What better way to begin a blog referencing music, religion, pop culture, etc. than with thoughts on this group? The Spree appeared at Cat's Cradle in Carrboro, NC last evening, and I'd be hard pressed to think of a more overhyped, ultimately disappointing show.
For the uninitiated, the Spree is a pop choir, that is intended to make real the musical vision of its founder, Tim DeLaughter. This vision evidently consists of one song after another that sound like the beginnings of Left Banke singles with Phil Spector flourishes, and Spanky and Our Gang vocals combined with the instrumental portions of psychedelic era Beatles songs. They sing happy new agey lyrics that are largely unintelligible. The obscured lyrics may not have been the fault of the Spree. the sound at Cat's Cradle was hideous. However, they are responsible for their organizing schtick, which is the wearing of white robes and "dancing" through their numbers. This made their stage routine look like a mass breakout from an epilepsy ward.
It wouldn't be fair to say the Spree show was entirely without charms. There are elements of their music which sound great in a big, baroque pop way. These moments were artifice in search of a foundation. All of the stuff that happens on stage, and the showbizzy sound of the music can't entirely obscure the fact that the group has no decent songs.
The psuedoreligous aspect of the show is the most interesting thing to me. People grin vapidly, bounce around on stage, and pump up the crowd from the get-go. This orchestrating the crowd into a frenzy irrespective of what's happening on stage has echoes of a Pentecostal revival service. A Spree concert, though, is ecstacy for its own sake, a feel-good experience without content or context.
I posted on another board that listening to the Spree was like being confined to a room in Hell with only the overtures from "Hair" and "Godspell" to listen to. Upon further review, I was too harsh to "Hair" and "Godspell."
