Spiritualized

I can't believe there are not more people raving about this record. I love it. It shows Jason Pierce at his simplest production wise and it actually reminds of those awesome Sparklehorse records ( another person who is criminally underrated). Put it simply this guy does not get his due at all. Phenomenal mind at work on this record and on his others. i can't wait to see them live in January once they come to Auckland.

This is what we have come to expect from Jason Spaceman: awe-inspiring melodies, majestic in their pathos, their simplicity.

As good as any of their records (i have them all), if not better.

Don't listen to anyone who slags off the lyrics--who cares about lyrics in pop songs, anyway? If you want poetry, read Eliot or Shelley or Wallace Stevens, or Dylan, for heaven's sakes.

Plaintive, heartbreaking, ambitious in a sort of safe way, cathartic, lovely--as good as THE BLACK WATCH's masterpiece, released early this past summer.

If you like Radiohead, The Verve (ick!), or Flaming Lips--you will adore the new Spiritualized.

To me, this is the best Spiritualized record since `Ladies and Gentlemen'.

First lyric point: I think this is his most lyrically interesting work. Content wise, JP seems to have wallowed in the self-pity of drug addiction. I found his musical glorification of his wretched state a bit annoying. But maybe as a non-drug user, I just couldn't relate. The lyrics on this record seem to be much more honest. Dwelling on death is probably as much of a rock lyric cliché as the addiction/redemption dichotomy, but I think he explores it with more insight and heart. (As an aside, I've read that most of this record was written prior to his major illness. So I find the fact that he got to this point without the actual brush with death all the more impressive.)

Second lyrical point: JP's penchant for parodying clichés as a basis for lyrics seems to be gone. And I'm glad. Other than `She Kissed Me and It Felt Like a Hit', I found these groan inducing rather than funny or insightful.

Musically: I thought "Let it Come Down" was really overblown and sterile (relative to L&G. It's still sonically a very impressive sound). And I thought "Amazing Grace" was good but a bit too raw and under-produced. But for me, I think this record is the perfect balance of the two sounds. It has great dynamic range in the arrangement and mix/master which is a welcome change these days. The loan acoustic guitar sounds detailed but hushed, and the orchestra sounds massive but with a lot more restraint than LICD.

And I really like the Harmony Interludes and how they help pace out the album.

In summary, I know Jason Pierce hasn't been labouring for the last 10 years trying to make a second great record to please me personally, but I must say, he has succeeded.

First, I definitely like this album. J-Spaceman's first album after his life-threatening illness is not a disappointment. It is a little different and I don't like it overall as much as his last few records.

Favorite songs: Baby I'm Just a Fool, Soul On Fire, The Waves Crash In

I must admit that I laughed when I read the other reviewer's comment that the acoustic songs sounded like Adam Sandler singing his silly songs. I don't necessarily agree but the acoustic songs are definitely the weakest songs on the album.

Overall, if you are a longtime Spiritualized fan, you would be insane to skip this. There are definitely some classics on here.

For new fans or younger folks getting into psych, shoegaze, britpop, etc - this ain't a bad place to start (although "Ladies & Gentlemen" is a way better record of course).

While maye not as great as "Ladies and Gentlemen we are floating in Space", this is an extraordinary record by today's standards. While I also prefer his Spacemen 3 period J Pierce is one of the ebst songwriters in mdern rock. To some degree it is surprising that he has been able to keep on producing such high-quality music for over a decade now (or 2 even. A gem.

When I first listened to this CD I thought it was a little long and somewhat boring. It was my first exposure to Spiritualized and from what everyone was telling me I was a little disappointed. However, I did not let my first run around make up my mind. I kept on listening and everytime I did something new came up in the music. Eventually, listening to the CD became more than just music playing it became an experience of life. The music eveloped me and I felt the connection. There are a lot of CDs I have that I will listen to when I just want a sing along or to rock out. However when I want to be part of the musical experience I feel there are really only two. "Marquee Moon" by Television and this album. There are others that come close to the experience but only those two really achieve the mark. This is an amazing CD.

i was first introduced to spiritualized at a jesus and mary chain show in 1992. the lights went down, all you could hear is organ and someone in the crowd jokingly asks,"what, are we in church?"
they've been one of my favorite bands ever since. and when this album came out, well it has been one of my favorites ever since. this album shows that music is still going somewhere. listen to this cd in headphones over and over and you will find yourself amazed at the new things you hear with every listen. it's been almost 10 years that i've played this cd over and over and i still hear new sounds in it's infinite layers. there are only a few albums that i could listen to as much as i've listened to this one.
if you like great production, if you like soul, if you like gospel, if you like psychedelic, if you like rock and roll, if you like "pet sounds", if you like "seargent pepper's," if you like phil spector, daniel lanois or brian eno, do yourself a favor and give this a shot.

