Ladies & Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space

Soundscape might seem like a strange word to use to describe this album - it's not an Eno-esque ambient constellation, but is clearly structured into twelve songs - yet its blending of the ends/beginnings of songs, its far from arbitrary choice of track listing, the fact that the songs work much better in the context of the rest of the album, and even the artwork/packaging make it so much more than just your standard avant garde rock affair.
This was the album that got me into Spiritualized back in 1997, but it also blew my musical world apart, sending me searching in so many directions for something that could live up to this masterpiece (I think the closest i've got to finding it is Khonnor's 'Handwriting').
From the blissful lazy elegance of the opening (and title) track, through the more standard rock of Come Together and Electricity, to the hazy broken jazz of The Individual, via the tear jerking Broken Heart before the 16 minute finale that is Cop Shoot Cop, every minute is a journey; every moment is perfect.
This kind of record emerges once every generation. Jason Pierce has taken Spiritualized in different directions since, probably because he realised that this record could never be matched and he didn't want to taint it by trying.

I first heard of Spiritualized in 2001 when Let It Come Down was released. I kept an ear out for them, and decided to fine out more about them. I trawled through the music magazines I had, and Spiritualized had a reputation. This album, my first Spiritualized one, simply blew me away. It's immense sonic clarity, it's diverse changes and form showed me the effects one man's vision can have on music.
Jason Pierce is a complete genius, although a not entirely happy one at that. This album was recorded at a time of great personal strife for Jason - the band were slowly imploding, and his relationship with Kate Radley, who was the Spiritualized keyboardist, had ended with her marrying Richard Ashcroft. This is regularly seen as one of the great 'break up'albums(the media interpreted the album as a lovelorn, drug addled note to Kate Radley)but Pierce rejects this, believing it to be more than that, and he is right - but it easy to interpret songs like 'Broken Heart' with lyrics of wanting to get wasted in order to get rid of the pain, as a sign of a troubled man. The break up, coupled with a mild heroin addiction, do leave their mark on this album.
Anyway, what matters are the songs, and this albums has them in quality and quantity - the album is nigh on 70 minutes long. The title track is heartmelting in it's multi-layered vocals, but the original version, with lines lifted from an Elvis song, and a a gospel choir is perhaps even more fantastic (Jason had to to rerecord the track due to the Elvis estate). 'Come Together' is a great slice of ragga rock, with its lyrics that combine two of Pierce's staples - god and drugs - he often fails to see the differnce between the two. 'I think i'm in love' is basically two great songs in one. 'All of My Thoughts' and 'Stay With Me' carry on the baton until 'Electricity' storms in. 'Broken Heart' is sandwiched by two free jazz songs, but it provides the calm in the storm. It is a great track, with simply outstanding strings - it make you feel thatlove can be redemptive. 'Cool Waves' is a gospel led treatise on love, and then there is the final track, the absolutely epic 'Cop Shoot Cop...' which is an sixteen minute observation of Pierces mind. The whole album is a vision by Jason Pierce, and the mixing reportedly took almost as long as the recording, but it was worth the hassle. I truly believe this is one of the great albums, but is does require patience - give it time, and you will think it is great.

Lower the lights, get in your favourite chair and turn up the volume; you're in for a sonic treat. You really will feel like you are floating in space. I fell in love with this album on my very first listen, just 4 days ago, and I've listened to nothing else since. There aren't words to describe the beauty of this music. The perfect tone and pitch of Pierce's voice, the light, feathery touches of the piano, the swing of the brass and harmonica, the sweeping strings and the truly magnificent choirs. I really cannot find the words to tell you how this album makes me feel. And as if the imagery of the music wasn't enough, there are the stark lyrics of naked emotion. "All I want in life's a little bit of love to take the pain away". Perfect, says what it means. I was sold on the very first track; the overlapping vocal lines, the electric piano setting the mood in the background, building with layer upon layer until the brass thunders in from nowhere, sweeping you up and leaving the ground behind you. Buy it.

Note: The reviewers who claimed not to like the soundscapes on this album would probably have a stroke if they ever heard Radiohead's "Kid A".