Spurred on and motivated once again by the effects of his near-death experience (from double-pneumonia) back in 2005, spiritual leader of the drone Jason Pierce aka J.Spaceman, releases, yet, another meditative litany of plaint platitudes and lilting orchestral space-rock.
Really, the title gives it away with Sweet Heart, Sweet Light wallowing in a tenderised haze of mellifluous heart-string tugging and elegiac pop allusions, resulting in an accessible but disappointingly ‘light’ weight album. Though lacking in originality the signature sound-palette, bank of effects and throbbing waves of languorous cosmic-thrills remain steadfast; those dreamy, diaphanous textures and eastern-bound carpet-rides now lack impact – it doesn’t help that everyone from Kasabian to Moon Duo have eaten into the Spiritualized sound.
Recorded over a two-year period in L.A, Reykjavik and Wales, the 11-song concatenate mix of plush string-backed overtures and sentimental, sometimes over-indulged, travails stick to a recurring set of chords with the main Celtic-tinged melody of both the opening prologue Huh? and its harmonious accompanying second act Hey Jane – which is also the leading single – appearing throughout at key stages of the loose flowing album. Hey Jane, itself, will hardly surprise anyone familiar with the dirgy metaphorical anthems, usually rolled-out by Primal Scream; nor will the following track Little Girl lament, which also adheres to the Scream – though it maybe more in common with their softer side – with Pierce mournfully rasping, “Sometimes I wish I was dead/ cos only the living can feel the pain.”
Twinkly morose piano, choral spirited female vocals and tiptoeing strings are always introduced to evoke sentiment. None more so than on the waltzing lullaby Too Late; a sorrowful soliloquy filled with regret and more barely-concealed clichés: “My Mama said, when she got so concerned/ Don’t play with fire, and you’ll never get burned.” Seeking some kind of sign from up above, Pierce constantly refers to finding answers and asking for help from the Lord; plaintively pleading to a quasi-gospel backing. He collaborates with the New Orleans’ saintly Dr.John on the Alabama 3 holy swaggering I Am What I Am, and is joined by his 11-year old daughter Poppy on the closing beatific So Long You Pretty Thing; another holy-acid elegy that moves from asking for guidance to exalting the healing powers of rock’n’roll.
There’s no doubt that Spiritualized polarise critics, including myself. Fans, followers and advocates of the Pierce school of reverence drone and halcyon psychedelia will lap this latest opus up regardless’ whilst those still miffed at the championing of the former Spaceman 3 cadet’s musical cannon, will remain nonplussed and unmoved by the whole experience.
16/04/2012
[Rating:3]