I was introduced to Spiritualized through a free music site and bought "Let It Come Down" as my first album. I immediately went out and purchased "Ladies and Gentlemen...", and I was not disappointed. While "Let It Come Down" may have more layers and perhaps more accessible music, "Ladies and Gentlemen..." is certainly more consistent, with subtle touches that repeated listens uncover, such as the use of Pachabel's Canon in D on the title track. There is a wide variety of styles in use on this album, including classical, jazz, rock, and progressive influences.

For all fans of Spiritualized, Radiohead, and all who want to escape into someone else's dreamscape.

4 and a half stars.

I first heard the song "Ladies and Gentlemen we are floating in space" in the movie Vanilla Sky (an awesome movie) and I just had to find out who the Artist was! This song got me hooked on Spiritualized! Their sound is like no other, it just blew me away. I have to buy this cd!! :)

I cant tell you how long I have been searching for this cd. I first heard the first track during the movie "Vanilla Sky". It plays as Sophie is walking in to David's Memorial. They neglected to include it on the soundtrack, so I didnt know the name of the band or the song, and it took a bit of detective work on my part. I finally found it, and the first track "ladies and gentlemen...." alone is worth it for me. Anyway, music for me is all about how it makes me feel, and I love how this makes me feel. I love music that has the abstract feel of a dream, so this does it for me. For those of you who are interested in another great song that the aforementioned movie also forgot to include, you must also try "Njosnavlin" by sigur ros (it plays as david jumps) You can find it in the cd entitled "()" and it is track #4.

J. Spaceman's debut which remains the band's masterpiece, a record of rock hypnosis unlike any other with soaring space rock guitars, ambient drones, keyboard/organ, brass, strings, woodwinds...genre-defying and perhaps the greatest album of the '90s (along with the Verve's Storm in Heaven). It is a blissful expansion of consciousness that embodies all of the freedom encountered in the first rock'n'roll dream of the '60s. Beyond that, words fail me as the album's songs are arranged in four multitrack suites which sound like variations on recurring musical themes which ebb and flow throughout the album, a reinvention of classical minimalism in the age of modern rock.

After repeated listens it seems as if Lazer Guided Melodies is based on the premise that the visible world is pervaded by invisible forces or spirits that affect the lives of the living.

J Spaceman is a Shaman.

True, LGM is great. Others have described the album well enough. The artwork is cool, too. Unfold the insert and hold the front cover panel to a bright light... gasp! It's a scary thing!

Everything about this album is shimmering perfection. The secret ingedient is Kate Radley's farfisa work, which provides a brilliant and soothing undertone that is replaced in later (and inferior) Spiritualized albums with an edgier guitar orientation. No surprise, as Jason Pierce gradually took over the band. But here we have Spiritualized at their finest, early on, still working together as an incredibly creative entity.

If my house was burning down and I could only keep one album, this would be the one!

I bought this CD when it first came out--back in the day. I still listen to it regularly because it is such a jewel. The only fault with it is that they grouped the songs into sets of 3 or 4, so you cannot skip or burn just one song--you are forced to skip 3 at a time. Nevertheless, I believe this is Spiritualized's best.

Thank God that the library has this. What more can you want from an album than the quote "Good Dope Good Fun". I really think that if you can get through the first song "Medication"...you'll have a good time with this. Read the lyrics first for the song "medication" and if you aren't disgusted and can relate in any way. Go ahead an d push "Add to Cart"

I'm tired so I don't feel like typing alot but this cd is pretty much perfection. The best of this band for sure. These Blues, Electric Mainline... wow. Seriously.

