Playing With Fire

Really odd and interesting

By the end i finally got it. Probably the only album so far that i plan on returning to

I queued up to buy this album when it first came out, having been a big fan of Spacemen 3 for many years. It was a little bit of a disappointment at the time, with two bangers (Revolution and Suicide) sandwiched between more ambient, almost spiritual tracks. Looking back, this is the direction that would lead to Spiritualized eventually, and to be fair, the more ambient tracks had always been there, but usually in the minority. I would probably give five stars to anything on this list by Spacemen 3, including Dreamweapon, one of my favourite EPs of all time. Listening to it today, it's still slightly disappointing, with Sound of Confusion or Perfect Prescription being better albums in my opinion, but at the same time, several times better than the best work by other artists. Easy five stars.

I think it's fair to say that this being on the list came as a massive surprise. Aside from anything to do with drug taking this is a really great album. I still remember the first time I heard "Revolution" as a teenager and it blew my mind. As I've got older I have still returned to this album and I still get that bit of a rush with Revolution but it's some of the gentler moments which seem to resonate more now, with sublime tracks like So Hot (Wash Away All of My Tears). In retrospect I think you can see the two directions that will be Spiritualised and Sonic Boom but before that split they work wonderfully together here. It is still a pleasure to listen to, preferably at some volume,

Drug-addled psychedelic guitar trance, with a side of Jesus.

i liked this a lot, added some songs to my reading/studying playlist

HELL YEAH. Now we're talking. Had the privilege of seeing solo Sonic Boom once in little ol Auckland. Was a religious experience. Miss you Kings Arms.

I saw them around the time this came. They were amazing. I hadn't listened to this in a long time and I like it even more now if anything. I hear the usual Suicide and Stooges reference points routinely attached to them but surprising to me I hear Cluster even more.

14/1001. After some grunge and brit pop it is so refreshing to hear guitars used for something creative :) It takes quite a lot of courage to strip down to so much, to remove chord progressions, riffs and what not. Many seem to claim they could do it, but I really do doubt it, at least on this level. The songs undulate, grow, fade away and (some) contain beautiful melodies. I'm a fan of the Spiritualized, in knew about Spacemen 3, but never listened to them too much. The meditative / religious themes seem to stem already from here. Have to dig in deeper after this :) If you open your mind a bit and think that music can also be about texture and tone rather than about Pop tunes crafted in an A B A or some other format this is for you. After all this I feel even more sad Spiritualized cancelled their show in 2023 for Epäjohdonmukaisten tanssiaiset.

I really dig Spaceman 3, also a fan of Spiritualized as a result. This is a really great listen

Dreeaaamy nnoooooiiiiisssssssssee!

This is a great album and one that's been in my collection for a while. I love the trippy guitar-based sound of Spacemen 3, with all its motorik influences. Notably here is the track "Suicide"...the whole album is a classic 'less is more' piece of work.

Great

I used to think this the weakest of Spacemen 3s 3 latter albums but completely changes my mind - although Perfect Prescription may be conceptually more interesting I think the mix here of melodic, almost tender songs and a couple of longer heavier ones gives this the edge. Always had a preference for Sonic Booms songs over Jasons and I think that still holds true for me.

I had not listened to this album in a while. About as easy a 5 star album as it gets.

SPACEMEN 3 are more than the band that J SPACEMAN was in before he started Spiritualized and yet for many listeners hearing this record is hearing backwards in time from Spiritualized to this. Maybe at this point in history that's the majority of listeners. There are a few fellow travelers left who heard Spacemen 3 back in the day when this coolly aloof, psychedelic-tinged blues drift would build waveform upon waveform into a delayed crescendo that would wash over an already blown mind. Being stateside I wasn't one of them, I had a friend who dug this music with a passion so I caught what bit of the lightning the tape machine could capture. But even me being SPACEMEN 3 adjacent can't come back to this record and not feel an overwhelming echo of the future slap back upon this listening experience like so much spring reverb. None of this is a complaint. It's not a bad thing. It's the way that it is whenever there's a strong sonic imprint and the two experiences are drawn together in overlap. In both bands, it's not the chords or tempos chosen but the way they are shaped and expressed that has a certain SPACEMAN signature that's inescapable. It's repetition and difference / difference and repetition. Playing with Fire is just a hallucinatory reminder of a phenomenon in a way that only time and experience can provide. If we could truly travel back in history and steal it from the gods to give it to man again for the first time. Only then. Only then. For now, we just have slabs of wax melted into an array, digitized for the stream in a way that collapses our listening into the black hole of the self.

oooOOOooooOoooOOOOOooooOOOooOOOOooo

Amazing album.

