Ranking the Albums

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nghst
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Ranking the Albums

Post by nghst »

I thought it would be interesting to see how people rank the 7 Spiritualized albums. I added the 1998 and 2011 RAH recordings to my list. I also rated them out of 5. I know Sweet Heart, Sweet Light isn't out yet, but I've been listening to RAH recording so much I already have an opinion on it. So here's my list:

1. Let it Come Down 5
2. Amazing Grace 5
3. RAH 2011 5
4. Laser Guided Melodies 4.5
5. Sweet Heart, Sweet Light 4.5
6. LAGWAFIS 4
7. RAH 1998 4
8. Song in A & E 3.5
9. Pure Phase 3.5
TheWarmth
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by TheWarmth »

Amazing Grace rated a 5 out of 5? You, sir, have lost your mind. :shock:
mc
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by mc »

I won't give them marks, but I think this is how I'd rank the six studio albums:

1. Lazer Guided Melodies
2. Pure Phase
3. Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space
4. Let it Come Down
5. Songs in A&E
6. Amazing Grace

Mostly in chronological order, it seems! LGM and PP are pretty much interchangeable, though. From what I've heard, I expect SHSL will slot in behind LICD or A&E in the fullness of time.
synthiA
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by synthiA »

While this is a fun little exercise to see how greatly the favorites vary among fans, I find that my favorite record varies from day to day. For a long time, LICD was at the bottom of the list, but these days, I find myself reaching for it more than the others. It is also my opinion that those who don't like AG were put off by the few rockers and never gave the rest of the album a chance.

That said, today I'd list :
LICD
AG
LGM
PP
LAGWAFIS
A&E

*** Out of the 20+ LAGWAFIS gigs I saw during 1997 and 1998... RAH was the worst.
jadams501
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by jadams501 »

I'd rank them in this order:

1. Lazer Guided Melodies
2. Amazing Grace
3. Pure Phase
4. Let It Come Down
5. Ladies & Gents
6. Songs in A&E
7. RAH '97

I mentioned recently that I've never cared for that official RAH live album. For what it's worth, I too would give Amazing Grace 5/5 -- Spiritualized stripped down to its purest essence. I love that record!
jmb066
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by jmb066 »

1-Ladies & Gentlemen
2-Lazer Guided
3-Let It Come Down
4-Amazing Grace
5-RAH
6-Songs In A & E
7-Pure Phase


Hard to do, love them all for different reasons. Started with Pure Phase and hard to put it at 7 only reason too many instrumentals/tones etc.
Jason Burkett
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by purespace »

mc wrote:I won't give them marks, but I think this is how I'd rank the six studio albums:

1. Lazer Guided Melodies
2. Pure Phase
3. Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space
4. Let it Come Down
5. Songs in A&E
6. Amazing Grace

Mostly in chronological order, it seems! LGM and PP are pretty much interchangeable, though. From what I've heard, I expect SHSL will slot in behind LICD or A&E in the fullness of time.
Today, mine are similar but FUI is my real #1 with AG coming in btw 2&3

LGM remains one of those touchstone recordings

8)
I think I feel it coming on
redcloud
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by redcloud »

1. LGM - blew me away the first time I heard it and continues to do so to this day.
2. LAGWAFIS - interesting contradiction of feelings for me with this album. My first child was born in late Dec '97 and my wife's mother was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer at the same time. I used to bathe my daughter with this album playing and I would sing some of the songs to her. I also listened to this album many, many times when driving home after long, emotionally draining visits with my dying mother-in-law. Needless to say, this album holds a special place in my heart for both reasons.

The others slot in order after the first two:
3. PP
4. LICD
5. Songs
6. AG
angelsighs
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by angelsighs »

mine goes a little something like this:

Ladies and gentlemen (10/10)
Lazer Guided Melodies (9/10)
Let It Come Down (8/10)
Pure Phase (8/10)
A&E (7/10)
Amazing Grace (6/10)

I'm not even sure where I would place RAH, I'm not keen on it and hardly ever listen to it

this is always down to change obviously. sometimes I prefer LICD to LGM.
also when A&E came out I listened to it loads and at that time may have even placed it above Pure Phase
ascension
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by ascension »

My top 5:

1) L&G
2) LGM
3) PP
4) RAH
5) LICD
The Dr
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by The Dr »

ladies and gents
amazing grace
pure phase
a&e
lazer guided
let it come down
“You're not Dostoevsky,' said the citizeness

'Well, who knows, who knows,' he replied.