I'm still trying to figure this one out. This 1995 record by Spiritualized falls into a category which has become so convoluted by anal-retentive critics that I have decided to invent my own moniker for said music: Nyquil Rock. If you are unable to count sheep, just slip this disc into the changer and prepare to be lulled to sleep. Is that a good thing? Hell yes.

The reason I can't sum up what "Pure Phase" is all about is because it's so tangled and backass-wards that you can't go by what it conveys on a song-by-song basis. Instrumentation either comes out of nowhere or lingers for so long that you find yourself wobbling on your heels (warning: do not listen to this while standing up and most importantly not while driving. I nearly steered off the road and ran into a ditch because of "Pure Phase"). The lyrics are meant to delve into drug use and altered states of mind, but to be honest they don't matter when you first listen to the album. The vocals swoop in and out like mere whispers or low, harmonious chants, so you can barely hear what is being said. It's almost as if the voices themselves are instruments (a la "Loveless").

I must say that I like "Pure Phase" if only because it's so hard to place. As disjointed it may be, you can't say it doesn't hold surprises. It will have you drifting to sleep one minute and then BOOM!--some horrible racket of noise will jolt you from your coma. I suppose it's the composition that carries the record's concept more than its lyrics, because maybe that's what it's like to be addicted to a mind-altering substance. When you think about it it's frightening, because if the high felt as soothing as the tracks which spill from your speakers, could you imagine how hard it would be trying to quit? However, I still think "Thirteenth Step" by A Perfect Circle deals with this issue in a more coherent manner. If I haven't made it clear by this point I'll say it again: "Pure Phase" is not accesible.

I recommend this to you, the reader, if you want to solve the musical equivalent of a puzzle. You won't be able to dance, party, drive, have sex or bang your head to it, but if you lie down and put on "Pure Phase" by Spiritualized, you will either find yourself floating or waking up the next morning and thinking to yourself, "What the hell did I just hear? I want to hear it again!" It's one of those records that will redeem itself time and time again. For that it earns my praise.

click.

10.48am... weather is brisk... decide to indulge in new acquistion by english gospel space rockers spiritualized..

...listening for the second time...starts incredibly well... medication is an all out blast of pompous, fuzzy, glorious spiritualized rock. every track offers something different and engaging... album hits a minor peak with the stunning 'let it flow', then seems to lose focus a bit in the middle

lay back in the sun is great...good times also a nice track, but after that it retreats straight back to droning ambient stuff that doesnt really go anywhere for 7 minutes or so before the warbled vocals of 'spread your wings' rises out of the swamp...the strings in this track are gorgeous, but it never really finds its way out of the swamp...its not until about 3 minutes in that the closer makes itself known either.. once again, its a sweet sounding close... but you spend about 20 minutes waiting for that last little climax..

really like the album but definitely feel that there's a bit too much filler drone... some of those parts could have made a nice 2 minute come down before the next epic song, but they just drag a bit... and the album really loses steam in the second half....it could probably have been 10-15 minutes shorter and not lost anything.

will report back in approximately 1 hour...

heading towards more spiritual, tribal, and spacey territory next...the incredible, vision creation newsun...

click.

This album reminds me of White Light White Heat the cover is similar but the music is all over the place as well.

You get the soft weepy ballads coupled with loud abrassive rockers. This can be a good thing but it means you are lulled you into dreams only to be kicked in the head out of them.

Dont get me wrong this contains great songs some of my favorites. but its not as strong as a whole collection of songs like LGM or LAGWAFIS.

From the Title of this work, one might be lead into thinking you're looking at modern worship music. Be warned this is nothing but a total misuse (abuse) of terms that out of sheer respect ought to be reserved for works of Faith. This CD has its fans, but unless you're a fan, you will, like a reviewer below, find it to be tormenting garbage.

I can finally say I agree with GOD on something... the Amazon review of this album is pathetic. Jason Pierce has finally done what I thought he should have done all along: fuse his beautiful songcraft with the Velvets-inspired adrenalin of early Spacemen 3. And the result is totally exhilarating. "This little life of mine" roars into life and you can just tell from the production and the performance, this song was recorded live. "She Kissed me" has a similar live feel. Whoever complained this was an unnecessary return to lo-fi in a bungled attempt to be more relevant (can't remember where I read that: Magnet? Mojo?) completely missed the point. Jason Pierce's music has always been about finding the source of life pulsing within our veins, the one thing that we all have in common. No rock artist has ever had such an intimate, poignant relationship with lifeblood. It's what makes Spiritualized such a fragile, bewildering, exhilarating- altogether HUMAN- experience.

