JASON PIERCE was born in Rugby, England on 19 November 1965.
Happy 58 to the psychedelic soul artist who started his career with fellow
space cowboy Sonic Boom in Spacemen 3 (1982-1991) and then went on his
solo crusade with the Spiritualized moniker.
So far Pierce released 9 studio LPs with Spiritualized. Last year’s Everything Was Beautiful is the most recent one. He not only fabricates spellbinding longplayers, Spiritualized concerts are magical events, as I’ve witnessed 3 times before.
Sonic spiritualism in motion.
PICTURE THIS
Spiritualized – Paradiso Club, Amsterdam – 2015.
photos by Turn Up The Volume
Pitchfork says: “J Spaceman’s latest opus is gloriously satisfying and self-referential, refining his orchestral space rock with alchemical power… You could take issue with Spiritualized for sticking so closely to the blueprint they inaugurated more than 30 years ago. But the band always felt built for repetition and refinement, a cosmic home for Jason Pierce to grow comfortably old, away from an ever-changing musical world. And if Everything Was Beautiful calls back to Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space, it does so in a way that suggests that the fires are still burning, only slightly dimmed by the passing of time. Everything Was Beautiful is like meeting an old friend and finding new shared memories, the nostalgia not yet worn thin. It’s another glorious argument in favor of getting high on your own supply.” Full review hereScore: 7.8/10.
Turn Up The Volume: Jason Pierce operates in his same sonic cocoon for years now, making and recording (9) albums, from good to awesome (Lazer Guided Melodies / Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space). This new one falls somewhere in the middle. Familiar (Let It Bleed / Always Together With You / Crazy) and hypnotizing (Best Thing You Never Had / The A Song)
Singles/clips: Always Together With You / The mainline Song – The Lockdown Song
– ALWAYS TOGETHER WITH YOU –
A gospel-like epic symphony.
-THE MAINLINE SONG / THE LOCKDOWN SONG –
Psych-Kraut-pop at its Pierce best.
Jason Pierce: “I felt like I’d been in training for this my whole life.
It’s a buzzy, psych-tinged affair spanning just under seven minutes,
carried by reverberant guitars and ultra-bright vocal harmonies.”
Pierce does what he does so greatly for so long now. This new piece
is another soulful spiritual growing into a gospel-like epic symphony.
Jason Pierce about late legendDr. John playing on closing track ‘Cop Shoot Cop‘:
“I just wrote a letter, sent the track and his response was immediate. He said “absolutely, absolutely, love it”. It was where he wanted to be. I was completely in awe of him and his
playing and everything he put to it. I could hardly speak, to be honest. Not that I needed
to speak much. It didn’t add anything little or less to the proceedings. It was an amazing
session, amazing to do.”
Pitchfork about the album: “That’s what ranks ‘Ladies and Gentlemen We are Floating
in Space’ alongside the best art: Jason Pierce and a big band that included his ex-girlfriend
and a whole slew of people that soon became his ex-bandmates faithfully render the cycle
of loving anything– the innocent exuberance, the bitter rejection, the episodic denial, in 70 perfect minutes.” Full review here. Score: 10/10.
Re-issue info: “The Spaceman Reissue Program edition of ‘Lazer Guided Melodies’ promises
to give those recordings the fullest spectrum audio and physical treatment they’ve deserved since 1992. It will be the first in this series of 180g double albums mastered from a half speed lacquer cut from original sources by Alchemy Mastering, presented in a gatefold jacket adorned by reworked art by Mark Farrow, and available in both a standard black vinyl pressing and limited edition white vinyl.”
Turn Up The Volume: Spiritual soul music in space.
Key single: Run…
Out: 23 April 2021 – white vinyl already sold out, but you
can buy the album digitally now and here on Bandcamp…