'Dostoevsky's dead,' said the citizeness, but somehow not very confidently.

'I protest!' Behemoth exclaimed hotly. 'Dostoevsky is immortal!”
BzaInSpace
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by BzaInSpace »

Songs In A&E at number 1 for me today. Get back to me in a month though.

The rest are there or therabouts anyway. The one I listened to most recently was Amazing Grace. Couple of days on the trot actually. Great as a build-up for the live show. Love that record. At top volume I'm struck at how much space is in and used in that album...
O P 8
SpaceLine
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by SpaceLine »

1 - PP
2 - LAGWAFIS
3 - LICD
4 - LGM
5 - A+E
6 - AG
ononist
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by ononist »

I suggest a wrinkle to this thread.
1) Rank by your favourite
2) Rank by which you listen to most
nghst
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by nghst »

Allmusic.com has reviews for all the albums. Here is how they are rated out of 5.

1. LGM 4.5
1. LAGWAFIS 4.5
3. FUI 4
3. RAH 97 4
3. LICD 4
3. SIAAE 4
7. PP 3.5
7. AG 3.5
YerMa
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by YerMa »

Pure Phase has been top of my list from the day of release, though subsequent albums have been top drawer, it's PP that to me has the quintessential Spiritualized sound, and it also means a lot to me on a personal level.
KingHarry
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by KingHarry »

The only one I ever listen to is LGM. I enjoyed Pure Phase when it came out.

Haven't heard A&E
runaway
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by runaway »

I rank them chronologically, with Laser Guided Melodies and Pure Phase nearly tied for first.
The Dr
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by The Dr »

i rarely listen to an album- i tend to make comps of spz songs that i'm into at that moment and listen to those
“You're not Dostoevsky,' said the citizeness

'Well, who knows, who knows,' he replied.

'Dostoevsky's dead,' said the citizeness, but somehow not very confidently.

'I protest!' Behemoth exclaimed hotly. 'Dostoevsky is immortal!”
somakoma
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by somakoma »

YerMa wrote:it's PP that to me has the quintessential Spiritualized sound
runaway wrote:I rank them chronologically, with Laser Guided Melodies and Pure Phase nearly tied for first.
I almost rank them chronologically but although I love the new stuff on PP I think he kind of blew it by mixing for too long and re-recording inferior versions of songs that were better in their earlier released ep/single versions.. then.. putting an almost three year old single as the first song.. probably the laziest spz release ever but I guess it´s mostly because of the turbulent times in the band, being cut down to a trio etc... theoretically their best album but ended up a (very good) missed opportunity (to be their best) - the not already released songs would have fitted on two EP:s.. the rest is sort of rehash/filler. The fillers are some of the best spz songs ever but because of the above it feels like a compilation or one of those american beatles albums that adds a single and mix songs from two different records. .. not as "proper" as the other records.
I also usually prefer AG to LICD. More than half of it is better than LICD but I´d say it is their most uneven record

LGM
FUI
LAG
PP
AG
LICD
SAE
jadams501
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by jadams501 »

somakoma wrote:although I love the new stuff on PP I think he kind of blew it by mixing for too long and re-recording inferior versions of songs that were better in their earlier released ep/single versions.. then.. putting an almost three year old single as the first song.. probably the laziest spz release ever but I guess it´s mostly because of the turbulent times in the band, being cut down to a trio etc... theoretically their best album but ended up a (very good) missed opportunity (to be their best) - the not already released songs would have fitted on two EP:s.. the rest is sort of rehash/filler. The fillers are some of the best spz songs ever but because of the above it feels like a compilation or one of those american beatles albums that adds a single and mix songs from two different records. .. not as "proper" as the other records.
I agree completely that J's overmixing and overtinkering overall made Pure Phase less than it might have been (also a big problem on Ladies & Gents). But I don't think including Medication, Lay Back In The Sun, and other already released songs was a problem. As someone who came to Spiritualized years after the those singles came out, with a limited budget and no turntable, it's unlikely that I would have ever tracked that stuff down in its original form and would have had to wait a number of years for the Complete Works. And, I like the album version of Medication better than the single.