As for the more spread out songs, mostly on side two (i own the vinyl), songs like "Rated X" and "Lay it down slow" belie a new complexity, evidence of further maturation of Pierce's songcraft. The maelstrom of noise at the end of "Lay it down slow" is the only way this bittersweet album could end. Amazing and wonderful. I couldn't stop listening to this album when I first bought it, and it shot straight to my shuffle (which means I want to listen to it a lot).

We should be able to choose whether or not the editorial reviews are helpful, just like everyone elses. Gratuitous assertions such as "OK Computer earned more acclaim, but Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space is actually the better album"
should be stated as opinion or taste but make for poor objective review of an album on it's own merits or lack thereof.

Amazing Grace® joins that ever-growing elite of albums named after a song title that does not appear on that album, in this case Spiritualized's version of the old hymn Amazing Grace, which had appeared in 2002 on the single of Do It All Over Again. That single was taken from the 2001 album Let It Come Down, an album that had been four years in the making and had been generally regarded as somewhat bloated and over-produced, with gospel choirs and 100-piece orchestras eventually detracting from the beautiful compositions that lay at the core of the album.
By contrast, the majority of this album was recorded over just three weeks at Rockfield, with a line-up comprising Spaceman, John Coxon, Doggen, Thighpaulsandra and Tom Edwards. Regular drummer Kevin Bales had been taken ill at the end of the preceding tour and was replaced for most of the sessions by Jonny Aitken. The band played live, without overdubs, and generally with no more than one day being devoted to complete each song, so that Amazing Grace® became, according to Spaceman, "a document of a recording of what it was like on each day". The result is a fresher, more spontaneous energy infusing the results, with each track contrasting or complementing the one before.
In some ways it sounds like the follow-up to Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space we never had, the more upbeat tracks such as the excellently-titled She Kissed Me (It Felt Like A Hit) and its follow-up single Cheapster both back-referencing previous energy-bursts such as Electricity, while the slower numbers are held in check at four or five minutes in length.
Overdubs were added at the Roundhouse Studios and these included contributions from the British jazz alumni Evan Parker (sax) and Kenny Wheeler (trumpet). Spaceman and John Coxon had previously recorded with both as part of the Spring Heel Jack project Amassed. The instrumental The Power And The Glory has some of the best playing on the album, though perhaps as a result of the compressed recording time a couple of the songs and lyrics might strike the more fervent listener as Spiritualized-by-numbers

Jason Pierce has done a lot of great records over the past years. This one is less gospel inspired than the previous one. This one is more direct. A little like the song "Medication." This record was incredible to watch being played live. I love it.

I can't believe there are not more people raving about this record. I love it. It shows Jason Pierce at his simplest production wise and it actually reminds of those awesome Sparklehorse records ( another person who is criminally underrated). Put it simply this guy does not get his due at all. Phenomenal mind at work on this record and on his others. i can't wait to see them live in January once they come to Auckland.

This is what we have come to expect from Jason Spaceman: awe-inspiring melodies, majestic in their pathos, their simplicity.

As good as any of their records (i have them all), if not better.

Don't listen to anyone who slags off the lyrics--who cares about lyrics in pop songs, anyway? If you want poetry, read Eliot or Shelley or Wallace Stevens, or Dylan, for heaven's sakes.

Plaintive, heartbreaking, ambitious in a sort of safe way, cathartic, lovely--as good as THE BLACK WATCH's masterpiece, released early this past summer.

If you like Radiohead, The Verve (ick!), or Flaming Lips--you will adore the new Spiritualized.

To me, this is the best Spiritualized record since `Ladies and Gentlemen'.