Super soothing and relaxing instrumentals. Easy to work/think to, even sleep to. Calming for me.

Dames en heren, ik zweef door de ruimte met dit album. Dit is er een waar je stiekem op hoopt dat die ertussen staat, maar het niet durft te dromen. En toch! Ze kunnen misschien toch wel wat goed doen… ik heb na corona Spiritualized in de Paradiso gezien, en als je deze muziek ziet zitten is het een absolute aanrader. Jason is de grootste antiperformer, hij zit op een stoeltje met een zonnebril op, maar zet toch een show neer… betoverend. Groot fan!

Pretty cool ambient sounds. A lot of drone rocking. Great album.

That's the funny thing about music. I listened to this band about 8 years ago and thought it was just ok. Listening with today's ears and frame of mind, this is pretty fantastic stuff. Playing guitar through fuzz, delay and reverb pedals to get this shoegazey sound is loads of fun. I've listened through 3 times, now I'm on to their album prior to this one. Really dig the early Pink Floyd influence.

Spacemen 3 son una banda que hay que escuchar. Spiritualized está muy bien, pero esto es otro nivel al que Jason no supo, no pudo o no quiso llegar (y llegó muy lejos). Spectrum y EAR o todo lo en lo que estuvo Sonic Boom tampoco. Ya sea con Sound of Confusion (1986), con su más reconocido The Perfect Prescription (1987) o con este Playing with fire que para mí es el mejor de todos, cualquier disco de los Spacemen 3 es de escucha obligatoria para cualquier amante de la música. Mejor que hablar de las curiosidades de Jason Pierce y Sonic Boom (que si nacieron el mismo día, que si las influencias de la Velvet, Suicide, Silver Apples o los Stooges...), es más valioso poner el disco, cualquiera, y disfrutarlo. Honey es un clásico que marca el tono sin descubrir las cartas. How does it feel introduce un repetitivo dron que te va llevando a otra dimensión. I believe it te atrapa y Revolution te destroza el cerebro. Después retorno en espiral con las bucólicas Let me down gently y So Hot hasta que Suicide te vuelve a freir las neuronas. Lord can you hear me limpia cualquier resto que haya quedado y vuelta a darle al play. Un disco excepcional, atemporal e ineludible. Otros grandes discos del 89, el año del Milli Vanilli-gate: Stone Roses de Stone Roses, New York de Lou Reed, Doolitle de Pixies, On Fire de Galaxie 500, Disintegration de The Cure, Paul´s Boutique de los beastie boys, Technique de New Order, Freedom de Neil Young, Let Love Rule de Lenny Kravitz, The Seeds of Love de Tears for Fears, Automatic de Jesus and Mary Chain, Love and Rockets de Love and Rockets, Dum-Dum de las Vaselines, Spike de Elvis Costello, Rhythm Nation de Janet Jackson, Mind Bomb de The The, Club Classic VI de Soul to Soul, Mothers Milk de los Red Hot Chili Peppers, Full Moon Fever de Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, Ojalá Que Llueva Café de Juan Luis Guerra, Shahen-Shah Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, The Raw and the Cooked de los Fine Young Cannibals, Primal Scream de Primal Scream, The Whitey Album de Ciccone Youth, Lōc-ed After Dark de Tone Lōc, 3 Feet High and Rising de De La Soul, 101 de Depeche Mode, Like a Prayer de Madonna, Nick of Time de Bonnie Raitt, No More Mr. Nice Guy de Gang Starr, Raw Like Sushi de Neneh Cherry, The Real Thing de Faith No More, Liquidizer de Jesus Jones, Heart Shaped World de Chris Isaak, Bleach de Nirvana, Velveteen de Transvision Vamp, Pump de Aerosmith, The Healer de John Lee Hooker, Crossroads de Tracy Chapman, Hats de The Blue Nile, All Hail the Queen de Queen Latifah, Done by the Forces of Nature de los Jungle Brothers, Back on the Block de Quincy jones, Me and a Monkey on the Moon de Felt, Ninety de 808 State, Hallelujah EP de los Happy Mondays o Pump Up the Jam de Technotronic. Y como placeres culpables: Cuts Both Ways de Gloria Stefan, Foreign Affair de Tina Turner, ...But Seriously de Phil Collins y Neither Fish Nor Flesh de Terence Trent D'Arby