With the exception of Electric Phase and perhaps 2-3 minutes of Pure Phase (the song), I think each of the songs on PP was worth including, make sense together, and were worth reworking so they all felt like the same sessions. I only wish J had included a better Take Good Care Of It and let some of the other tracks breathe more.
runcible
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by runcible »

jadams501 wrote: I agree completely that J's overmixing and overtinkering overall made Pure Phase less than it might have been (also a big problem on Ladies & Gents). But I don't think including Medication, Lay Back In The Sun, and other already released songs was a problem.
My opinion is almost completely the opposite of this on the mixing on Pure Phase, and I was not happy about the inclusion of old songs initially, but that changed. When PP came out I was really disappointed. I couldn't believe he seemed to have filled out the album with old songs galore - both ones he'd taken on the road for ages and ages and then songs that had been previously released in some form. LGM was so fresh when it was released, and then PP was so... limp in comparison. Yet the shows on that tour were among the greatest Spz shows ever - absolutely devastating. The one at Dingwalls for a small audience was one of the greatest gigs of my entire life. But I couldn't think of the album itself as comparable as it was padded out.

Over the years my opinion of PP changed completely. I found the intricate mixes jaw-droppingly brilliant and the flow of the album totally inspired. I now realise how extraordinary it is as a complete work and parts of it come across like a concept album, particularly the closing 3 tracks which, as a sequence, are pure genius as far as I am concerned. I love those odd noises at the start of Spread Your Wings - really spine-tingling. I bet if a poll were taken among Spz fans for the song that has never been performed live Spread Your Wings would win by a country mile. I know so many people who are desperate to hear that played on stage, and it'd get my vote.
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by moop »

runcible wrote:Over the years my opinion of PP changed completely. I found the intricate mixes jaw-droppingly brilliant and the flow of the album totally inspired. I now realise how extraordinary it is as a complete work and parts of it come across like a concept album, particularly the closing 3 tracks which, as a sequence, are pure genius as far as I am concerned. I love those odd noises at the start of Spread Your Wings - really spine-tingling. I bet if a poll were taken among Spz fans for the song that has never been performed live Spread Your Wings would win by a country mile. I know so many people who are desperate to hear that played on stage, and it'd get my vote.
agreed, except that electric phase seems to completely derail the flow (and not in a good way). i get what he was trying to do, but it's mixed so much louder than the slide song that it means i have to run across the room to turn down the vol/skip track. even if endured, it doesnt really add anything to the album...at least not for me. the rest of the album flows perfectly, and that last run of 3 or so tracks is just divine. i love the space noises!

i dont even attempt to rank the albums, i love them all. but i would say that i like the AG stuff *much* better live. esp in the current live form, tracks like 'she kissed me' and 'cheapster' sound loads better than on the album.

not really the right section, but right now that glasgow 2012 bootleg is my favourite spz album. what a gig!
jadams501
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by jadams501 »

runcible wrote:
jadams501 wrote: I agree completely that J's overmixing and overtinkering overall made Pure Phase less than it might have been (also a big problem on Ladies & Gents). But I don't think including Medication, Lay Back In The Sun, and other already released songs was a problem.
My opinion is almost completely the opposite of this on the mixing on Pure Phase, and I was not happy about the inclusion of old songs initially, but that changed....
Over the years my opinion of PP changed completely. I found the intricate mixes jaw-droppingly brilliant and the flow of the album totally inspired. I now realise how extraordinary it is as a complete work and parts of it come across like a concept album, particularly the closing 3 tracks which, as a sequence, are pure genius as far as I am concerned. I love those odd noises at the start of Spread Your Wings - really spine-tingling. I bet if a poll were taken among Spz fans for the song that has never been performed live Spread Your Wings would win by a country mile. I know so many people who are desperate to hear that played on stage, and it'd get my vote.
I love Spread Your Wings and it's also on my list of songs I most think should be added to the repertoire (along with more outings for the Slide Song, Hypnotized, Losing Touch With My Mind, and O.D. Catastrophe). Also, I think that it's important that the song emerges from the Pure Phase tones -- the instrumental that starts cold just isn't as effective.