First lyric point: I think this is his most lyrically interesting work. Content wise, JP seems to have wallowed in the self-pity of drug addiction. I found his musical glorification of his wretched state a bit annoying. But maybe as a non-drug user, I just couldn't relate. The lyrics on this record seem to be much more honest. Dwelling on death is probably as much of a rock lyric cliché as the addiction/redemption dichotomy, but I think he explores it with more insight and heart. (As an aside, I've read that most of this record was written prior to his major illness. So I find the fact that he got to this point without the actual brush with death all the more impressive.)

Second lyrical point: JP's penchant for parodying clichés as a basis for lyrics seems to be gone. And I'm glad. Other than `She Kissed Me and It Felt Like a Hit', I found these groan inducing rather than funny or insightful.

Musically: I thought "Let it Come Down" was really overblown and sterile (relative to L&G. It's still sonically a very impressive sound). And I thought "Amazing Grace" was good but a bit too raw and under-produced. But for me, I think this record is the perfect balance of the two sounds. It has great dynamic range in the arrangement and mix/master which is a welcome change these days. The loan acoustic guitar sounds detailed but hushed, and the orchestra sounds massive but with a lot more restraint than LICD.

And I really like the Harmony Interludes and how they help pace out the album.

In summary, I know Jason Pierce hasn't been labouring for the last 10 years trying to make a second great record to please me personally, but I must say, he has succeeded.

First, I definitely like this album. J-Spaceman's first album after his life-threatening illness is not a disappointment. It is a little different and I don't like it overall as much as his last few records.

Favorite songs: Baby I'm Just a Fool, Soul On Fire, The Waves Crash In

I must admit that I laughed when I read the other reviewer's comment that the acoustic songs sounded like Adam Sandler singing his silly songs. I don't necessarily agree but the acoustic songs are definitely the weakest songs on the album.

Overall, if you are a longtime Spiritualized fan, you would be insane to skip this. There are definitely some classics on here.

For new fans or younger folks getting into psych, shoegaze, britpop, etc - this ain't a bad place to start (although "Ladies & Gentlemen" is a way better record of course).

While maye not as great as "Ladies and Gentlemen we are floating in Space", this is an extraordinary record by today's standards. While I also prefer his Spacemen 3 period J Pierce is one of the ebst songwriters in mdern rock. To some degree it is surprising that he has been able to keep on producing such high-quality music for over a decade now (or 2 even. A gem.

What more to say? It's a great introductory collection. It's perfect for those that have the albums and don't want to spend a small fortune and the rest of their days hunting down the singles. Last, it's oh-so-convenient for those that have the singles/promos to have them all in one place (besides, why would you want to carry all of those 1-4 track, and sometimes more, ep's and singles with you?).
While you're at it get Vol.2 (you know you want it, heh heh heh)

The title of this disc might be considered to be a bit misleading by some,as 'The Complete...' appears to pull one's attention toward the group's rarities/unreleased archives in their pre-'Ladies And Gentlemen...' days.Taking that into consideration,most fans of founder Jason Pierce and co. should find this compilation CD to their liking.I know I did.Some of the better cuts include "Feel So Sad",the motivational "Run","Lay Back In The Sun"(nice keyboard work),"Electric Mainline,Part 1" and the shoegazing "Good Dope/Good Fun".Nice very choice pickings from the band's personal vault.Recommended to all Spiritualized/Spacemen 3 fans.

More accurately The Complete Works Excluding Album Tracks And With Some Omissions this limited edition release is nonetheless a marvellous collection of rare singles, EPs, promo recordings, flexi-discs, fan club exclusives and a complete John Peel session, all in pristine CD quality (even when one track had to be mastered directly from a flexi-disc as the original acetate master had been destroyed). A few B-sides are missing - yet the 7 minute B-side version of Sway taking up valuable space turns out disappointingly to be identical to the readily-available LP version.
Nevertheless, it is a worthy endeavour to make the bulk of one's catalogue available on CD and the two discs have been sympathetically programmed

Driving to this music can be hazardous to yourself and others on the highway. It is blood-pumping stuff, a beautiful aural assault on your ears that somehow finds its way to the gas pedal. A rare band that fools you with its tranquil overtures, while it really has your head locked into something resembling an F-16 engine on afterburner. When their outtakes sound this good, you know you're witnessing a band at the peak of its many powers.

