Artist: Spiritualized
Genre(s):
Alternative
Trance: Psychedelic
Indie
Discography:
The Complete Works, Volume Two (CD 2)
Year: 2004
Tracks: 13
The Complete Works, Volume Two (CD 1)
Year: 2004
Tracks: 13
The Complete Works, Volume One (CD 2)
Year: 2003
Tracks: 11
The Complete Works, Volume One (CD 1)
Year: 2003
Tracks: 13
Amazing Grace
Year: 2003
Tracks: 11
Let It Come Down
Year: 2001
Tracks: 11
Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space
Year: 1997
Tracks: 12
Lazer Guided Melodies
Year: 1992
Tracks: 12
Laser Guided Melodies
Year: 1992
Tracks: 12
Formed from the ashes of the trance-rockers Spacemen 3, singer/guitarist Jason Pierce's group Spiritualized did not break in away from his prior band's earmark hypnotic minimalism; alternatively, they perfected it. Drawing on the continued influence of the Velvet Underground, La Monte Young, and Steve Reich, Spiritualized staked out a coarse ground between minimalism and succulent symphonics -- part powered by simple, insistent motifs, their songs at the same time blossomed into deep, shimmering transonic panoramas elysian by the olympian studio genius of Phil Spector and Brian Wilson. Such apparent contradictions were substantive to the group's interpersonal chemistry: spell the ill-famed Spacemen 3 tag of "pickings drugs to make medicine to take drugs to" remained a cornerstone of their craft, at the same time Spiritualized's identical distinguish acknowledged the creation of early forces, further reflected in their heavy debt to gospel and somebody music as well as an chemical attraction for mantras and devotional hymns.
Although Spiritualized fully emerged after the acrimonious detachment of Spacemen 3, in truth the band's roots extended back to the band's last LP, 1990's Revenant. A Spacemen 3 album in distinguish only, Recurring was rent equally 'tween independently recorded work from Pierce and alienated pardner Pete "Sonic Boom" Kember; as a termination, patch Kember's side presaged his eventual work with Spectrum, Pierce's half, recorded with nearly of the musicians world Health Organization would later contain Spiritualized (including guitarist Mark Refoy, bassist Willie B. Carruthers, and drummer Jon Mattock), predated the orchestral drones that became the band's authentication. The get-go true Spiritualized unmarried, a dramatic reading of the Troggs' "At any rate That You Want Me," was the final nail in the casket -- reportedly, Kember was so indignant by the Spacemen 3 logo which appeared on the disc's jacket that he disbanded the mathematical group for good.
In 1991, Spiritualized returned with a string of EPs -- Feel So Sad, Run/I Want You, and Smile/Sway -- earlier their long-awaited debut, Lazer Guided Melodies, last appeared the following year. The consummate, blissed-out result of Pierce's obsessive studio fine-tuning and endless remixing, the album was promoted by the band's slot on the high profile Rollercoaster duty tour, where they appeared with the Jesus and Mary Chain and Curve. An excellent limited edition live document, Fucked Up Inside, followed in 1993, trailed by another EP, Electric Mainline, later in the year.
In 1995, Spiritualized -- now a trine consisting of Pierce, keyboardist/guitarist Kate Radley, and bassist Sean Cook -- issued Pure Phase, a foolhardy, dumb production which boasted dissever mixes from each stereoscopic picture channel. With 1997's Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space, Pierce intentionally jettisoned many of the band's usual points of exit, including drones, tremolos, and phase tones; recorded with new drummer Damon Reece, it featured a cameo show from fabled New Orleans pianist Dr. John on one track, patch Memphis studio legend Jim Dickinson appeared on another. Other guests included the Balanescu Quartet (as well featured on Virginal Phase), the Greater London Gospel Community Choir, and Spring Heel Jack. The two-disc Royal Albert Hall October 10 1997 live album followed in previous 1998.
The following year, Pierce gutted Spiritualized's card, sacking Cook, Reece, and Mike Mooney, world Health Organization formed Lupine Howl soon after their pink slip; Radley apparently left before long after she married Verve frontman and solo creative person Richard Ashcroft. Only saxophonist Ray Dickaty and sometime keyboardist Thighpaulsandra (aka Tim Lewis) remained in the band. Pierce began writing and transcription material for the next Spiritualized album at George Martin's Air Studios and recruited percussionist Tom Edwards, bassist Martin Shallards, Echoboy drummer Kev Bales, and guitarist Dogan, from Julian Cope's band, for the sessions. The newfangled album, Let It Come Down, which featured an fifty-fifty lusher, more involved legal than Ladies and Gentlemen, was released in mid-2001. The follow-up, 2003's Amazing Grace, was more of a back-to-basics record.