This sounds remarkably like something that would have influenced Spiritualized, for Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space. And that's a Really Good thing. That this was released more than half a decade earlier than LAGWAFIS is quite frankly astonishing. And I really like it. And... Exactly like I did with The Sugarcubes, I've made a huge mistake.... Turns out that Spirtualized were formed from members of Spacemen 3. What a(nother) journey of discovery this is! Yes - this album is The Tits. I like it. A lot.

From Spacemen 3’s Wikipedia page: “Their music is known for its brand of trance-like ‘neo-psychedelia’ consisting of heavily distorted guitar, synthesizers, and minimal chord or tempo changes.” Pretty accurate description of this album. If you’re in the right mood or on the right cocktail of mind-altering drugs, Playing with Fire definitely scratches a particular itch. It’s not on the proper track listing, but the live version of Suicide is even better than the album cut.

Un album que j'aurais cru pratiquement contemporain, alors qu'il est fin des années 1980. Il m'a bluffée. Je me suis laissée transporter par les ambiances, même les plus répétitives ou discordantes. Une belle réussite pour moi.

Surprisingly good. Feels like a precursor to MGMT and maybe even some BMRC

cool

Me gustó. tiene cositas de radiohead, cositas de cocteau twins... me emcanta este tipo de sonido medio alternativo a veces shoegaze...

You can definitely tell the the guy from "Spiritualized" was in this band.

I've broadly known about Spacemen 3 and even own an album by Spiritualized, but I had never really listened to the band that closely. Listening to this, you can definitely hear the elements that would carry over to Spirtualized, particularly that thread of soul/gospel buried in the mix. That is intertwined with a lot of the kinds of fascination with texture and also transcendence found in contemporary shoegaze material and there are some commonalities with the Jesus and Mary Chain. The other influence is definitely Suicide, which brings in an electro element, albeit without the retro rock and roll element of that band. Overall, a good record.

Woozy, uncertain, human - rooted in the Stooges, in Suicide, and in their own humanity - some splendid din, and some moving psychedelia 4 stars

Surprisingly good album, vintage sounds combined with electronica, minimalistic and very work-friendly. Quality of the album is noticeably higher at the beginning, generally trends downward as the album plays on.

yes. im happy i got to listen to music made by dudes doing drugs. buzzy and experimental. interesting and pop adjacent. good stuff.

"Lord Can You Hear Me" en av tidenes fineste låter? Ellers herlig spaca plate, men til tider litt for syrete om man ikke gir seg helt hen og jeg tror ikke jeg er villig til det uansett hvor mye S3 fronter dråger.

Spacemen 3 were an important band they launched two careers (J Spaceman and Sonic Boom) that are always engaging. It’s cool, relaxed and elegant music.

I actually think this is pretty fun

Really like it. Psychedelic shoelace. Hardly any drums! Spiritualised became much better but this is a great start

This is awesome! Like the Velvet Underground if they didn't split up and mixed up the drugs a bit.

This was new to me and was as brilliant as I expected. Suicide was my highlight on first listen.

One of the very best British bands of the late 1980s, laying it on nice and thick here. Thank you sir, may I have another?

lovely album I had forgotten just how good this is

Always enjoy listening to these guys, even if this isn’t my favorite album. Cool mix of space, gospel, drone, and noise. Sui and Che are the standouts on this album for me.

psychydelic album, with a ton of distortion, repetition and overall weird sounds. on the other hand, it has interesting effects on psychique...

