The Polyphonic Spree: Together Were Heavy

By GRAHAM REID

(Herald rating: * * * * )

Pop's answer to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir offers spiritual uplift through sheer weight of numbers and hymnal harmonies

Being a robe-wearing, 24-member, new-age outfit from Texas, the Polyphonic Spree were always going to attract attention when they appeared a few years ago.

But this time out you can put aside the cynical laughter because the sheer joyousness of their neo-psychedelic moods and breezily elevating music of stacked vocals, plus their lovely and deft use of instrumentation (organ, harp, viola and flutes among them) should put a smile across your dial. Musically they occupy the ground between the fragile beauty of Flaming Lips (courtesy of leader Tim Delaughter's quavering vocals) and the augmented balladry of Beach Boy Brian Wilson before he fused his brain.

There are also mid-60s pastoral pop charms (Everything Starts at the Seam), plenty of Age of Aquarius lyrics ("keep yourself brand new, everyone wants to know love"), lots of widescreen songs which start with scene-setting piano, and Hold Me Now is a hit in waiting.

And emotionally elevating sentiments such as "keep them amazed with your mild devotion to majesty". If PS are bannering a new faith and optimism then it's going be a day-glo, feelin' groovy Resurrection. Thoroughly unfashionable probably, but as summery as a salad and an iced tea on a remote beach.

Label: FMR