I love this band. The music is so trippy. It's the kind of sound that, well, sticks to your bones. I find that the songs stay in my head, and follow me around, like a soundtrack of life. But it's not annoying, like for instance when you can't get some horrible Phil Collins off your mind that you heard while on hold to your local phone company.

My favorite band is Stereolab, and I find Spiritualized and Spacemen 3 to be in the same category. It's music that takes you to new worlds and delivers kind of a contact high. The synthesizers melodically pulsate in and out like a mantra.

Please give them a chance. Then listen to them again. Like all great music, they get better each time.

Thanks guys for putting out great music, and also well, saving me the money on drugs!

But, please, please, be careful. And I beg of you, don't listen to Spiritualized while driving!

Sort of reminds me of Air Supply with a slight advantage or should I say an "edge". Too bad the shipping costs more than the c.d.,( currently @$1.48) must have had a lot of returns to have such a surplus. I've been into Spacemen 3, E.A.R. and as well as Spectrum and I must say this is the weakest of all three incantations of what was once an excellent experimental band ahead ahead of it's time. The only way to listen to this disc to enjoy it is to mainline or just walk away because you just won't remember anything you heard after you come down. After reading all the above reviews it appears to be rhetoric without substance. Although truly it is a very commercial attempt for a top 10 single hit in there somewhere. And wasn't this cover idea used elsewhere?

It seems that Jason Pierce has decided that bigger is better on this album. And with few exceptions, this concept works. The use of an orchestra and gospel choir, either together or on separate tracks, along with Pierce's fragile vocals makes for a magical experience.

The music is often deceptively simple, and not as repetitive as a first listen would make you believe. For you musicians reading, for example, a song might sound in 3/4, but actually be in 6/8. A soft song with strings might morph or segue into a hard rock ballad. This schizophrenic melding of styles has become the wonder that is Spiritualized.

Although this is an excellent album in my eyes, fans of earlier Spiritualized albums (ie "Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space") might find more fault than faith in this album. But I would say that this album is a sure bet and a safe buy.

Dream on.

I probably will get some flak for what I am about to say but oh well, life goes on...Spiritualized at first impressed me for here, I thought, was a band that had a certain originality to their sound. Heavy lyrics, music and presentation. I went ahead and bought the album "Let It Come Down". I must have been going through some overly emotional period because the first time I really listened to it I broke down and had an episode of tears and self regret with some redemption notions thrown in for size. Yes, it was slow going and always the same approach but at the time I thought, "How incredibly sensitive this album is!". The problem began with subsequent listens. This guy started to depress me so rapidly I felt like cutting my veins with a plastic knife with no serrated edges for really I did and have never wanted to harm myself but you get the drift, I hope. Where is the joy I started asking myself, where is the music that makes you want to jump for joy, that inspires the listener and provides a jolt of good adrenalin, why so gloomy an endeavor? Once the hook is established you are in for the long haul and that is just wasting tape mostly. How many times can repetition be considered an art form? Not too many in my book. Spiritualized is unique and for that 3 stars are plenty. I would like to meet this guy for a few brews and attempt to accelerate his demeanor if at all possible. Slow, repetitious and his voice started to sound like he was so down I wanted to send him a "Cheer up, Buddy" Hallmark Card or something. The production of the album is impressive and well done but the overall effect makes you want to break down and wonder if there is still hope after all the mistakes committed through the years, all the separations and wasted times, please don't let me go on or I'll just go and buy another one by Spiritualized. 3 stars and that is plenty.

I love Spiritualized and I love this CD! It is sweet, raw and very pure and honest; almost child like. The words and music bring me to interesting places of thought. Much of what he says is so honest it is funny - I absolutely love listening to it and have been for the last 2 days since I received the CD - I am a sculptor (obviously not a writer) and have been enjoying it tremendously - buy it!

This is an amazing find for me. Endlessly searching amazon I've struck gold only a few times and this is one of them. So glad I got this album! Every single track is sooo entrancing and captures your senses relentlessly either forcing deep thought and relaxation or feelings of inspirational optimism. I enjoyed every track on this album thoroughly. I'd rate each one within the top 25 I've ever heard. You end this album on a very good note and feeling great. And I'm one of those people that enjoys listening to moody, slow, depressing music when I want to veg out. Both the sound and mood unique from most music out there makes it gold. Buy it.

