Spiritualized

Jason Pierce

Vocals, Guitar

Kate Radley

Keyboards ('91 - '97)

John Coxon

Guitar (1994-1997; 1999 - )

Thighpaulsandra

Keyboards ('97 - '08

Formed: 1990
Location: Rugby, Warwickshire, England
Genre: Rock, Space Rock, Neo-Psychedelia
Years Active: 1990 -
Meaning of the Name: Elevate to a spiritual level
Way of Working: Led by Jason Pierce
Associated: Spacemen 3, Lupine Howl

Essential Releases

Lazer Guided
Melodies (1992)

Debut album of swirling psychedelia. Carried on the work of Pierce's previous band Spacemen 3.

Ladies and Gentlemen
We Are Floating
in Space (1997)

Masterpiece. Celestial in scope.

Let It Come
Down (2001)

Increased the sheer scale and scope of Ladies and Gentleman....

Celestial in scope with a human heart at its centre, Spiritualized is a maximalist band from the British Midlands led by Jason Pierce, or J.Spaceman as he likes to be known—a sonic astronaut in search of God. Not the old man sitting on a cloud, but the earthbound God found in chemical highs, soaring strings, and the gentle melody of a child's laughter.

Emerging from the wreckage of the psychedelic outfit Spacemen 3, Spiritualized started life as a dream-pop band that made prodigious use of ambient drones to induce a sonic condition between euphoric drug experience and blissful sleep. If Spacemen 3 was the aborted rocket launch, Spiritualized was the successful second stage, built from the remaining debris. By their third album, Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space (1997), they had successfully reached the stars.

The record was released during the Britpop boom and smuggled gospel and psychedelia into the listener base to complement the standard guitars. However, amidst the richly-layered harmonies and heavenly strings of tracks like 'Cool Waves' sat one jarring element: the voice of J. Spaceman. His unpolished vocals are earthy and comforting in their familiarity, much like the unpracticed lullaby of a caregiver that soothes a crying child. There's an unvarnished honesty about them that contrasts with the stellar production, as if to say: 'the man is flawed, the music sublime'.

The sheer scale and epic scope of Spiritualized continued on their next album Let It Come Down (2001). Around 120 musicians assembled to create an imposing wall of sound comprised of strings, brass, woodwind, and a vocal choir. The mammoth project was so painstakingly intricate it teetered on the brink of near disaster like a tight-rope walker who wobbles in the wind. Jason Pierce's penchant for heroin infused his music with a similar sense of being close to the edge.

The singer spent a lifetime chasing spiritual and chemical highs in a determined quest for meaning that reveals a yearning absence. The music of Spiritualized came tantalisingly close to achieving that lofty ambition.

This combination of gospel and psych, religion and drugs, combined beautifully because both experiences share a desire to reach outward in hope of a cure. During his first meeting with designer Mark Farrow, Pierce remarked that "music is medicine for the soul", which inspired Farrow to create an album cover resembling a packet of prescription pills. A special edition was released in a box that featured each individual song in 'blister packs' containing 3-inch CDs.

Skills

*This is a work in progress. Values are subjective.

Emotional Impact

i Does it connect with the heart? What does it make you feel and how much of it?

95

Mental Impact

i Does it connect with the head? Social issues, interesting observations, clever lyrics, similies etc.

60

Originality

i Are they unique? Did they break new ground, use new techniques or create new genres.

90

Artistry

i Using creativity and imagination to present themselves in a unique way. Example, Wu-Tang Clan as Shaolin and Marvel characters etc.

70

Authenticity

i Do they really mean what they say? Is it autobiographical, personal?

70

Live

i Stage presence, working the crowd, performance. Miming, forgetting lyrics reduce this.

85

Production

i Studio techniques. More important for electronic music including hip hop.

100

Musicianship

i Their ability to play individually and as a group. Technical skills. DJing. Freestyling for hip hop.

95

Singing

i Technical attributes.

70

Songwriting

i Storytelling. Cohesive themes. Is the song about something? Stan by Eminem is an example of excellent songwriting.

85

Danceability

i Does it make you move? Do you tap your foot, nod your head or move your whole body?

45

Fun

i Is listening to it a good time? Are the lyrics funny? Depressing themes lowers value.

50

Consistency

i Have they put out good music across their careers. Two good albums and 5 band ones will reduce this value. Reduced for Pixies due to their post-reunion albums.

70

Range

i Fast, slow, ballads, party jams. Do they go beyond their own genre?

85

Cool

i Laid-back, icy detachment, unflustered.

65

Charisma

i Factors include appearance, force of personality. Elvis making people faint etc.

45

Commercial & Critical Success

Awards

Certifications >>>

• Ladies and Gentleman... - Gold in the UK
• Let It Come Down - Silver in the UK

Charts >>>

• Ladies and Gentleman... - Number 4 in the UK
• Let It Come Down - Number 3 in the UK
• Everything Was Beautiful - Number 5 in the UK

Critics >>>

• NME - Lazer Guided Melodies - 10 Best Shoegaze Albums Ever (2017): 2nd
• NME - Ladies and Gentleman... - Best Albums of 1997: 1st
• Pitchfork - Lazer Guided Melodies - The 30 Best Dream Pop Albums: 11th
• Pitchfork - Lazer Guided Melodies - The Top 100 Albums of the 1990s: 55th
• Select - Ladies and Gentleman... - Best Albums of 1997: 2nd

Similar Acts

• Spectrum
• Sigur Rós
• Galaxie 500
• Godspeed You! Black Emperor
• The Telescopes

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