Make it stop
Ever since witnessing the spectacle that is the Polyphonic Spree last Saturday in New York I haven't been able to shake their music from my head. It's like the Brady Bunch-meets-the-Flaming-Lips. You HAVE to check out the video for Hanging Around to get an idea what this 24-piece coral pop group is all about.

Mr.Danes is back
I didn't know Ben Lee had a new record coming out. There is no U.S. release date scheduled as his label, Grand Royal, went belly up earlier this year. Lee gives a shout out to Veruca Salt in the bio that accompanies the CD. He is discussing about working with Dan the Automater (who produced the new CD).

"No musically, we could not have been more in synch. Like you know Dan loves the same one hit wonders that I love. We’d be flicking through each other’s iTunes on the computer and we both have Veruca Salt’s Seether. That was unreal, I’m just talking more in terms of a working method. I’m trying to get to a place where I thrive on stress a little less. It’s not healthy and I can’t sustain it. I had a wake up call, you know, it was like ‘really? Am I going to do this ‘til I’m fifty or sixty? I’ll give myself an ulcer!’ I need to create a more pleasurable way of working. That’s why I’ve been doing so many other projects. Doing the movie was all about doing things with no baggage, with no expectations, and realising that it’s a much more fun way to work. And much more rewarding.”

I'm back and rested
Got back from the CMJ Music Marathon in NYC yesterday. Last week (Thursday - Saturday) I checked out a number of great bands in New York. With that in mind, here's the list of highlights ...

Idlewild/The Frames @ Irving Plaza (Nov.1)
I've been waiting 4 years to see Idlewild and they didn't disappoint in the least, in fact, upon leaving the show I told me friends that Idlewild might possibly be one of my favorite bands ever. The Frames were really good too.

Skeleton Key @ Tribeca Blues (Oct.31)
Danny Elfmann meets Primus. Skeleton Key has lost all of it's original members other than the singer but still were GREAT. They have a percussionist who plays things like hubcabs, fire extinguishers, metal pots and pans, etc.

Sullen @ CBGB (Nov.1)
Wes Kidd of Triple Fast Action is helping out these kids from St.Louis. It's a three piece, no bass player. They sound like early, raw Nirvana, before "Nevermind". In fact, the best description may be: If Kurt and Courtney met and started a band BEFORE "Nevermind" and "Live Through This," it would be Sullen.

Pete Krebs @ Baggot Inn (Oct.31)Former Hazel lead singer (they toured with Veruca Salt around '96) did a solo acoustic thing at this small bar in the city. The crowd was very small (8 people) but Pete Krebscarried on as if he was playing in front of hundreds. Good stuff, kind of in the Americana mold ala Ryan Adams/Wilco.

Polyphonic Spree @ CMJ Daystage (Nov.2)
WOW! Flaming Lips meets the Danielson Family. The Polyphonic Spree is a 24-piece collective fronted by ex-Tripping Daisy frontman Tim DeLaughter. They dress in white church robes and sing very positive uplifting songs. I read an article where one of the members said that on Sunday mornings you are more likely to find the band members in bed nursing hangovers than sitting in church. However, there is definitely a HEAVY religious overtone to the music and many of the members had this glazed look in their eyes making me think that they were either members of a cult or high as kites. The scariest part of the whole thing is that there were about 10 kids in the crowd that went apeshit over the whole thing and were jumping around and singing as if they were at some gospel gathering. It was all around bizarre although after leaving the show I couldn't get the images of the band or the sounds of the music out of my head. This is one YOU should DEFINITELY look into. If you look up "Polyphonic Spree" at Digital Club Network you can watch a few live performances.