I also agree that the intricate mixes are brilliant. It's just that some of the detail and fussiness of the mixes takes precedence over the visceral punch of the songs themselves. I love what he did with Lay Back In The Sun, Good Times, These Blues, etc. and am glad to have those mixes. But they don't quite have enough raw power for me, personally, to consider them the definitive versions of the songs.
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by runcible »

jadams501 wrote:I love Spread Your Wings and it's also on my list of songs I most think should be added to the repertoire (along with more outings for the Slide Song, Hypnotized, Losing Touch With My Mind, and O.D. Catastrophe).
I have never heard Spiritualized versions of OD Catastrophe or Losing Touch With My Mind, but that's quite a thought. The others have been performed, albeit rarely.
jadams501 wrote:I love what he did with Lay Back In The Sun, Good Times, These Blues, etc. and am glad to have those mixes. But they don't quite have enough raw power for me, personally, to consider them the definitive versions of the songs.
So which are the defintive versions? The Spacemen 3 version of 'These Blues' only saw light of day on the How The Blues CDs.
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by jadams501 »

runcible wrote:
jadams501 wrote:I love what he did with Lay Back In The Sun, Good Times, These Blues, etc. and am glad to have those mixes. But they don't quite have enough raw power for me, personally, to consider them the definitive versions of the songs.
So which are the defintive versions? The Spacemen 3 version of 'These Blues' only saw light of day on the How The Blues CDs.
The definitive versions for me of Lay Back In The Sun and Good Times are on the Electric Mainline EP. These Blues I don't think was ever quite realized -- I love the Playing With Fire-esque original and also the various live takes but none quite take the mantle of definitive.
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by bbbhenko »

i discovered spiritualized and spacemen 3 by picking up PP shortly after its release because of its gorgeous design... having absolutely no previous history with any of the material, the album blew me away totally, and it still does on every listen.

after discovering the older ep/single/live-versions, i can definitely see that many of them have a point in their own right, but PP is so perfectly executed as a unity... the thought of a PP-version made out of the "original" versions of each track (has anyone ever tried listening to this?) seems quite horrible as an alternative, imho. however, i do understand that with all the waiting that one has to go through in between the albums, the prospect of getting a "new" album with mainly old material is not that convincing.
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by angelsighs »

I can understand why a fan at the time may have been disappointed that Pure Phase was largely made up of 'old songs', but obviously all these years later it doesn't really matter. the actual quality of the music on the album stands up all these years later, and it doesn't really matter where/when they first appeared, as Jason mixed the whole album together immaculately. the running order of the tracks is inspired, I see it almost as four seperate suites like LGM was. I love Electric Phase, and even if you don't it's over pretty quick!.. plus can't believe people are saying they don't like the space noises on Feel Like Goin Home.. madness!! they are an integral part in my opinion.. when the strings rise up out of them it's just sublime.

and I love the album version of Take Good Care Of It.. yeah the live version rocks, with those chugging powerchords coming in. but the album version is spacey as hell.. it really is like floating in space. love the way that trumpet spirals up around you

plus as a bonus all those earlier EP/single versions all sound noticeably different and stand alone better.. it's a win win!
I love that period when Jason was knocking out lots of different versions of the same songs. almost like electronic artists who have various mixes of songs, or jazz bands who issue different take on the same theme.

as I said on the opener/closer thread I've never cared for Medication myself. I don't really like the song in general, but also the mix of the album version is a bit limp. the bit where the power chords come in near the end... it should sound meaty and powerful but it sounds flat. and yeah, Pure Phase could do with a couple of minutes lopped off. plus the version of These Blues is kind of pointless. Good Times is a bit weak.. these are the albums only weaknesses though in my opinion
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by The Dr »

if old songs were being recycled why did sway never make it onto an album? it's a perfect spirit song. and as far as the remixes i don't really understand them, it's almost as if saying 'the version we released wasn't good enough so here's a different version') when that time and energy could be put into new songs. i'm not a fan of the em ep, that version of lay back... lacks depth, in my opinion- the live sversion on the last tour is, in my opinion, the definitive version
“You're not Dostoevsky,' said the citizeness

'Well, who knows, who knows,' he replied.

'Dostoevsky's dead,' said the citizeness, but somehow not very confidently.

