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Zero 7
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.
The Beginning Stages Of...
EMAILPRINTby The Polyphonic Spree
Universal acclaim
Based on 14 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 18 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album >
Album Info
Label: Good / Hollywood
Release Date: 04 June 2002
Discs: 1 disc
Genre(s): Indie, Pop, Rock
Summary
It's a bit hard NOT to get noticed when your band consists of a couple dozen people dressed in white robes, but having one of the most memorable debut albums in recent years (think Mercury Rev + Spiritualized + Up With People) certainly doesn't hurt. This 10-song debut (which was originally intended as a demo) did in fact land the Austin, Texas band led by former Tripping Daisy member Tim DeLaughter a major label deal.
Also By This Artist: The Fragile Army Together We're Heavy
Also On The Web: Official Artist Site
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
New Musical Express
So contagious is their enthusiasm, you could start thinking that black-clad nihilism has kept music to itself for way too long.
Read Full Review >All Music Guide
The sheer joy of their music is undeniably persuasive, evoking the otherworldly brilliance of everything from Pet Sounds to The Soft Bulletin.
Read Full Review >Urb
This record sounds like nothing else in your collection. [Oct 2003, p.84]
Dot Music
The good news is that The Polyphonic Spree still make sense stripped of all visual gimmicks.
Read Full Review >Q Magazine
There's the humanist warmth and simple joy that you hear in The Beach Boys or The Flaming Lips at their best. [Nov 2002, p.114]
The Onion (A.V. Club)
Though he could stand to loosen the reins and let his sidemen push the songs into more adventurous territory, DeLaughter has at least figured out how to create a dramatic effect.
Read Full Review >Amazon.com
Depending on your partiality for mid-’70s macramé culture, this is either a gift from the gods or the worst thing that could possibly happen to pop culture since bellbottoms made a comeback.
Read Full Review >Stylus Magazine
Somehow The Polyphonic Spree have managed to make a record that actually is simple, joyous, and spiritually uplifting.
Read Full Review >Rolling Stone
This sloppy but spirited congregation may well end up as an alt-rock novelty, but more disciplined souls might want to follow the way that The Beginning Stages of . . . suggests.
Read Full Review >Mojo
Their pop peaks sound like an ecstatic communion of Mercury Rev, ELO and the cast of Hair. [Oct 2002, p.110]
ShakingThrough.net
While the upbeat message is laudable, the entire exercise could prove overly precious, not to mention repetitive, if not for a few tunes that help add much needed variety.
Read Full Review >Pitchfork
The more anthemic crowd-pleasing numbers littered throughout The Beginning Stages of the Polyphonic Spree boast such endlessly repeated refrains as "Hey/ It's the Sun/ And it makes me Shine," which lose a lot of their appeal when taken out of their natural habitat (the live setting) and placed between your headphones.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this album is 6.7 (out of 10) based on 18 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Nick p gave it a7:
yeah the lyrics are crap (as with almost all t pop music) but this is somwhat interesting musically
Bob H gave it a7:
Listening to the whole thing at once is a bit too much. But despite it being very (almost overly) sweet, it's a charming piece of work. Not all songs have to have huge amounts of meaning-sometimes they're just mindless fun. P.S. It's Barney, not Barnie. Just so you get your insult right.
Brandon S. gave it a 3:
Hey Ryan, what connection do you have with Dan Smith just wondering. I don't see how these guys are a ripoff, but I would much rather listen to Danielson Fam.
Ryan P gave it a 0:
for those who havent figured it out already......can you say danielson famile rip off? granted im biased due to a personal connection with Dan Smith but he should be given the admiration for inspiring this heap of crap!
starcat gave it an 8:
This album is fun, it makes me laugh. Sometimes at it, but that's because I hate the Sun. Damned Sun.
Bill D gave it a 1:
Are you kidding? This is entertainment? Am I the only one who agrees with Pete B? The Spree is Barnie for adults... actually - thats an insult to Barnie
Two-Lane Blacktop gave it a 9:
A little hippy-dippy, but irresistably fun and joyous. I don't think the Polyphonic Spree mind if you laugh at them or with them, as long as you're laughing.
