The multicoloured robes. The gigantic band. The choir. The whole Up With People-meets-wacky religious cult vibe. If there ever was a band that truly must be seen to be believed, it is the Dallas orch-pop collective The Polyphonic Spree.

Which means that for once, the bonus DVD included with this album is an essential component and not just a superfluous piece of marketing. Indeed, watching ringleader Tim DeLaughter put his 20-some bandmates through their paces live is the best way to truly appreciate the breadth of their ability, the level of their commitment and the combined sonic and visual impact of their music.

And it's your best way to ease into the more ambitious, varied and dramatic achievement that is their sophomore full-length Together We're Heavy.

As on their debut The Beginning Stages Of ... , these 10 cuts traffic in the rich, multi-textured orch-pop of classic Beatles and Brian Wilson, as filtered through the neo-psychedelic prism of Olivia Tremor Control and Flaming Lips.

But this time out, the expansively crafted, impeccably produced and superbly executed songs are less pop and more orch, soaring higher with the benefit of DeLaughter's richly textured neo-classical orchestrations and multi-faceted arrangements. The final pieces of puzzle, of course, are his spiritually based, life-affirming lyrics, which turn grand epics like When the Fool Becomes a King into the sonic equivalent of a hug.

You've never heard -- or seen -- anything quite like it.

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[[+3]] Friday, July 23, 2004

Heavy, man