It’s hard to imagine a band of 20-plus people with multiple instruments crowded in a recording studio, but somehow, The Polyphonic Spree makes it work. And, it’s evident by listening to The Fragile Army, the group’s June release, is an edgier, more mainstream and higher-quality album than its prior endeavor Together We’re Heavy (2004).
As seen on the album cover, the Spree has traded its flowy, white robes for dark, military-style suits. This wardrobe change mirrors the sound of the album.
Don’t get me wrong, this album does have a couple of songs that will make you want to leap down the sidewalk, like the opening tracks “Together We’re Heavy,” “Running Away” and “The Championship.” They are reminiscent of past hits “Hold Me Now” and “It’s The Sun.”
But as the album progresses, it gets a bit more serious. The title track, “The Fragile Army,” has a serious, rock sound to it, and “We Crawl” has an earnest quality.
It almost doesn’t matter what the lyrics are. When listening to the Spree, it’s all about the sound.
And when lead singer Tim DeLaughter said the album is a better representation of the live show, he wasn’t lying. It’s much easier for the listener to distinguish the many instruments and elements that make up the Spree’s sound with “The Fragile Army” than with “Together We’re Heavy.”