The Polyphonic Spree has been characterized many ways. It’s like the cast of “Hair,” but with instruments. Like The Flaming Lips without the fake blood and bunny suits. Like a cross between “Godspell” and The Beach Boys. Like a new, traveling Jonestown.
“We get so many cult references,” says group trombonist James Reimer. “How many times can you beat that horse? But my favorite is when we get compared to the Muppets. It just makes me wonder which muppet they think I am.”
In truth, none of these analogies begin to describe the pure genius or mad eccentricity that is The Polyphonic Spree. The currently 22-person supergroup from Dallas is truly beyond comparison, wielding more than 13 instruments, a coed choir and an overtly cheery disposition.
“We’re a musical ensemble that melds a lot of musical parts together, kind of like the Borg in ‘Star Trek,'” Reimer explains. “We have so many people from so many backgrounds that we sort of blend it together and make it work.”
At the head of the charade is Tim DeLaughter, former frontman of mid-’90s college rockers Tripping Daisy cum current band instructor/guru of The Spree. With a giddy smile and voice that does recall “The Rainbow Connection,” DeLaughter manages the near impossible: to unite his sprawling, eclectic ensemble under his warbly voice.
Unity for The Spree means musical cacophony: a cosmic clash of horns, woodwinds, piano and voices. “Our sound is completely indulgent in that we get to create whatever we want to create,” Reimer says. “With 20 people playing so many instruments how can it not be a little indulgent. It’s a big sound.”
In the post-Nirvana, Korn-wielding era, it is refreshing to hear a group whose typical lyrics profess, “Holiday, celebrate / Soon you’ll find the answer” and “Hey, it’s the sun / And it makes me smile all around.”
“A lot of that positiveness has to do with Tim,” Reimer says “He always sees the sunny-side up version of life. That’s how he sees life.” But Reimer is quick to insist that The Polyphonic Spree is not utterly positive. “There’s a lot of pain underneath the surface, but the idea is to fight through that and see something better.”
It is this thoughtful optimism that makes The Spree’s shows so enjoyable. Visuals are essential to the group’s performance, showcased in uniforms of flowing white robes and flashy light shows. At its April 11 show at the Metro, The Spree released balloons into the theater, creating a sea of bouncing rainbow shapes.
