Tim Delaughter is a dreamer.
In his latest project -- composing the sounds to go along with high-contrast visuals for WeeSee, a set of DVDs aimed at young kids -- his stated intent was " to see the world through a child's eyes."
That child-like wonder is an obvious driving force in what Delaughter sets out to do. Leading a band with up to 27 members sounds like an impossibility to bands struggling to keep a quartet together -- but when you see a Polyphonic Spree show, the energy feels far more like a children's choir than a formal orchestra.
With a resume like Delaughter's, it's no wonder he's a central figure in Dallas' music scene. He hit it big with Tripping Daisy, before the untimely death of band-mate and guitarist Wes Berggren, then moved on to create the Spree with Daisy band-mates Mark Pirro, Bryan Wakeland, and Jeff Bouck. Though the Spree's success has been mixed nationally, tickets to their annual Christmas show are always the big draw in Dallas come December. Beyond the bands, though, Delaughter's work co-founding Good Records -- both the store and the label -- has created a haven for indie artists in DFW to get their music recognized -- and bought.
There are already whispers that the Spree has begun work on their next album -- and with former Spree member Annie Clark, aka St. Vincent, having recent national success, we could soon be seeing addition members spin-off to achieve solo success. Even if the Spree blossoms dozens of solo artists, Delaughter will surely be waving goodbye with his "elastic firecracker" smile and sincerest best wishes.
