Spiritualized – SWEET
HEART SWEET LIGHT
I thought I should do
the postmodern thing and put The North Sea Scrolls in here (one of the most
memorable concerts of my life – in the nippy atmosphere of St. Pancras Church
in London), but that would be, what, Luke Haines’s fourth appearance in this series. No way am I doing that.
Speaking of
Spiritualized, Ladies And Gentlemen We
Are Floating In Space is unquestionably their peak (either that or the
famed Royal Albert Hall concert). But it wasn’t released in 2012, and besides, Sweet Heart Sweet Light is bloody
wonderful.
Jason Pierce is the
king of a two-chord melody, and this is as much a space rock album as it is a
pop album. Racket (“Heading For The Top”) mixed with almost excessive sweetness
(“Freedom” is frankly teetering on the edge). “Too Late” may be Pachelbel all
over again, but Jason can do that better than anyone else. “Hey Jane” is
phenomenal and “So Long You Pretty Thing” is nearly Wagnerian in its Gargantuan
scope.
Great cover, too.
