photo courtesy of Hal Samples
For Immediate Release March 12, 2007
The Polyphonic Spree
Signs with TVT Records
Highly Anticipated Third Album
The Fragile Army In Stores this June
Dallas symphonic rock group The Polyphonic Spree have signed with TVT Records for the release of their third full-length album, The Fragile Army. The new album's title was given to the group by director/filmmaker/artist Mike Mills, whose 2005 film Thumbsucker was scored by the Spree's Tim DeLaughter. The Fragile Army reveals a collection of sonic blasts filtered thru The Polyphonic Spree's trademark sound: an unorthodox blend of brass, strings, choir and auxiliary rock elements. The album explores a search for the zeal in life, by way of loss and frustration, confusion and clarity. Ultimately, the Spree discover the power of love and the collective of hope in songs such as "Running Away," "Light To Follow" and "Overblow Your Nest." The album will be in stores in June 2007 (exact release date TBA). See reverse for a track list.
"We have entered a new phase in our musical contribution," say Spree leaders/songwriters Tim DeLaughter and Julie Doyle. "This recording was extremely challenging for us, trying to create a piece of art while weathering the storm of our collective relationship as humans in a political climate that's choking us all. When we listen back it feels like a diary more than anything else. It's painful and beautiful all at once, kinda like life." Welcome to "The Fragile Army."
Along with the evolved sound comes an effected new look for The Polyphonic Spree. The group has folded their robes up nicely and put them away for now, becoming more "streamline for the future" in their unified military-style uniforms garnished with universal symbols for peace. "We're gearing up for the evolution," says DeLaughter.
Co-produced by John Congleton (of Dallas band The Paper Chase) and The Speekers (aka DeLaughter and Doyle), The Fragile Army was recorded at studios in Cannon Falls, Minnesota, and Duncanville, Texas, as well as renowned producer Steve Albini's Electrical Audio studio in Chicago and the Spree's own home studio, The Triplex, in Dallas. The album was mixed by Jay Ruston and The Speekers and mastered by Dave Cooley.
DeLaughter and Doyle collaborated on the lyrics and basic songs, then worked out arrangements with the Spree's 16 instrumentalists and eight choir members in the studio -- a different approach to arranging and recording than on their previous album, 2004's Together We're Heavy. DeLaughter describes the process: "For our last record, we'd been on the road so long that songs had been developed there and were pretty
much fully arranged by the time of recording," he says. "But this is a very spontaneous album. We'd been off the road for a while, and all the players collaborated on the spot in the studio, learning one song at a time and then collaborating on ideas and parts."
On the title track "The Fragile Army," DeLaughter and Doyle delve explicitly for the first time into their feelings on the war in Iraq, and its reverberations back home. "It's basically an ode-to-Bush song," DeLaughter says. "It's very specific in its agenda, I believe it's our own battle cry."
The Fragile Army is The Polyphonic Spree's first release via TVT Records. "TVT has always been about singular artists," said TVT Records Senior Vice President Paul Burgess. "You'd be hard pressed to find a more singular act than the Spree. We are pleased and proud to hook up with this tremendous band and hope to help build them a bigger audience. The Fragile Army is a brilliant and accomplished album that will rank up their with this year's best."
The Polyphonic Spree at SXSW 2007
Fri 3/16 12:30 AM Austin Music Hall Ballroom (Convention Center)
Sat 3/17 12:00 PM Bootleg BBQ @ Mean Eyed Cat (1621 West 5th St)
Sat 3/17 5:00 PM The Mohawk outside (912 Red River)
Sat 3/17 11:00 PM La Zona Rosa (612 W 4th St)
The Fragile Army track list
1. Section 21 [Together We're Heavy]
2. Section 22 [Running Away]
3. Section 23 [Get Up And Go]
4. Section 24 [The Fragile Army]
5. Section 25 [Younger Yesterday]
6. Section 26 [We Crawl]
7. Section 27 [Mental Cabaret]
8. Section 28 [Guaranteed Nightlite]
9. Section 29 [Light To Follow]
10. Section 30 [Watch Us Explode (Justify)]
11. Section 31 [Overblow Your Nest]
12. Section 32 [The Championship]
www.thepolyphonicspree.com
www.thefragilearmy.com
www.tvtrecords.com
www.littlebigman.com/pr