Semi-ambient, band minimalism, combining the insistent drone of Suicide with late 80s shoegaze. 'Come Down Softly to My Soul' in particular feels very much like it may have influenced Ian Brown, and 'I Believe It' Bobby Gillespie. It probably feels less than the sum of all its heady parts, but it's an interesting album nevertheless, and there is so much of the 90s here - Stone Roses, Primal Scream, Death in Vegas, Mogwai. It feels quite ahead of its time. Without taking away from its innovation, there is not always sufficient atmospheric layering to make it a real classic.

Enjoyed this, made me think of Spiritualized.

Cerramos la semana con una banda que descubrí por una remera de otra banda (Winona Riders, de Argentina), en la que los colocaban juntos a The Stooges y Velvets, y me quedó la inquietud sobre cómo sonarían. Efectivamente, los Winona (mi país, mi país) están en la misma línea que los Spacemen 3 en el sentido de la experimentación sonora: los argentinos suenan más podris, más en la línea de The Stooges combinados con los sonidos de esta banda. Favourite track: Revolution. Por lo sucio, lo colgado. Gracias por la casualidad: me quedó la inquietud por escuchar más de ellos. Hasta el lunes

amazing prelude to spaceman's spiritualized work

Super fuzzy psych drone record from the 80s that seems ahead of its time. Not something I would put on a regular rotation but an interesting spin. I can hear their influence in bands today.

Some of the most beautiful noise I have ever heard. Some iggy Pop influences and a straight up experimental vibe that drives this music into your ears.

Selvom det er skramlet, blev jeg faktisk ret optaget af det. Fed lyd.

Surprised myself that I liked this. Liked all the versions of the songs / playlist track: how does it feel

nice but a bit long

After the first four songs, I was ready to dismiss this album. Pretty dull electronica. Then came Revolution, and I realized that I was set up to have my mind blown. And blown it was. As lackadaisical and dull as the first four songs were, so the rest of the album was powerful and energetic. 4/5

I just found Radiohead's favorite band. This is a Velvet Underground tribute band, the Greta Van Fleet of Velvet Underground. Even the lead singer sounds like he's imitating Lou Reed. That's not necessarily a knock on the quality of the album, but it doesn't feel that original. I kind of like the album though. Suicide is dragging a little bit.

Really interesting sound. Trance rock that sounds mostly performed rather than sampled. The grooves are deep, but nit forced. A provisional 4.

I hated this but then I gave it 4. Weird.

Good album. Showgaze ish. Garage rock ish. Pretty sparse arrangements with a lot of distortion allows to roam. Enjoyed the listen.

A lot of repetitive melodies that give it an almost religious like quality to some of the songs.

iprnotico e meditativo, forse un po' lungo ma voglio rivisitare

The nonchalance, the 60s inspired psychedelica, the grooves. All good!

Musique bien expérimentale, redondant mais hypnotisant et "spirituel". On peut mieux faire musicalement cependant. C'est plus qu'un 3 mais moins qu'un 4 je trouve

Le genre de musique qui t'emmène looooooooooin. A retenir pour plus tard @sydou ^^

Hermoso

Me gustó en general, aunque me gustaría escucharlo más atentamente.

Really solid psychedelic album. While I can't really pinpoint individual tracks, I do think that I'd listen to the album as a whole from time to time.

cool and spacey

I listened to this album and, how to put this… its vibe is solid, but many songs were like long and repetitive. I get it, I was not high, but need to reduce the redundant sounds a little guys. Positive experience in the end

Likte denne veldig godt ved første gjennomlytt! Har hørt litt sporadisk på disse karene opp igjennom, da mest på albumet med det legendariske navnet "Taking Drugs To Make Music To Take Drugs To". Denne var litt rundere i kantene enn sistnevnte, og det gjør ingen ting for min del. Beste spor: Suicide Sjekk ut Spiritualized om du likte denne.

