Let It Come Down: Spiritualized: Amazon.co.uk: Music

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Amazon.co.uk Review

A very definite sequel to 1997's fabulous Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space rather than a brave new dawn, Let It All Come Down finds Pierce dropping the indie ballast--his band, who went on to form the mediocre Lupine Howl--and embellishing on the orchestral trappings of the Live at The Royal Albert Hall LP with a 100-piece choir and a selection of nobly beautiful gospel songs. It's tempting to see each new Spiritualized album as the latest instalment of "The Continuing Narcotic Adventures of Jason Pierce", but as ever, the man that is Spiritualized remains tight-lipped about the themes--heartbreak, redemption, the existence of a Merciful God and the importance of a well-stocked medicine cabinet--that dominate his work. He hasn't cleaned up his act, though: "The Straight and Narrow" is an elegiac hymn to addiction with Pierce singing "The trouble with the straight and the narrow is that it's so thin / I keep sliding off to the side". It's the hell-for-leather harmonica squeal of "Twelve Steps", though, that proves he's still having fun: "The only time I'm drink and drug free / Is when I don't have to pay for what I need," drawls Pierce, bright-eyed at the teetering peak of his chemical rollercoaster. Stay around for the ride. --Louis Pattison

Product Description

SPIRITUALIZED Let It Come Down (2001 UK limited edition 11-track CD album presented in oversized concave plastic 3-D moulded mask pack!)

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Customer Reviews

11 Reviews

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Average Customer Review

3.8 out of 5 stars (11 customer reviews)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Symphonies for your soul, 5 Sep 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Let It Come Down (Audio CD)

After 'Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space' masterpiece, Jason Pierce gives to the world another collection of majestic lush rock album and for consequence another step into the gallery of the geniuses of the modern music. Dense orchestral and choral sections using about 100 musicians resulting in the most song based album yet from Spiritualized which also makes the band one of the best of all time. Here in 'Let It Come Down' Pierce's influences are distilled into the complex arrangements creating a single identity that brings to the listener a complete sense of pleasure in each song even in the blistering 'The Twelve Steps', sweet 'The Straight And The Narrow' and intricate 'Out Of Sight'. Another glorious masterpiece recommended to all enthusiastics of good music.

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12 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Spiritualized Commercialized? Sanitized? Read on...., 18 Sep 2001

By

Jim Barker - See all my reviews

This review is from: Let It Come Down (Audio CD)

2001 is fast becoming a great year for albums. And just when you thought nothing else could make a dent in the already crammed annual critics' lists comes the latest LP from perhaps Britain's greatest songwriting enigma (and owner of messiest haircut), Jason Pierce.

Spiritualized have always taken pride on their ability to illustrate the world of inner space through sound. On their previous work, "Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space", inner space fused itself to an emotional catharsis. Now, with the demons exorcised and the slate wiped clean, we find ourselves in new territory...

And is it ever new. Gone is the sparseness of previous works, the mesmeric drone-rock of old, the experimentation and the element of surprise. What's presented inside this typically luscious box is a music that Pierce has never had to resort to before. For whatever reason, call it record company pressure or the fact that Spiritualized have never had to perform music dealing with positivity before, "Let It Come Down" is the sound of a tortured soul emerging from the depths, grinning from ear to ear.

Elements from previous records remain - the gospel choirs and orchestration of "Ladies And Gentlemen..." in all their grandiose splendour on "Don't Just Do Something" and current single "Stop Your Crying" being prime examples. But a lot has changed. Some undoubtedly for the worse - gone are the one-chord atmospherics of Pure Phaze and the dream-like symphonies evident on Lazer Guided Melodies. But look at the positives - Pierce is singing better than ever (you can actually understand what he's on about for a change, almost as if he wants you to hear his messages of redemption), the sound is full and awe-inspiring. And not only that, but in the lively "Do It All Over Again", Pierce has unwittingly written the best song a summer will ever have.

As not only a Spiritualized, but also a Spacemen 3 fan for as long as I can remember, I've always cherished and admired Jason Pierce / Spaceman's ability to craft epic soundscapes with minimal effort. The purists out there will say things such as LAGWAFIS' "Electricity" is much superior to "The Twelve Steps'" demonic police-siren blast. Or that "The Straight And The Narrow" isn't as heartfelt as "Broken Heart". Well, Pierce has matured, grown and blossomed as the premier writer of SONGS (and not of soundscapes and 'moments') that he always had the potential to be.

Albert Hall, 10th October 1997. I was there (at least I think I was). What I heard and viewed on that triumphant night will live on in the memory for many years. The perfect theatre for the music of kings. With "Let It Come Down", Spiritualized have moved into the realm of arenas and purpose-built auditoria. No longer only for spaced-out indie kids - hell, even the Sun made this their album of the week.

So stuff the purists, I say. They should persevere. This album heals. Experience the beauty.

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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Jason evolves - again, 17 Sep 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Let It Come Down (Audio CD)

I may be biased as I've been a huge fan of Spiritualized and Jason since Lazer Guided Melodies came out, but........This is a brilliant album. Jason Pierce moves in the highest circles of writing, arrangement, composition, and production of music. With each album he pushes the Spiritualized name to greater (and definately different) heights. Let it come down is no exception to this. This latest studio production is by far and away the most "orchestral" Spiritualized album yet. I'm guessing that the Live at the Albert Hall release was so good that it influenced the feel of this album somewhat. If I'm not mistaken, Jason doesn't even sound as anguished as usual! This is no bad thing, as although he used his pain to fabulous effect before, it almost brings me tears - and I can't be crying every time I hear him! Rather, Jason now sounds like he has accepted the fact that life & love can and do get messed up and has a more reflective tone on this album. You can almost feel him laughing at himself out of exasperation. A sense of resigned acceptance as demonstrated in the fabulous gospel rock sounding "Won't get to heaven (the state I'm in)"

And what a way tofinish an album: "Lord can you hear me" will take your breath away.

All in all a wonderful album that, much like Ladies & Gentlemen...., flows brialliantly from one piece to the next.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

1.0 out of 5 stars Orchestral Manouevres in the Dull
No amount of over-orchestration can disguise the fact that these are dull songs by somebody who can't sing.

Published on 27 Dec 2001

3.0 out of 5 stars More rhythm and a little less blues please
The appeal of "Ladies and Gentlemen...." was immediate with its layered sound and hypnotic melody, from track one onwards. Read more