Spiritualized puts on such a tight show on this album that I wouldn't be surprised to find out they've fixed everything up in the studio to get such a clean, flawless live sound. Even if that was the case, I'd still give this album 5 stars. It's every bit as good as "Ladies and Gentlemen We are Floating in Space," and for me both of these albums are easily among the top albums of the nineties.
As a caveat, I feel obligated to state that I am far from an expert on live albums, and generally prefer the studio offerings of most bands. My favorite live albums are this one, "Absent Lovers" by King Crimson, "The Name of This Band is Talking Heads" by (you guessed it) Talking Heads, and Genesis Live (along with the live portion of Genesis Archive 1967-75) by Peter Gabriel-led Genesis.

The first disk of this live album is down right sublime. Nine tracks that act kind of like three, three-part suites representing the spaceman's whole career as Spiritualized (and even a SM3 throwback). All of the best aspects of our favorite space rocker are present with quiet passages. Noisy freakouts, Floydian guitars, horns, and blues-harp are all wrapped into epic celestial symphonies.

However, Disk two is not quite as strong. Aside from the ending hymn (if we can call it that), all the songs are off "Ladies and Gentlemen..." This leaves the disk feeling less interesting. Personally I am not a huge fan of Come Together's live version or of No God, Only Religion and Broken Heart in any version. Because of this I usually end up skipping the first half of the second disk. It's not terrible, but a bit of a let down compared to the first Disk. That said though, the first disk is well worth the price of admission.

i once declared after a spiritualized show that i no longer believed in the written word. i wanted the whole of life to be sensations from heaven, and nothing to be planted firmly on paper again. it took about three months to get over that, but the memory is still strong... this disc captures part of that for me, especially since i won't see a show like that again for a long time. take that by itself or with a grain of salt.
to you and yours, j spaceman... let it flow haha!

Very good live audio document of the Spiritualized '97 UK tour to release while the group's fans await the arrival of their next CD.'Royal Albert...' sounded rather uplifting to me,especially on disc one with "Shine A Light","Medication",the outstanding "Walking With Jesus"(maybe the 2-CD release's best track)and "Take Your Time".Sorry to say that somewhere on disc two,'Royal...' wears a bit thin.That's okay,not EVERY tune can be great.STILL a decent find,as the listener gets to hear founder/guitarist/vocalist Jason Pierce and company crank out some fine psychedelic-like space drone.The two discs add up to a total of 95 minutes,an actual full-length concert.Should appeal to fans of My Bloody Valentine,Flying Saucer Attack,Spacemen 3,Amp and The Verve.

If you like Spiritualized then obviously you'll like this album. It offers so many songs, with hits such as "Electricity", "Medication", and "Walking with Jesus". All these songs sound just as good or better than their studio/album versions. Live at Royal Albert Hall was the first Spiritualized cd I got into. And will be a cd I will always come back to. So in the end, if you still can't decide what Spiritualized cd you want next, I extremely recomend this one for its diverseness, and for a successful Spiritualized journey.

Two Words:

Exquisitely Beautiful.

True Story:

Since thirteen years young I've scoured the Earth for beautiful music. Of the thousands of songs that I've listened to, I consider twenty of them to be exceptionally beautiful. This compilation contains four of the twenty.

Star Rating:

Six Stars. Very few albums are comparable to this one.

i don't think that this collection can hold a candle to 'complete works vol. 1.' i may be a bit biased though, as i'd never heard 'feel so sad' before i owned it. the 'ladies and gentlemen...' b-sides are kind of weak. it's fascinating to hear how much work jason pierce put into getting 'broken heart' where it is on the album. it's also kind of fascinating to hear 'stay with me' bleed into 'the individual' even though it works better with 'home of the brave.' but for god's sake can we please stop it with the 'lay back in the sun' alternate versions?! that said disc two is much better and puts a better spin on the 'let it come down' songs. the live versions are quite nice, there is even evidence of where a few tracks from 'amazing grace' originated ('the power and the glory' can be heard in the intro to the live version of 'on fire' and 'hold on's main parts can be heard in 'amazing grace'). 'going down slow' is a nice completely new track. 'rock and roll' is... well, you can tell why he left it off the album...