around The Day Part 2)
8. Section 8 (Soldier Girl)
9. Section 9 (Light & Day/Reach For The Sun)
10. Section 10 (A Long Day)
I must say this music really tears me up (as in the crying kind of tears.) If it weren't for the brightly lit venue of Let it Be I probably would have just let myself go and cried all over the vinyl. But reminding myself I was not in England, where such behavior is more acceptable, I held back. The flute player was going nothing short of nuts as they broke into "Section 8" (aka "Soldier Girl," a song I've been hearing in regular rotation on English radio for many months.) The joy and animation this band made me wonder what kind of drugs they were on and where I could get some. Next they played the new, yet unreleased song possibly titled "You've Got To Be 2000 Places at Once," (which ironically reminds of my music schedule lately as a journalist.) The song included a beautiful harp solo. (That's a harp like an angel plays, as opposed to the one Mr. Zimmerman or Mr. Young sometimes does.)
A lullaby-like vocal started their 4th number. Listening to the mix and watching the spectacle, I was impressed by the fact that with 20 plus members, none are extraneous. And the bouncing 6-woman 1-man chorus must be seen to be believed. I swear I'm going to have dreams about the girls on those risers!
A keyboard line started the 5th song, "Section 9," (Light & Day/Reach for the Sun), a veritable hymn to light. (Witches and sun worshipers take note, this would be a great song for a winter solstice ritual as you strive to "follow the day and reach for the sun!")
Then came the surprising and beautiful closing song as band leader Tim Delaughter thanked us all for attending and reminded us to come early tonight to hear their opening act, Mr. Patrick Parks, on this second stop on their tour. As the strains of The Alan Parson's Project's "Time" (till it's gone…forever!) filled the room, I went goosey again. Having never heard that song live, it was apparent why, as no band can really cover it properly without a full orchestra and choir. A joint bow closed the set and we were left to our own devices for 45 minutes before the next set by Munich's "Notwist." Talk about a great day at Let it Be! I am sorry if you missed these free events.
The Polyphonic Spree's show later at the Quest was much the same, but longer and louder with many of the same people were in attendance. But there's something about this music that makes you want to hear it in the sunshine instead of a darkened club.
The Notwist
After some less than quality service while waiting for outside seating at Brits Pub--perhaps they're going for the authentic British experience by not catering to the sense of urgency about getting that first of beer that is typically American--we were back to Let It Be for a short set by 3 of 5 of the members of the German band Notwist, from Munich.
This is not the Notwist that the Notwist once was. A survey of their music will turn up some semi-urgent and loud krautrock/punk as well as the mellower, wisftul and ambient electronica and pop they are now purveying. The second song was the real haunter, "Pick up the phone," from their 2003 release "Neon Golden" (Domino USA) with the lyric, "Pick up the Phone / And answer me at last / Today I will step out of your past." And the third song glowed like its lyric "Me, I'm golden like all the lights." A Joy Division-influenced song asked, "Never leave me paralyzed." The band said their set had been very improvised but they hoped we would still come tonight. I'd be interested in hearing the thoughts of anyone who actually saw the show in the Entry which took place while we were Vena Caving (seeing the old school Minneapolis rock band Vena Cava) and getting our Dander up over at the Terminal while we recovered from our car being assaulted by a big hairy ass on the driver's side window as we cruised down through the center of the Dinkytown riots at 4th and 15th. (For that story, you can read the mainstream press: http://www.startribune.com/stories/1681/3822484.html.)
Location Info:
Let It Be Records
Artist Info: The Notwist, The Polyphonic Spree
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