Den satt ikke helt på første gjennomlytt. Ga den en sjanse til og der var den! Absolutt noe jeg vil høre mer på. Sliter bare litt med å skjønne i hvilke settinger skal kunne sette den på.

Kjedelig og deilig👌Får veldig lyst på dop.

Mit psychedelische E-Gitarre jams chan mer wenig falsch mache. Het mi überzoge und spass gmacht. Aber viellicht au sehr ustuschbar. Wege guetem Mood gits 4 grossi Schritt für d Menschheit

PSA: Do not judge this album by it's "graphic design is my passion" cover lol

I was scared going into this album, because of the reviews, but I was pleasantly surprised. I loved this album, it had this dark psychedelic sound, something in between punk and goth music, and it resonated with me, I didn't feel bored by it, even a song that was just basically a 12 minute guitar riff didn't bore me. This is the kind of music you would hear late at night during a music festival, as you stumble around half drunk and half high and it evokes a certain kind of feeling of emptiness, despite the crowds around you.

Spaceeeyyyyyyy. This is an early hallmark of the "space rock revival" style, which combined the space rock of the 70s with newer sounds for the late 80s and the 90s. I hear everything from The Flaming Lips to Spiritualized to even Boredoms in this album, and it seems like this is the origin point for it all. Noisy, frenetic, and full of excellent buildup and atmosphere, this is a must-listen for anyone interested in spacey, wacked-out rock music!

I kept waiting for a big climactic payoff that never came. As it turns out, this is not that type of album! It's all about the textures and hypnotic rhythms, and going into a second listen with that in mind made all the difference for me. They do a great job of mixing in gentler tracks between the more distorted, aggressive ones, so all in all I found it to be a surprisingly engaging listen for a drone/ambient-adjacent record. Loved it! Standouts: Come Down Softly To My Soul • Revolution • Let Me Down Gently • Lord Can You Hear Me

Extremely solid ambient stuff, perfect for piloting your spaceship into a black hole or drifting on a raft in the ocean.

I know nothing about this except the name of the band. Nice! Wait, this is where Spiritualized came from?!? Oh wow. This is really good. Not Spiritualized at its best good, but really good.

Very good.

They got some pretty cool sounds on this album that sound a couple of years ahead of their time, but I don't really think they have the songs to back it up. None of the songs were bad, but not enough happened to say I loved any of them. The most egregious song was the 11 minute one. I love me some crescendo core and slow burn songs, but they actually have to burn and not loop 2 notes for 10 minutes. Despite all this complaining I did enjoy this album enough. Low 4.

How have I not heard of this. This is hypnotic and meditative and a little weird, comes in and out of ambient into psychedelia. Layered guitars that come in and out of spase but perfectly balanced compositions. Great use of ambient and spacey synths that definitely pay homage to the band name. Lord an YOu Hear Me is gorgeous. You can gear the velvt underground in here quite distinctly

people on this website are obsessed with calling any ambient or experimental album “music you need to be on drugs to like”

What a fun pool of vibes, one rif jazz? Album is 2hr long so can't do the whole thing but love the concept, think I caught some common samples in there. For what it is I found it rather interesting Song names somehow really match the vibe of the songs only using a few notes generally I'll be damned if this ant Alan Sparhawk's favorite album lol, just get lost in the sound and sometimes annoyed. 4

Well that was a nice surprise. I hadn't listened to this album in YEARS and certainly didn't expect it to crop up here. It's a record I owned around the time it came out but I'd never quite grasped just how influential it's been. Listening to it again now, it clearly set the tone for the 'proper' indie scene of the early 90s, in the UK at least. Great to hear it again.

I see tje vision they had for this album and i enjoyed it alot surprisingly. However some songs did feel like they just dragged on for ages. I felt at the edge of my seat for a lot of them aswell because i was expecting some kind of climax with a drum part but instead i got nothing. This is an album you have to listen to in full, you cant really lisren to the songs individually. I liked it

I love Spiritualized so I should have listened to Spacemen 3 a long time ago. I was expecting it to be spikier and more electronic, but found I really liked it. You can really see the through line from this to early Spiritualized, and in fact Spiritualized still play some of the songs live.

