A twenty-plus piece choral rock band, The Polyphonic Spree return to Philly to play the TLA on Friday night, May 25, and will be here that afternoon for an XPN Free At Noon!

The Polyphonic Spree is exactly what their name suggests: a chorus of voices with little restraint. The group is lead by Tim DeLaughter and, though the line-up changes constantly, typically involves some 20-odd individuals who provide talents from singing to piccolo. The Polyphonic Spree came about after DeLaughter's previous band, Tripping Daisy, broke up when band mate Wes Berggren died unexpectedly in 1999. The Polyphonic Spree has been called a reaction to Berggren's untimely death, and the upbeat, melodic songs often discuss lost loved ones and other heavy themes.

The group's blend of dark topics and Beatles-esque harmonies has earned Polyphonic Spree a beloved place in pop culture. The group's songs have been featured in films, commercials and TV shows all over the world. To name a few, just the song "Light and Day/Reach For the Sun" alone has been featured in a Volkswagen and iPod joint advertising campaign, in an NFL tribute to Bill Walsh, in an episode of Scrubs, in an episode of the British show Undone, in the movie "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," in the documentary "Murderball," and in the trailer for this year's "The Lorax," among other places. The band opened for David Bowie and played the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in 2004. Needless to say, this group makes music that is even bigger than the tour bus it would take to move all of its members.

We are thrilled to host The Polyphonic Spree at World Cafe as a Free At Noon guest on May 24th. The group has a new single out called "What Would You Do?" and we can't wait to hear them perform it.

Website: thepolyphonicspree.com/
Facebook: facebook.com/polyphonicspree
Recent Release: What Would You Do? (Single)
Release Date: January 21st, 2012
Label: Good Records Recordings
Hometown: Dallas, Texas