Click on this link to go back to the main Polyphonic Weirdos page... Together We're Heavy ... But Mostly That's You Overall Album Score: 9.3 out of 10 Oh my GOSH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can’t believe that The Polyphonic Spree actually got quite a bit better with this 2004 follow-up to their already amazing debut, The Beginning Stages Of…. … But it happened with flying freaking colors! And … crap! I think we have a new classic on our hands. And it’s not even a week old (as I’m writing this). Of course, it’s going to be utterly ignored at the Grammy’s but … the way those awards work, it might be an insult if these guys get nominated for an award! … They give prizes to idiots like Justin Timberlake. Certainly, if you liked the inane happiness that infested The Beginning Stages Of… more than anything else, and there’s no way that you’d like anything that’s not inane happiness, then I’m afraid that you might be slightly disappointed with Together We’re Heavy. The mood on Together We’re Heavy isn’t usually quite as elated … this is much more relaxed and the heavy emotions are a bit darker. (That said, this is still a happy album.) There are a few major moments of elated happiness on Together We’re Happy, but they’re not quite as great as they were on the debut in my opinion. Part of that might just be due to the fact that it’s no longer new to me anymore. Although … they do re-sing “It’s the Sun,” which appeared on their first album … and those still give me some nice, over-elated feelings! Of course, The Beginning Stages Of… had its more relaxed moments in them, but they’re much more plentiful in Together We’re Heavy and quite a bit more beautiful and melodic! Many of them had me gasping for air because they were so breathtaking! … And … wow … … … … this stuff is SUPER!!!! What an utterly impressive album! I so much am a Polyphonic Spree fan now! When can I see them in concert? Overall Album Score: 9.3 out of 10 (Whereas The Polyphonic Spree’s brilliant debut album, The Beginning Stages Of… often made me feel a bit uncomfortable listening to its Prozac-inspired happiness, their follow-up feels much more real … and it’s even more beautiful and breathtaking. Inspiring.) Average Song Score: 8.9 (WOW!!!!!!!!!! Count me in as someone who’s totally impressed!) Album Tilt: 9.5 (OOOOOOOHHHHHH, this is so much better than The Polyphonic Spree’s already-quite-impressive original. The songs are more beautiful and engaging. This is a winner!) Artist Rating: 9.5 (Absolutely and utterly amazing! I can’t be more impressed with this ... a wonderful, breathtaking artistic achievement. All you so-called art-rock lovers really need to get this.) Track Reviews Section 11 (We Sound Amazed) 10/10 Wow! … This track perfectly interchanges from the edgy and menacing and the breathtakingly beautiful! The arrangements were done with care and precision … and they don’t forget how to be innovative about it. The central melody on this track also manages to be catchier and more alluring than most everything on their debut! Also, the mood of this one is clearly not inane happiness. It’s much more pessimistic … but hella engaging and moving, even. It’s length (at more than eight minutes) hardly phases it! Really, this track is quite amazing. Full marks for this one, baby! (The end of this revisits the “It’s the Sun” theme, which appeared on The Polyphonic Spree’s previous album.) Section 12 (Hold Me Now) 8.5/10 This one sounds a bit more conditioned and poppy than the previous one … and, indeed, this was released as a single! With an exception of a section in the middle of this, this one is about as uninhibitedly happy as the stuff that appeared in The Beginning Stages Of…, but it doesn’t exactly give me that strange mood that made those songs so memorable. Nevertheless, this is a well-made song with a pretty good melody (though lacking somewhat) and good instrumentation. Section 13 (Diamonds / Devotions to Majesty) 8/10 Whew! I almost had to give this a 7.5, but then I remembered that the arrangements were pretty unusual and quirky. Besides that, I really enjoy the chorus of this one … it’s emotional and uplifting. Though, it isn’t uplifting in a bizarre way. The principle reason I almost gave it a 7.5 is because the beginning of it is a little boring and the melody (except for a few moments) isn’t that good. But I