'I protest!' Behemoth exclaimed hotly. 'Dostoevsky is immortal!”
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by jadams501 »

The Dr wrote:if old songs were being recycled why did sway never make it onto an album? it's a perfect spirit song. and as far as the remixes i don't really understand them, it's almost as if saying 'the version we released wasn't good enough so here's a different version') when that time and energy could be put into new songs. i'm not a fan of the em ep, that version of lay back... lacks depth, in my opinion- the live sversion on the last tour is, in my opinion, the definitive version
Was Sway not on your copy of Lazer Guided Melodies? On mine it's the second to last track, between Angel Sigh and 200 Bars.

For me, the various takes and interpretations of the songs are one of the best elements of Spz. I wish we still got more mixes of tracks.
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by runcible »

jadams501 wrote:Was Sway not on your copy of Lazer Guided Melodies? On mine it's the second to last track, between Angel Sigh and 200 Bars.
Indeed it was. I'm guessing The Dr doesn't have that album.
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by flokie »

I find myself listening to bootlegs more than albums and I've pretty much given up on making lists since the days I was a student bored during lectures!
But I probably listen to PP and L&G > LGW and AG > LICD and A+E.

And I wouldn't there's any such thing as a definitive version of any song with Spiritualized :D Or if you think there is today, you'll probably change your mind after the next gig. Which is the whole point.
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by nghst »

The Dr wrote:i rarely listen to an album- i tend to make comps of spz songs that i'm into at that moment and listen to those
I'm the same way, but I find that on most of his albums a majority of the songs are among my favorites, with the exception of pure phase and Songs in A & E. I grade an album by how many of the songs I really like. Interestingly enough I go back to songs I've overlooked and find out I really like them. LGM, PP, and SAE have been like that for me. I used to think that Pure Phase was a total failure. I just remember hearing this annoying high pitched tone in the background of the album. I put it away for a few years then tried listening to it again and Medication, Slide Song, Let it Flow, Lay Back in the Sun and Good Times popped out. Now listening to other people raving about the album I think I'll have to listen to the rest of the album again. I also found out that LGM was a much better album then I remembered after listening to it again. And Songs in A & E is still growing on me.
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by The Dr »

runcible wrote:
jadams501 wrote:Was Sway not on your copy of Lazer Guided Melodies? On mine it's the second to last track, between Angel Sigh and 200 Bars.
Indeed it was. I'm guessing The Dr doesn't have that album.
:oops: :oops:

i only got into spz when i heared silent sound so the back catalogue is still new(ish) to me and i keep forgetting the tracklists. my bad, sorry guys :oops: :oops: :oops:
“You're not Dostoevsky,' said the citizeness

'Well, who knows, who knows,' he replied.

'Dostoevsky's dead,' said the citizeness, but somehow not very confidently.

'I protest!' Behemoth exclaimed hotly. 'Dostoevsky is immortal!”
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by angelsighs »

jadams501 wrote:For me, the various takes and interpretations of the songs are one of the best elements of Spz. I wish we still got more mixes of tracks.
me too, I also really like the Abbey Road versions of Broken Heart and Come Together- not mere edits or alt takes but taking the whole live ensemble into the studio to re-record them
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by somakoma »

angelsighs wrote: I also really like the Abbey Road versions of Broken Heart and Come Together- not mere edits or alt takes but taking the whole live ensemble into the studio to re-record them

yes..
I think on fire is another good one..
not a lot of that lately (ten years?)
jadams501
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by jadams501 »

The Dr wrote: :oops: :oops:

i only got into spz when i heared silent sound so the back catalogue is still new(ish) to me and i keep forgetting the tracklists. my bad, sorry guys :oops: :oops: :oops:
No worries, it's not a big deal. It's always nice to have new blood around!
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by Laz69 »

Been reading this thread with a mixture of surprise and great interest. Always good to see people's perceptions of the albums based on where they came into Spiritualized.

If i'm honest, the only three that really get any play round here is LGM, PP, FUI and some of the early singles. Occasionally i'll put on L&G, but thats few and far between. Like many, i cannot listen to many of the albums (with the previously mentioned the exceptions) as a whole as i find they don't have the same FEEL about them. I haven't listened to AG (IMO, woeful - L&G outtakes at best and they aren't great) or LICD (IMO suffers badly from being over produced and is rather boring) for years. Live, the songs from those albums always had a better dynamic and were allowed to breath and grow, which i always liked about Jason playing live. SAE, i felt, had a bit more balls to it and i liked that a lot, but again, it doesn't get played as much as the ones i mentioned. Which is a shame.

