Truly, Sweet Heart, Sweet Light is one of those gorgeous things and, if nothing else, the most profound late statement Spaceman has given us in a decade.
Sweet Heart, Sweet Light covers a broad aural spectrum from surrealistic haze to outward pop and as such, is some of Jason Pierce’s and Spiritualized’s best material since Ladies and Gentlemen.
It's not a drastic transformation as much as an acute refinement.
Spiritualized have mastered the use of these instruments to be able to lift a song effortlessly from its standard verse into a magnificent chorus.
From its opening moments, in fact, Sweet Heart packs in one of Pierce’s most impressive works yet.
While it's not as psychedelic as more acclaimed Spiritualized albums, Sweet Heart Sweet Light delivers a solid set of songs that return to the band's best old school ideas, and refines the more straightforward tracks that have been featured on recent releases.
His tendency for perfection shines through once again on an album put together by an obsessive personality – in more than one sense.
Iit's another resounding triumph for Pierce.
Though there’s no shortage of beauty or orchestral decoration on Sweet Heart Sweet Light, the influence of a middle age precipice on those pop trappings gives the album a rare and yes, spiritual, power.
This is the best and most complete set of songs Spiritualized have made since Ladies And Gentlemen.
This record is, as you’d expect, by turns breathtaking, entrancing, deafening and challenging, and Spiritualized are still the Vatican of bands.
The atmosphere of utter, abject sorrow is never properly established enough to get your guts and I don’t get my gateway track.
Top 100 favorite albums of all time revisited: 39th place
Sweet Heart Sweet Light is one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever arranged, and it is beyond me how this isn't regarded as one of the greatest albums ever made by many. This album makes me feel happy to just be alive, and is such an emotionally moving album. The soaring choruses on this album are repetitive but absolutely godly, and the orchestral instrumentation is perfect.
1. So Long You Pretty Thing
2. Too Late
3. Hey Jane
Huh? “Sweet Heart Sweet Light” is a direction I didn’t want Spiritualized going in, but he did anyway so now I have to explain why I think this is just ok. The songs don’t carry over the beauty of past records. They sound more dull than anything. Some songs have a little bit of a spark in them, but most of them are decent at best. It just confuses me on why the further I delved into this record the less I got out of it. I was looking to have a more positive spin on it, ... read more
Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space is one of the greatest albums I've ever heard. I wasn't expecting this to top it, and my expectations were correct, but what I didn't expect was a near total abandonment of the space rock sound that was so unique in favor of a more straightforward sound. Sure, the sweeping orchestrations and krautrockian repetition is still indication that we are still listening to J Spaceman and Spiritualized, but the sound is simplified, grounded, and overall ... read more
I saw these guys last night as the opening band for Queens of the Stone Age and they were magical. It's otherworldly and their music is so mesmerizing. They opened with Hey Jane which was an absolute banger of a song. I am glad they opened because I just discovered some awesome music
Best Track: So Long You Pretty Thing
Why are people so desperate for an Oasis reunion when we already have the next best thing right here?
1 | Huh? (Intro) 1:01 | 82 |
2 | Hey Jane 8:51 | 94 |
3 | Little Girl 3:39 | 91 |
4 | Get What You Deserve 6:46 | 77 |
5 | Too Late 3:45 | 85 |
6 | Headin' for the Top Now 8:22 | 72 |
7 | Freedom 4:31 | 82 |
8 | I Am What I Am 4:37 | 83 |
9 | Mary 6:11 | 88 |
10 | Life Is a Problem 4:02 | 86 |
11 | So Long You Pretty Thing 7:51 | 93 |
#15 | / | Piccadilly Records |
#15 | / | The Needle Drop |
#16 | / | No Ripcord |
#17 | / | Under the Radar |
#18 | / | Beats Per Minute |
#18 | / | MAGNET |
#18 | / | Pretty Much Amazing |
#20 | / | PopMatters |
#20 | / | Stereogum |
#22 | / | Consequence of Sound |