For the current tour backing the new album, "The Fragile Army," The Polyphonic Spree has traded in its signature choral robes for a different uniform, one with dark paramilitary look.

But, judging from the music, the band's upbeat tone hasn't changed.

"We're evolving but still unified as a group," says leader Tim DeLaughter. "What we're wearing is more apropos for this American political climate we're in that we're going to war all the time. So it's like, 'Let's go into war but in a different direction.' Our uniform is donned with universal symbols of peace. We're streamlined for the future, as I like to say, and the robes still become part of the show. It all fits in by the end."

Who does all the laundry is another issue. The Polyphonic Spree, formed in 2000 from the remains of the Dallas band Tripping Daisy, is an absurdly impractical touring unit totalling 27 members at the moment. They join voices and orchestration in a sound that's been compared to everything from Flaming Lips to David Bowie to the Electric Light Orchestra.

The Spree is traveling right now on two tour buses because when they tried to do it in one, DeLaughter says, it was a "just a nightmare."

The buses are running partly on pure optimism. Unlike the most modern indie-rock, the Polyphonic Spree smiles in the face of despair.

"My lyrics have kind of been like that," DeLaughter says. "It's always been for myself, to tell myself it's going to be all right, like daily mantras for me and this daily perseverance of hope, because I've lived through the ups and downs constantly, just like everybody else, but these are the things I tend to sing about. Something that's just a little, I don't know, hopeful overall. I improvise the lyrics and music and melody, and it's like this stream of consciousness. It's usually about overcoming."

The idea to have a chorus of people in robes behind him, of course, has added to the jubilant atmosphere. The overall effect has gotten a mixed response, starting with a wave of good press for the 2002 debut "The Beginning Stages of ... " and then turning into more of a backlash for the follow-up, "Together We're Heavy." Part of the criticism has been the bombastic wall of sound. Part of it is, it's not real cool to be happy.

"I didn't realize how much of an issue it was until this band," DeLaughter says. "I didn't realize how much being optimistic was something that would stand out so much. It's really been a very big deal. We've been ridiculed for it. It's been kind of debilitating at times, only because it's kind of disheartening that some people would be upset about it."

If it's any consolation to people, they're not, like, happy all the time.

"It's not that we're really like that," DeLaughter says. "We're very much a dysfunctional bunch. There are probably some of us who are contemplating suicide on a daily basis. I mean, come on, there are 27 people out here and the odds of having 27 super-happy, all-got-it-together people is a complete farce. There's no way that's going on."

DeLaughter says it does all come together when they get on stage. The approach on "The Fragile Army" was to emphasize that live element.

"We wanted something more representative of the high energy of our live shows. Something more raw and urgent, so it's the most rock record we've put out. Instead of doing 13-minute songs, these are shorter, three- and four-minute blasts of what we do."

What he's not sure of is how long it can go on.

"Man, if you go to live shows, you don't want miss this show," he says, "I don't know how much longer I'm going to be able to sustain this group. And there's nothing quite like this. I know I'm in the band, but we have one of the best live shows going. For what you pay for and what you get out of it, you can't beat this band, man."