Jason has always been one to say he's always strived forward and never lived on past glories, but I've always thought that if he put his mind to it, he could create a a modern LGM or PP easily. Not a replica of either of those; something new but to the standard those first few albums. He has enough songwriting skills and has a particularly good band of musicians that he could make use of, so why not? I'm not asking him to tread old ground, but you could then argue thats what he's been doing for the last 3 albums...

As for PP being let down by old songs and taking too long: what a load of bollocks!! The songs, flow, vibe of that entire album is perfect. Even the chaos of Electric Phase sits so perfectly in amongst all the others. Its pure crafted genius. As for different versions of the same old songs, i don't think any of those "old" songs that appear on PP would fit at all in their original form. He's adapted those songs for his vision of the album. Its would have been easier (and much lazier) to just throw all of them in there in their original state, but the album would have sounded shit in comparison. I'm as eager as the next person to hear a favourite artists new material, but i would not want anyone to compromise on their vision just to appease impatient fans.

I have high hopes for the new album, but i also am well aware that it won't reach the dizzy heights that LGM and PP are held in my eyes and ears. I just hope Jason really suprises us with a space-rock odyssey one day, one that BLOWS us all away! For now i'll just keep hoping...
toomilk
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by toomilk »

Around the time A&E came out, I was thinking about setting up a Fall message board style matchup of the albums. Each album would "play" another album in a round-robin style "league." Each week you vote for your favorite album of each matchup. An album gets 2 points for a win, 1 for a draw, 0 for a loss. Then they "play" another album the week after. It would help settle this "favorite" album thing in a fun way. The problem with Spiritualized is the lack of material compared to The Fall (27 studio albums when their poll took place in 2008). I believe we decided to include official releases, removing singles, but including EPs, live releases, and Complete Works Vs 1 and 2.

Here is the old thread on it: http://ideensynthese.de/spiritualized/v ... f=1&t=8593

I completely dropped the ball on this, but I'll be in for starting it up again if people are interested.


Something that might be more fun, but a lot more work and dedication would be to rank the songs (the Fall forum also did this). People give a top 50 or so list of their favorite songs and the top 50 go into round-robin match ups against each other.
angelsighs
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by angelsighs »

I think a song by song thing would be better, seeing as like you say Spiritualized don't have many albums.
the Stone Roses forum are doing a simple thing where people rate songs out of 10 (taking everything into consideration such as live versions etc), then you can produce an average or also see which albums have better averages.
it might be interesting to see that some albums are better taken on a 'song by song' basis whereas some just work better as albums
nghst
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by nghst »

I counted up all the 1st place votes. So here is a list based on our 1st place votes so far:

1. LGM 7 votes
2. LAGWAFIS 4 votes
2. PP 4 votes
4. LICD 2 votes
4. FUI 2 votes
6. SAE 1 vote

Amazing Grace got no 1st place votes, but did have 2 or 3 second place votes. I also think its interesting that the first 3 albums are leading the way. And that the critics favorite LAGWAFIS is not first in our rankings.

When I first got in to Spiritualized in 2006 songs off LAGWAFIS, LICD, and AG really hit me and I just couldn't get into LGM and PP even though I listened to them multiple times. Now 6 years later I find LGM is the only one I like to listen to the whole way through and I've gotten into a number of songs from Pure Phase. I think LAGWAFIS, LICD, and AG are complete albums, but some of those songs can be a downer for me. Songs in A and E is like Pure Phase in that there are a number of songs that I like, but that I don't at this point listen to the album the whole way through.

