Frazier Chorus

British pop outfit Frazier Chorus originated in Brighton, England, where singer and keyboardist Tim Freeman joined forces with percussionist Michelle Allardyce, flutist Kate Holmes, and clarinetist/programmer Chris Taplin. The quartet first performed under the names Fishing for Clouds and later Plop! before settling on Frazier Chorus, a moniker drawn from an American baseball jacket owned by Allardyce. Their dreamy, pastoral sound aligned naturally with the aesthetic of the 4AD label, which issued the group’s debut single “Sloppy Heart” in 1987. The following year the band moved to Virgin for the single “Dream Kitchen,” and in 1989 they delivered their debut album Sue on the same imprint. Allardyce departed once the record was finished, leaving the remaining trio to release “Cloud 8” in 1990. After the 1991 album Ray, Frazier Chorus dissolved. Freeman revived the project in 1995 with Wide Awake, on which he stood as the only holdover from the original lineup and was joined by his brother Jamie on guitar, keyboardist Max More, former Bonzo Dog Band accordionist General de Gaulle, horn player Johnny Knowles, and longtime Cocteau Twins drummer Benny DiMassa.