Music
Press
Posted on Sat, Jul. 02, 2005
R E L A T E D C O N T E N T
STAR-TELEGRAM/TOM PENNINGTON
The Polyphonic Spree, with lead vocalist Tim DeLaughter, perform their unique blend of music Friday at the Botanic Garden.
Singing Spree in the Garden
21 robed Polyphonic Spree members define peace and love outdoors
By Punch Shaw
Special to the Star-Telegram
FORT WORTH - Dallas' choral rock orchestra Polyphonic Spree found a perfect venue for its feel-good pop in the Fort Worth Botanic Garden on Friday night.
Since every concert is like Woodstock for this bouncing, choir-robed band of 21 singers and instrumentalists, the outdoor setting of Fort Worth Symphony's Concerts in the Garden series was an ideal staging ground for their unique blend of anthems and good vibrations. If the grounds had been hopelessly muddy, it would have been hard to distinguish the concert from the 1969 be-in at Yasgur's farm.
The band, led by Tim DeLaughter, seemed refreshed by a recent four-month hiatus. There was energy to spare in the 90-minute set, which concentrated on very familiar material -- We Sound Amazed, Hold Me Now, It's the Sun and Together We're Heavy, among others.
The band is enjoying global success (having already appeared on the soundtrack of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. They will next be heard in the film Thumbsucker), and still it has not in any way gone to their heads. DeLaughter was signing autographs for fans out by the portable toilets just before showtime, and you have never seen an artist more genuinely thankful for the 3,521 21st-century hippies (the difference is that they have jobs and come in all ages) who showed up on what turned out to be a surprisingly comfortable night in the Garden.
The evening opened with a completely unnecessary set by former Spree member Jesse Hester, performing under the name Sweet Lee Morrow. His solo set sounded just like the Spree without the aid of a chorus and an army of instruments. It only served to delay the start of the real show by a band that does not think there is anything wrong with peace, love or understanding.
GRADE: A-
- Fort Worth Star Telegram
Discography
Sweet Lee Morrow's first Record went on sale, at Good Records only so far, on July 1st 2005. Head First is the name of the record. We are following the record w/ a single that will be on our 2nd album. The single ("can you imagine") is being shopped around as much as possible. Check it out on podcast......next record should be out in march of '07.."Routes and Rockets"--get ready.
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
Sweet Lee Morrow came about in'99 a four piece band led by visionary Jesse Po-Dunk Hester. In 2000 the band faded due to Jesse's joining Dallas' The Polyphonic Spree, playing the piano and singing back-up vocals.The band was very successful Nationally and Internationally, Thus enabling Jesse to gain a sufficient amount of experience as a turning wheel in the music industry. In '04 Sweet Lee Morrow returned as Jesse's long embraced alter ego. Sometimes "Sweet lee Morrow" is a solo act, though often he pre-records audio(drums and strings) and plays along to give the performance some real emphasis. Other times, he's got the support of a full band, adding an element of authentic rock'n'roll. Band's influences include: Tripping Daisy, Stevie Wonder, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, The Beatles, David Bowie, and David Burn.
Jesse's credits include, appearances on Scrubbs, Conan 'O Brian, Jay Leno, Jimmy Kimmel, Top of the Pops, and tours thru North America, the U.K., Europe, and Japan
----website is currently under construction-------- www.myspace/sweetleemorrow.com
Contact: Jesse Hester 214-608-6214
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