Summat for the Weekend #2

I couldn't let this week pass without mentioning the latest release and third proper album from the symphonic pop group The Polyphonic Spree. To me this band are just about the best band in the world... I'd like to see them fight it out to the death with Radiohead for the title but it would be unfair due to the Spree having over 25 members. The Polyphonic Spree are a band like no other, until recently the band would white wear robes leading some to suggest that they were a strange cult singing songs of happiness about the sun! I actually won my own Spree robe in a competition which I have worn... but only as fancy dress! With the release of this, a much darker , album titled "The Fragile Army" the robes have been replaced with black military uniform.

Their performance in Plymouth was one of the most joyous occasions unlike any other gig I've been to. The band normally walk through the crowd with linked arms to get to the stage before and after the performance and play a bewildering array of instruments... I'm not really sure what Beth made of it all and to this day she's not much of a fan, although she has said that this album is growing on her... just as well its getting a good play!

The Spree are most commonly heard in the UK in the background of Sainsbury adverts with Jamie Oliver waffling all over it ".. Pucker Pumpkins..." blah blah blah!!! Most people (of a certain age!) say that they sound very much like the Beatles Sgt. Pepper period, interestingly they are David Bowie's favourite band!

Anyway enough of my waffle here is a sample called Section 26: (We Crawl) The Spree have always recorded in Sections and this new album has tracks Section 21 to 32. Enjoy!



Here is the video for the new single Section 22: (Running Away) making use of a very popular film making technique first used by Brett Graham (Film maker and close friend here in Newcastle!) ;0)