like the emotion. That was really good. Section 14 (Two Thousand Places) 9/10 This is another desperate sounding song … and … is that a Moog-synth I hear? Neat! (The Moog is a cool instrument to use every once in awhile, lending the song a quirky or campy atmosphere.) The chorus here is awesome … and so is the rest of the song. Just like most of the other songs from this album, it’s blown absolutely out of proportion … and it’s wonderful! Section 15 (Ensure Your Reservation) 9.5/10 A brief, under-two-minute instrumental that sounds like something from the Romantic Era of classical music … except for the moog synth and those weird sound-effects in the deep background we hear every once in awhile. … And … wow, this is absolutely beautiful! It doesn’t last very long, but it sure leaves an impression. Section 16 (One Man Show) 8/10 Hmmm … the beginning of this song is really lovely, but a section of the melody repeats a bit too much for me. … The latter three-fifths of the song is very interesting to listen to … and it does a very good job conveying a desperate type of mood. However, though, I’ve got to give it an 8. It’s good … it’s just not that good! Section 17 (Suitcase Calling) 9/10 Whoah … if there were a crime for recording artists putting too many breathtaking and gorgeous songs on their albums, The Polyphonic Spree would be up for life, man! … How on earth are they doing it? Perhaps this weird figure the cult is worshipping blessed them! … That would explain it! This is yet another uplifting, engaging, and oh so beautiful song! … … I love the instrumentation … (And that Moog Synth! How often do you get to love a Moog synth?) … The second half of this song isn’t quite as great, though. It feels like a lot of the songs from The Beginning Stages Of…, but … heck, I guess that’s just not new anymore! It’s all still totally awesome, though. Section 18 (Everything Starts At the Seam) 7.5/10 It’s short … and not really that great. The bouncy piano chords are nice, I suppose, but it all really pales compared to everything else. Fortunately, it’s rather easy to forget about this one! … It’s so short! And buried! Section 19 (When the Fool Becomes King) 9.5/10 A bit unfocused, I think. This more-than-10-minute towering track sure has its moments, though. Some parts of this song are so thick and moody that you just want to fall in love with it … and have a melody that you just want to sink your teeth in it. Other parts are slightly boring and it doesn’t quite have that irresistible mood going for it. Fortunately, though, I was able to sit back, look at this thing, and be pretty danged impressed with it overall What an undergoing … and those “moments” really are frequent and do rank as ‘quite amazing.’ (We also get a pretty bombastic rehash of “It’s the Sun” from their debut album! … I guess we couldn’t quite get enough of that, huh!) Section 20 (Together We’re Heavy) 10/10 Does it have to end? … Aw! … Now I have to wait forever for The Polyphonic Spree to make another album. You know, that really sucks! … I really don’t like reviewing new bands. When I review musicians from the 60s and 70s, I don’t have to wait for new albums, because they’ve already made ‘em! … And now! This brand spanking new band comes along, and I actually have to wait for them to sit down and write new songs … go to the studio and record it … and then wait until they’re ready to release it … … argh! … Oh well, I guess that’s life. And, before I end this review before talking a bit about “Together We’re Heavy,” I’d better say something about it. Very peculiar this one is! It’s another very moody, engaging, and uplifting instrumental with the Mellotron all over it (as well as conflicting harps, violins, a fake choir). And then there’s this whispering going on in the foreground! … Wow! Now, that’s pretty bizarre … and a really nice addition to it, oddly enough. I really probably shouldn’t be giving this a 10, but … wow. This reminds me so much of that mood music that I used to hear in that ancient computer adventure game “Myst” … except this is so much better and atmospheric! This band is tops in my book, man. … … Alright, now it’s time to get high. Excuse me. You see the light! You're going to send me your thoughts about this album here! Hooray for me!

All reviews are copyrighted by the author, Michael Lawrence. ... Together we're pretty rich, too.