Spiritualized

[MrWhippy]

Any Spiritualized fans on here?  They are one of my all-time favorite bands and have a new record coming out in March, hopefully followed by a US tour (the have some UK dates in March).

If you like the noise jam stuff that MMJ can get into at the end of One Big Holiday, or that Wilco does such as during Via Chicago, you might really dig Spiritualized as they do some serious noise freak outs but also integrate them well into the songs.

Their 1997 album "Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space" is up there for me in terms of all-time favorite albums, and the live album from that same period is amazing as well (Live at Royal Albert Hall, Oct 12 1997).

There are clips of live performances of a couple new songs here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/video/2011/dec/06/spiritualized-other-voices-festival-video

Performance on Jools Holland in 2008:

Spiritualized - Live on Jools

Jools Holland performance from 1998.  Apparently it's OK to say "fucked" on British TV:

Spiritualized - Come Together

Pro-shot full festival set from 2008:

Spiritualized® - Live @ Norwegian Wood Festival, Norway - 15th June 2008 [FULL SET]

[mjk73]

There are many fans here. You are in good company. If you are not moved by Ladies and Gentlemen, you are dead inside.

[Crispy]

I am late to the party for Spiritualized, but I have been digging them a lot lately. I keep messing up and passing them over at the record store, but I won't be making that mistake next time. Thanks for the additional links!

[buaawwww]

I do like them, but I have to be in the mood for them, if that makes any sense.
I do agree that "Ladies and Genetlemen..." is an essential album, and I have the Royal Albert Hall live album and it's pretty incredible.  But  honestly after that, their later studio albums just kind of bored me.
I did see them in concert once, headling the Beacon Theatre on the tour for "Let It Come Down".  Black Rebel Motorcycle Club opened for them and they were great... but Spiritualized was pretty awesome.  I remember I went by myself and sat 3rd row center.  Great time.

[MrWhippy]

I agree that Ladies and Gentlemen... was the last completely consistent Spiritualized album, but all the records since have had some great songs sprinkled throughout, and the tours have all been amazing.

I saw that tour with Black Rebel Motorcycle Club opening for Spiritualized as well.  Great show partly due to being on a huge BRMC kick at the time.  It seemed like opening for Spiritualized really influenced BRMC.  Gospel Song from the Howl record sounds like it could be a Spiritualized song.

[MrWhippy]

Oh Happy Day...

Spiritualized Tour

03-16 Nottingham, England - Rescue Rooms
03-17 Portsmouth, England - Wedgewood Rooms
03-19 London, England - Hackney Empire
03-20 Oxford, England - O2 Academy
03-21 Bristol, England - O2 Academy
03-22 Glasgow, Scotland - ABC
03-23 Belfast, Northern Ireland - Mandela Hall
03-24 Dublin, Ireland - Vicar Street
03-25 Manchester, England - Academy
05-02 Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue
05-03 Chicago, IL - Metro
05-04 Detroit, MI - The Majestic Theatre
05-05 Toronto, Ontario - The Phoenix
05-07 New York, NY - Terminal 5
05-09 Boston, MA - Paradise
05-10 Washington, DC - The 9:30 Club
05-11 Philadelphia, PA - Theatre of Living Arts
05-12 Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle
05-13 Atlanta, GA - The Variety Playhouse
05-15 Dallas, TX - The Granada Theatre
05-16 Austin, TX - Emo's East
05-18 Tucson AZ - The Rialto Theatre
05-19 Phoenix AZ - The Crescent Ballroom
05-20 San Diego CA - Belly Up Tavern
05-22 Los Angeles CA - The Wiltern
05-23 San Francisco CA - The Fillmore
05-25 Portland, OR - The Wonder Ballroom
05-26 Vancouver, British Columbia - The Rickshaw Theatre

[Penny Lane]

I absolutely love this band! Ladies and Gentleman is one of my favorite brit-pop albums. I can't remember why I had to miss their last NYC show! I'm def going to try to see them this tour. Also love the Royal Albert Hall album.


that will be a good week: Spiritulized on Mon, M Ward on Friday...

[mjk73]

And once again, they skip over here. Closest is Chicago and looking at the date that isn't going to happen based on prior commitments. grrr.

[vespachick]

I was totes gonna buy tix for the PDX show (Fri Night; great venue) until I realized Sasquatch! is that weekend, where I'll be, and I'm willing to wager they will be there on Sunday or Monday! Hoooya!

(along with CYHSY, M Ward, M83, Wild Flag, Starfucker...or so says the word on the street)

Oh Sasi, how I love thee  :-*

[MrWhippy]

I absolutely love this band! Ladies and Gentleman is one of my favorite brit-pop albums. I can't remember why I had to miss their last NYC show! I'm def going to try to see them this tour. Also love the Royal Albert Hall album.


that will be a good week: Spiritulized on Mon, M Ward on Friday...

Hey Penny, I hate to ask, but by their last NYC show, do you mean in 2010 when they played Ladies and Gentlemen... at Radio City in its entirety along with a horn section, string section, and full choir?  If so, that's too bad, that was an amazing show.  We came up from DC for it. 

In a great bit of timing, that also meant getting to catch the free Sonic Youth show in Prospect Park the next day where they played an entire set of nothing newer than 1990.

[MrWhippy]

New Spiritualized album streaming on NPR:

http://www.npr.org/2012/04/08/149860995/first-listen-spiritualized-sweet-heart-sweet-light#playlist

Really like it on first listen.

[ALady]

I'm pretty meh on it but the last song is nice.

[blucas]

Spiritualized occasionally makes it into my rotation, but I am hoping their May 19 show in Phoenix (a rare Saturday nighter for us) completes my conversion.  I've seen a subdued acoustic set from them, but for me, their style translates better when plugged in. Mr Whippy, I originally hail from the DC area and was a Terp for a while...what part of the beltway are you from?

[MrWhippy]

Spiritualized occasionally makes it into my rotation, but I am hoping their May 19 show in Phoenix (a rare Saturday nighter for us) completes my conversion.  I've seen a subdued acoustic set from them, but for me, their style translates better when plugged in. Mr Whippy, I originally hail from the DC area and was a Terp for a while...what part of the beltway are you from?

Alexandria, VA.

[MrWhippy]

I'm pretty meh on it but the last song is nice.

I'm curious as to what isn't doing it for you? 

I really like how it takes the soulfulness of the last couple albums and blends in more of the noise/experimental aspects.  Really happy with it and have a feeling my appreciation will keep growing as I listen more.

[ALady]

To me it doesn't show a lot of growth - which is fine, but the orchestration feels a little thin and the backing vocals in particular seem weak.  Jason's voice sounds weak, too, IMO.