At this point I would rate the albums like this, with faces added to show how they leave me feeling emotionally:

1. LGM 5/5 :D
2. LICD 5/5 :?
2. LAGWAFIS 5/5 :?
4. AG 5/5 :?
5. SH, SL RAH 4.5/5 :)
6. PP 4/5
6. SAE 4/5
8. SH, SL studio version 3/5 (I just haven't gotten used to his voice in the studio vs. RAH. I hope this changes after listening to it more.)
good times
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by good times »

1. Ladies and gentlemen we are floating in space
2. Lazer guided melodies
3. Let it come down
4. Pure phase
5. Sweet heart sweet light
6. Songs in a&e
7. Amazing grace

i still remember that day. only listened lagwafis song once. two days later i bought the album, came home. i played it from beginning through the end. when the desert part was playing (cop shoot cop), at end of the 70 minutes, i was asking myself "what the hell was that?!". the only album i listen from start to finish. it's like a 70 min length song.

the other albums are great too, especially lgm. listening shsl for a while, but it seems it's better than songs in a e and amazing grace.
mh
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by mh »

LGM at number 1 for me.

It's fair to say that both of the first 2 LPs had a heavy representation of contemporary singles, but overall LGM seems to fit together more cohesively, whereas PP to my ears is a fairly random mess. It's one of those LPs that you should like rather than one that you do like, if you get my meaning. I get the technical/craftsmanship stuff for sure, but where's the soul?

On the other hand, the PP tracks do work much better live, where they have a chance to stretch out and see where the performance takes them. And Let It Flow remains one of my all-time favourite songs by any artist to this day. So on balance I'd place PP second, with the caveat that it's not second on account of the LP itself, but rather on account of the overall package including those contemporary singles, live performances, etc.

Of the rest, they could come in virtually any order depending on my mood, day of the week, or whatever.
nghst
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by nghst »

nghst wrote: 8. SH, SL studio version 3/5 (I just haven't gotten used to his voice in the studio vs. RAH. I hope this changes after listening to it more.)
I just downloaded the album from iTunes and his voice does sound different than the RAH concert, but this time I really like the way it sounds. I think the weakness or tiredness in his voice gives the album an extra depth. I'm moving it up to 5/5 and tied with LGM for first place on my rankings.

I love the Pitchfork review and how it goes into depth on some of the songs on Sweet Heart Sweet Light. It quotes Jason on his Jesus lyrics:

"As you have a conversation about Jesus, you know you're talking to him about how it is to be fallible and question yourself and your morals," he told me. "When I sing, 'Help me, Jesus,' you know I'm not asking for help fixing the fucking car."

Then the reviewer concludes by summing up the finale in So Long You Pretty Thing:

"And yet, backed by that choir and those horns, this is the finest, most enduring refrain Pierce has ever written-- a goodbye you never want to end."

I concur with that sentiment.

On another subject I have to admit I know next to nothing about composing music, I just know what sounds good to me. So I end up putting more weight on listening to the lyrics because I think I know something about words. If I knew music better I would probably have an even deeper appreciation for Spiritualized. All I know is that Spiritualized has something special that I haven't found in other bands/musicians.
nghst
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by nghst »

Not to toot my own horn, but I happened upon a stereogum article today that ranked the first seven Spiritualized albums. https://www.stereogum.com/1368561/spiri ... est/photo/

It would be interesting to see where folks would rank albums 8 and 9.

For myself I've come to the conclusion that all nine albums are equally great. They are all 5 out of 5 for me.
BessieBoporBach
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by BessieBoporBach »

nghst wrote: Sat Feb 12, 2022 4:19 am Not to toot my own horn, but I happened upon a stereogum article today that ranked the first seven Spiritualized albums. https://www.stereogum.com/1368561/spiri ... est/photo/

It would be interesting to see where folks would rank albums 8 and 9.

For myself I've come to the conclusion that all nine albums are equally great. They are all 5 out of 5 for me.
I also love them all, or most of them anyway. My favorites are Pure Phase and And Nothing Hurt. The others I pretty much all like equally, depending on what I listened to last -- at the moment I'm really enjoying Let It Come Down. The one I like the least is Sweet Heart Sweet Light, but I still think it's good!.
Bickerton Buddie
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by Bickerton Buddie »

Not much love for Fucked Up Inside. Much prefer this to the Albert Hall album.

Laser Guided Melodies top for me.
angel-sighs
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by angel-sighs »

My feelings have pretty much stayed the same as my previous post way back when.
Not sure how i would rank ANH. 7 or 8 out of 10 probably. There is a song i dislike (Here It Comes) and a couple more i am indifferent to. But somehow it all still ties together and the production is superlative. Might tip into an 8. Greater than the sum of its parts.

