The Polyphonic Spree

The Polyphonic Spree is a massive orchestral band led by singer Tim DeLaughter that sports about 25 people on a good day, including whole string and brass sections and a large group of backup vocalists. They use these instruments not as a way to create classical ensemble textures, but mostly as a way to amplify the band's '70s pop inspired music. It is an effective tool in that it not only helps them project a sense of grandeur around their big, exuberant, and unadulterated pop sound, but also having a small army of performers wearing robes on stage gives them a striking visual presentation. Their songs (called "sections" and numbered sequentially) are very much inspired by the work of bands like Beach Boys, The Fifth Dimension, Wings, and Electric Light Orchestra. The size of the band has been an obvious impediment to their ability to tour. Their 2021 release Afflatus is a cover album.