The Polyphonic Stripes
By SteveThe Polyphonic Spree is a 23-member band of hippie hipsters from Texas who dress alike—the first CD, it was white robes; the second colored robes; today, it’s black jumpsuits—and clearly are very, very happy. As someone somewhere said, they’re like “Up With People” for hipsters.
And man, it’s refreshing.
Their new CD, “The Fragile Army” couldn’t be more sonically different than the White Stripes “Icky Thump,” but both are sunny and optimistic and fun and funny. And brilliant. (And I have tickets to see the Spree in July, and the Stripes in September.)
Where the Stripes are all about minimalism and tight arrangements, the Spree operate on an epic scale. It’s hard not to sound enormous when you have flutes, French horns, violins, pianos, drums, bass, and guitars supporting sunny people yelling lyrics like, “It’s like running away with the wind in our face, it’s like flying/And you and I are open wide.”
On their last two CDs, it all got a wee-bit tiresome and was best digested in small pieces. But “The Fragile Army” is a better complete work, with more variety to the themes, both music and lyrical. The first single, the jubilant “Running Away” is one of the sunnier, more traditional tracks. Others, like the title song and “Mental Cabaret,” are somewhat darker. But it’s all pretty wonderful. Go buy it. Now.
As for the Stripes, “Icky Thump” is definitely a return to the more conventional garage/blues/pop versus the rather weird “Get Behind Me Satan.” There’s more guitar, lots of blistering Jack White soloing, Meg’s drums are amped at mad-loud levels, a truly funny call and response between Jack and Meg playing junk collectors (or something) on “Rag and Bone.”
(To those who criticize the Stripes because of Meg’s simplistic stomp, sheesh, talk about not getting it. They’re all about simplicity. The lyrical themes, the music… it’s all back to basics, off-the-cuff stuff. With a “normal” drummer, it wouldn’t be the same at all… and you’d probably notice Jack’s sloppy playing too.)
There’s a couple of weak tracks on “Icky Thump”—the weird Irish ditties in the middle are just, well, weird in a less good way than the Flamenco-horned Conquest—but it’s another dozen awesome Stripes songs for your $15. Go buy it. Now.
June 28th, 2007 at 10:40 pm
I only buy vinyl records, and I average about $5 an album throughout my roughly 40 LP set. However, I’ve heard that certain modern bands release their music on vinyl in very small numbers. This band wouldn’t happen to be one of those, would they? Do you know anything about those sources and where I might find them?
So far, the most recent album I have (and the only one pressed after I was born in fact) is No More Tears, which sadly has a few pops and skips in the early songs. The title track is perfectly preserved at least.
June 28th, 2007 at 11:03 pm
I know the Spree’s album is available on vinyl, and the Stripes have released almost everything on vinyl too. But I have no idea where to find them.
June 28th, 2007 at 11:44 pm
You’d think Google would be a useful tool on this subject, but it’s really not. =|
June 29th, 2007 at 10:58 am
Vinyl records? Do you ride you oxcart to market to get them?
June 29th, 2007 at 3:10 pm
Har har. I didn’t even see that one coming over the horizon, because the sun blinded me. (to be honest, I’m not sure if that pokes fun at me or you, but it sounded weird)
I’ve gotten quite a few at a local chain called Half-Price Books, and I found a few very cheap sellers on Ebay. Most of the records are in minty or near minty condition, but I got ripped off on about 5 or 6 of the 40ish. Two of those even have major skip problems - one that just skips throughout an entire song to no end, and another that just has a few randomly dispersed throughout key moments in all the songs but the title track.
I did find that the Polyphonic Spree list their vinyl albums for like $12 on their website, but they only have the outdated ones, not the new one. Until then, I’ll just keep spinning my classic rock. It’s guaranteed to be awesome. *queues Boston - Third Stage in minty quality*
July 4th, 2007 at 9:58 am
Hi, Polyphonic new album is great indeed! Can´t say the same about Stripes, haven´t heard enought to like it…
But here´s a thought, if u like stripes, they are running for best rock video awards at WeShow awards, i believe is the last week to vote.