Disagree with a lot of the placements on that Stereogum list, but each to their own. A&E at #2? That one may have actually slightly dipped in my estimations.
heisenberg
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by heisenberg »

BessieBoporBach wrote: Sat Feb 12, 2022 9:36 pm
nghst wrote: Sat Feb 12, 2022 4:19 am Not to toot my own horn, but I happened upon a stereogum article today that ranked the first seven Spiritualized albums. https://www.stereogum.com/1368561/spiri ... est/photo/

It would be interesting to see where folks would rank albums 8 and 9.

For myself I've come to the conclusion that all nine albums are equally great. They are all 5 out of 5 for me.
I also love them all, or most of them anyway. My favorites are Pure Phase and And Nothing Hurt. The others I pretty much all like equally, depending on what I listened to last -- at the moment I'm really enjoying Let It Come Down. The one I like the least is Sweet Heart Sweet Light, but I still think it's good!.
This seems closest to how I feel about the albums. I think PP might be my favourite, but sometimes I love the simplicity and directness of ANH. Just depends where I'm at, I guess. I also think SHSL is my least favourite too, but again there's too much good stuff on there to even consider it 'the worst album.'

My most controversial opinion regarding the albums is that I really like AG. I prefer the jazzier, noisier stuff on AG or ANH over things like No God only Religion and the Individual, which I think are really (aleit, I imagine intentionally) hard to listen to if one is not in the right frame of mind. Still blows my mind that L&G went top 5 in the UK and is considered the classic album when much of it is so intense at times.

As a side note, I was always blown away that No God Only Religion begins and ends with wedding bells, and Nick McCabe's looped guitar throughout (and especially at the end) of Lucky Man on UH also sounds like wedding bells. Like two sides of the same story or something. Brutal stuff.
Billy_Whizz
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by Billy_Whizz »

I was gonna have a pop at this, but picking a favourite was too tricky because it can change depending on mood.

When I was thinking it through I thought that perhaps I'd put Songs in A&E bottom... today I decided to listen to it for the first time in ages and now I'm totally re-evaluating the whole thing... it's stunning. I'm also noticing how it's maybe the most 'different' album he's ever made. Much more rootsy. But astonishingly good.

Also, I'm aware of the whole 'music to take drugs to' thing, but I can only assume that everyone who's putting Amazing Grace bottom must have been putting the drugs in their ears.
REVOLUTION * PURITY * LOVE * SUICIDE * ACCURACY
toomilk
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by toomilk »

1) LAGWAFIS
2) LGM
3) Nothing Hurt
4) Pure Phase
5) Let It Come Down
6) SWSL
7) Amazing Grace
8 ) A&E
toomilk
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by toomilk »

LOL, I thought it was strange that no one was putting ANH on these lists until I saw the dates posted. :shock:
mc
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by mc »

1. Lazer Guided Melodies
2. Pure Phase
3. Ladies & Gentlemen
4. Let It Come Down
5. And Nothing Hurt

(dip in quality)

6. Songs in A&E
7. Amazing Grace

(massive dip in quality)

8. Sweet Heart Sweet Light

Not listened to Everything Was Beautiful yet, but two of the three songs I've heard so far have been stellar. I suspect (and am hoping) it'll come in just above ANH, which is a very, very good album in its own right.
mywhitenoise
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by mywhitenoise »

1. Pure Phase
2. Lazer Guided Melodies
3. LAGWFIS
4. Let it Come Down
5. And Nothing Hurt
6. Everything Was Beautiful
7. Sweet Heart Sweet Light
8. Amazing Grace
9. Songs in A&E
Space Papi
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by Space Papi »

Studio Albums:
1 Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space
2 Lazer Guided Melodies
3 Everything Was Beautiful
4 And Nothing Hurt
5 Pure Phase
6 Let It Come Down
7 Sweet Heart, Sweet Light
8 Amazing Grace
9 Songs In A&E

Live Albums:
1 Royal Albert Hall
2 Fucked Up Inside
adamhx
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Re: Ranking the Albums

Post by adamhx »

I have gone back and listened to all the other Spiritualized albums this week to try to place the new album and I would say it is the best they've done since LAGWAFIS. For me.....

1. LAGWAFIS
2. LGM
3. PP
4. EWB
5. LICD
6. ANH
7. Songs in A&E
8. SHSL
9. AG
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