Jason Pierce and Spiritualized have been something of an anomaly over the course of their eighteen-year existence. Following the dissolution of Spacemen 3, Pierce assembled Spiritualized to expand upon his “electric blues” pop-songwriting style while former collaborator Pete Kember forged an experimental electronic path. Since 1990, the recorded output of Spiritualized has stylistically shifted — at times to the detriment of the music — but always remained true to the simple, repetitive, and effective model that Pierce crafted during the Spacemen 3 years. Sometimes (Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space and Let It Come Down specifically) it appeared as if perfection was imminent, but the band’s last album Amazing Grace, was a huge step in the wrong direction. Five years removed from that record, Pierce has returned with what is his most personal album to date, Songs In A & E.
This review is not going to delve into the life-threatening battle with pneumonia that Pierce faced in 2005, because every other publication has referenced it in great detail, and because the bulk of these songs were written before Pierce fell ill. Instead, it will focus on the music. After all, that’s what matters most, right?
Lyrically, not much has changed over the last eighteen years. “Babe” this and “soul” that — at least Pierce keeps thematic likenesses sounding fresh. Grating though it may be for some listeners, the barrage of songs detailing love and loss never seem to grow tired. Here he sounds surprisingly optimistic. No more “good for nothing” or “I’ve been abused and I’ve been used” lyrics, on Songs In A&E there is a prevailing sense of what one might call blind hope. “I Gotta Fire” and “Yeah Yeah” in particular. Of course, the drug/death/religion paradigm remains tacit as ever. Some express contempt for Spacemen 3 and Spiritualized based on the deification of drugs in the lyrics, some love it, and most simply learn to accept it (ever-present as it is). On this newest effort, Pierce has toned it down, but there are both obvious and implied winks spread across the album.
Musically, Songs In A&E stands alone as Spiritualized’s most stripped-down, bare-essentials recording yet. Gone are the days of massive guitars (Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space), and 100-plus session musicians (Let It Come Down). Pedal tones and extended drones are still the foundation for most tunes. “Baby I’m Just A Fool” even contains a string loop that mimics Pure Phase‘s “All Of My Tears”. Whereas songs like “Sitting On Fire” and “Don’t Hold Me Close” might have been vulnerable to overproduction in the past, the songs’ basic tracks embellished with beautiful (but unnecessarily immense) orchestrations, on Songs In A&E the minimalist instrumentation has all the breathing room it needs.
It could be argued that hearing one Spiritualized album renders hearing the rest of the band’s discography useless. That theory is not without basis. The themes explored on Songs In A&E have been examined on each of the band’s previous albums, and repetitive, simple melodies are characteristic of most all Spiritualized songs. Where this album stands alone is in the consciously stunted production, the clarity and effortlessness of the dozen songs and half-dozen harmonies that comprise its eighteen tracks, and the ability of Pierce to blend structures and tones that have made each of the band’s five studio albums (and one otherworldly live album) so wonderful with a newfound sense of intimacy. Songs In A&E is by no means a pinnacle for Spiritualized, but it is yet another testament to Pierce’s gift for songwriting. With any luck, he will continue to grant listeners access to his tales of life and love for many more years to come.
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