Fans and critics alike will forever consider Spritualized to be one of those bands whose every release comes off as if it was its own momentous occasion.
Ever since the career-defining latitude he attained with 1997’s epic ‘Ladies & Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space‘, group mastermind and former Spaceman 3 alum Jason Pierce has continued to chase a decidedly widescreen vision in terms of both sound and ambition. Each record since arrived like a statement of purpose, from the one hundred-plus musicians that contributed to ‘Let It Come Down‘ to Pierce’s near-fatal bout of double pneumonia which helped form the conceptual template behind ‘Songs In A & E‘.
‘Sweet Heart Sweet Light‘ is Spiritualized’s seventh studio offering, and the scope surrounding it is no different. Pierce reportedly recorded and mixed the songs under the influence of experimental drugs, but not the same sort of drugs that admittedly shaped his early aesthetic. This time around he was instead sedated by heavy doses of chemotherapy medication to combat a degenerative liver disease, and the experience clearly leaves its mark on the material. The wounded fragility of Pierce’s voice, the reoccurring themes of death and its growing anticipation, even the hilarious yet oddly poignant album cover – it all coalesces together to generate an atmosphere that is as heartening as it is somber.
Nothing captures that duality quite like lead single ‘Hey Jane‘, a nearly nine minute romp that reads like a checklist of Pierce’s strong suits: rock n’ roll riffs, wall of sound guitars, church choir backing vocals, devil-may-care attitude. The song is so strong that it collapses under its own excess midway through, only to give way to a pulsing bassline that builds into an even more layered and dramatic climax. Like the violent and frighteningly vivid video that accompanies it, the track is simultaneously sinister and serene, defeated and uplifting.
‘Get What You Deserve‘ follows a similar path, with Pierce delivering a guiltless treatise on living the remainder of life to its fullest: “Gonna take more, I don’t borrow/One more hit and I’ll get high/Get more twisted every road I take/Ain’t gonna stop until I die.” Except the words don’t feel pained. Backed by a subtle drum roll and a surging string section, lines like “I used to care but I took care of that” and “gonna shoot you while you’re layin’ down” are downright motivating, giving an almost uncomfortable credence to the idea that lack of concern for others can lead to a liberating freedom of mind.
Those aren’t the only bizarrely beautiful moments either. ‘I Know What I Am‘ is a futuristic, tough-guy blues groove co-written by New Orleans iconoclast Dr. John, and ‘Headin’ For The Top Now‘ serves as a nostalgic lament for unfettered hedonism, complete with striking piano chords, lush orchestration, abrasive feedback, and Pierce’s eleven year-old daughter singing along about “Fixin’ hustlin’/Pimpin’ cussin’.” Needless to say, there is a lot going on here.
For those who have yet to find a connection with Spiritualized over the past two decades, ‘Sweet Heart…’ could prove to be just as off-putting as their previous endeavors. The stacked production can seem cramped and cluttered. The lyrics are so direct that they sometimes border on self-indulgent and insincere. If you were handed a quarter for every mention of heaven or Jesus you could download the album for free.
But for fans of Pierce’s expansive catalogue of gospel-infused space rock ruminations on the thin line between suffering and salvation, then this latest installment will come as a welcomed, even refreshing addition to the canon.
He may not have reached the panoramic glory of ‘Ladies & Gentlemen’, but in the process he has crafted something nearly as dense, and equally compelling.
