Premiere Play with The Polyphonic Spree

Yes, It’s True is The Polyphonic Spree’s fifth studio album and their first since 2007’s The Fragile Army, apart from their holiday themed album Holidaydream: Sounds Of The Holiday’s Volume 1 in 2012.

Yes, It’s True was produced by The Speekers (Tim DeLaughter and Julie Doyle), Eric Drew Feldman (PJ Harvey, Captain Beefheart), With additional production by Tim Palmer (Pearl Jam, U2).

The album has 11 songs ranging in scope from the upbeat album opener “You Don’t Know Me” to the powerful closer “Battlefield.” Musically and lyrically, ‘Yes, It’s True’ is Delaughter’s strongest work yet. Lyrical themes range from the heartfelt “You’re Golden”, the mantra refrain of “Raise Your Head”, the playful improvised “Heart Talk,” and the tent-pole of the album “Blurry Up The Lines,” which deals with breaking away from the norms and our inner most comfort zones.

Currently active with 22 members, Delaughter and the band return to Australia this October for a one show as part of the 2013 Melbourne Festival.

So to get you in the mood for the bands return band leader Tim Delaughter has given us a little track by track breakdown of the new album and some exclusive photos from the studio which is out today through Create/Control

Listen to the album in full here:

YOU DON’T KNOW ME
I don’t believe anyone ever wants to be summed up by the ever changing perception that we humans tend to get stuck in on a daily basis. This is our anthem; and as I figure, it would be for anyone who feels this way as well.

POPULAR BY DESIGN
Truth is, this was going to be an instrumental. It felt like our, “Hello, How are you? Come on in” song. I started hearing the chorus melody before we did the vocals. Julie was hearing the melody and lyrics for the verses while in the studio. We just sat down and wrote it out in about 5 minutes—very spontaneous and there you have it. An instrumental no longer, this song was one that transformed quickly

HOLD YOURSELF UP
When in doubt, there’s no choice but to keep at it; when someone you trust can see the forest through the trees at times you, yourself, can not.

CAREFULLY TRY
This song came to me in a very abstract manner. Probably a good idea to just let it all go sometimes, give the old psyche a rest

YOU’RE GOLDEN
I wrote this song a few days before the recording. The song came with ease as it’s a hybrid of wife and daughter and all the thoughts at that moment; a modern day contribution. It’s different for me lyrically as more often than not my words happen in more of a metaphoric fashion with a bit of abstraction. This one is pretty much to the point.

HEART TALK
I have always been a fan of improvisation, hence the Spree’s foundation. This is one of those songs I wrote in the studio one afternoon on the piano while improvising lyrics and developing the melody. I took advantage of the time as the engineers were sorting tracks, etc. I decided to track it. I think I did a couple of vocal takes and we decided to leave it. I had to listen back to figure out what i was saying, this happens with me and sometimes it works out

BLURRY UP THE LINES
Get in there, dig deep and go forth. We have no choice.

LET THEM BE
Inspired by looking at imagery from The Old Man And The Sea. (I love to fish.) This one came to me. I generally use my Linn drum machine to set the mood of where I want to be, then go from there..

RAISE YOUR HEAD
I was feeling pretty down one day in the studio. Again, with a little time to spare while other work was happening, I was inspired by a new effect pedal I had found at a flea market. I decided to try it out. I was inspired by the sound of the pedal. I hadn’t written any of these songs on electric guitar. It’s a basic song, or mantra, if you will. These lyrics are a document of what i needed to believe right then and there. It’s never been my intention to tell others how to pull themselves out of a funk so to speak but more about my efforts to sing aloud about what will help me

WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
This song originally was a very, very mellow song, somewhat melancholy. Add a beat and everything changes. It’s a mouthful but I feel it’s pretty universal. No hidden meaning here, it’s point blank.

BATTLEFIELD
This is obviously my most personal contribution to date and possibly my favorite. I think Pat Benatar said it a long time ago, “Love is a Battlefield.” Ha!!!