I was browsing in Tower Records, Tokyo, a couple of weeks ago and I found a listening post with this record with a very striking sleeve. It was a group portrait of about 24 men and women all wearing white robes, standing on a barren moor, possibly in front of a power station. Some were holding french horns and tubas. There was some mock-70s lettering with the band's name, which I've forgotten. It was something like 'The Epsilon Federation' or 'The Omega Association'.
I put on the headphones and found the music sounded like Mercury Rev circa 'Deserter's Songs', or Bowie circa 'Memory of a Free Festival', or the brass at the end of the 'Wicker Man' soundtrack.
Does anybody know who this weird neo-hippy 'orchestra' is? I think they're American, not sure though. Did I dream this? Do I have to go back to Tower now to find out?
― Momus (Momus), Saturday, 2 November 2002 16:53 (twenty-two years ago) link
You are kidding, arent you? I assume you mean the Polyphonic Spree. Currently being rammed down our throats by the media here.
(What I've heard is rather good though.. )
― Marinaorgan (Marina Organ), Saturday, 2 November 2002 17:07 (twenty-two years ago) link
Ah yes, that was it! No media hype here in Japan, so I was free to have my curiosity piqued by the interesting sleeve. (That's one of the nice things about Japan, being able to skip that 'I hate this band because of the hype' phase.)
― Momus (Momus), Saturday, 2 November 2002 17:11 (twenty-two years ago) link
Be fearful, Momus. The Polyphonic Spree is essentially Primal Scream with a weak MIke Curb Congregation jones instead of a Stooges one.
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 2 November 2002 21:24 (twenty-two years ago) link
Well, I've just finished listening ot the Polyphonic Spree album for the first time ...
1) Yeah I kinda like it
2) Yeah I know I kinda like it because I like the idea. A big white robed, secular gospel choir being a mainstream pop act ... it's different, it shouldn't exist, it does. Praise the record biz.
3) Yeah, the songs are nice (especially "la la" and "soldier girl") but not that good.
4) One day, on a mix-tape or some other curatorial exercise, I will juxtapose "la la" with something from Acid Brass.
5) What the fuck ... the last track is an amazingly long, instrumental drone thing. No choir at all ...
6) Actually, on further listening it's the instrumentals and drones which stand out rather than the choral singing ...
7) Yeah, this is one of the importantly quirky albums of 2002
― phil jones (interstar), Monday, 4 November 2002 11:15 (twenty-two years ago) link