Я спочатку хотів захейтити, а потім щось так підзалип на цей дроновий психоделічний спейс-рок. Маю слабкість на репетативну музику

I liked this. It kind of sounded like 60s punk / psyche to me. I was also confusing it with Spiritualised to start with… which makes sense as I found this band developed into Spiritualised. Yeah. A bit minimal. But good! 4 stars (I realised it was an “extended version” this time so didn’t have to listen to an extra disc of “bonus” material as if it was essential to the album. But, in this case, I might give it a go in future!)

Very much enjoyed this, yes it’s a mash up of great other bands like the stooges, my bloody valentine, velvet underground, suicide but they make it their own…

Will come back to this.

Some good songs, calming but repetitive

Good music but a little too trippy and sad for me.

It was okay. I like Suicide and many of the guitar riffs, particularly in the live portion of the album. But I think I woulda liked the album better without the vocals -- the instrumental songs are the strongest part.

I liked it a lot. Was great for doing work to!

Not bad, I enjoyed

I was too sober to get the full experience. Great album but not as versatile as Spiritualized and I don't often feel the mood for this. A generous 4 but might slip to a 3 if I don't relisten anytime soon.

Cool stuff never really listened before ahead of its time

8 / 10

Speisa saker!

I kinda liked this. Didn't love it, nothing really grabbed me, but it was enjoyable in the background. A lot of it gave me Velvet Underground vibes. Also, I only listened to the original 9 or so songs. I think if I listened to the full double album it would have drug this down at least one star.

Get stoooooned

Never heard of this band before but I really really like this. I will definitely be checking out more as well as the successor projects.

Psychedelic yet soothing. Somewhere between an acid trip and the ambien walrus

Wow! This was awesome! Droney drug music. There’s something to be said about getting lost in a chord repeated over and over. New favorite band.

3.5 (Genre birth - Shoegaze) 43:45 in it's original release. Trance really. Shoegaze. Good album - must be listened to in headphones (hard to appreciate otherwise). This is meditation music. A hike or a sauna session. Usually I do not like albums in the "psychedelic rock" genre but those were the years 68-72, the reboot of psych rock I'd actually describe as Trance and/or Shoegaze. There are times Trance is quite a mood enhancer and I feel like this may be one of those albums although I somehow missed the band entirely in the 80's

I really liked this. Not sure its one of the greatest albums ever. Context matters a lot though. I listened to this while working from home. Good album for that. Roadtrip? Not so much.

One that requires you to be in the right frame of mind (zonked out on heroin) but is a mighty piece of work, reminds me a lot of Jason Pierce's later work as Spiritualized

Straight psych-shoegaze fire. God, I love this band.

Not their best, but still very good.

8/10

I stand corrected. I made it clear that I don't like long, double album style works, such as a 22 song two hour album by any band. Just too much after a while. And then this. It is 22 songs and some are 11 minutes long! But... I really liked it! Why?... Ah! Because if one asked "what is the genre?" I would say ... well, post-punk, alt. Rock, Techno, new age, club... and I would not be wrong. Spaceman 3 IS all this, and more really. It doesn't get old because everything they do is so different. And, truth be told, ALL the genres they encompass I happen to like! I actually totally liked this whole album and never got bored!

Rating: 4.6/5 Short Review: Hypnotic music for the chemically altered and spiritually curious.It’s psychedelic, drugged-out minimalism that barely cares if you’re listening. Favorite Track: “Revolution” – loud, grimy, hypnotic—like a biker gang doing transcendental meditation in a chapel full of smoke.

A great discovery. The post rock vibes on this are strong, with lots of patience to let the sound build and build and then crash. A hidden gem

3.5/5

Choir practice for junkies. Revolution is bloody magnificent.

Mmm, that was good. Perhaps the only bad thing I can say about it is that I've heard it done better, but it sounds a bit unfair...

Unique mix of relaxing and heavy, distortion and effects create a strange atmosphere in songs like "How does it feel". Will listen to it again.

Impressive 60s psychedelic pastiche.

way better than i would have ever anticipated

Languid, narcotic grooves swirl in reverb-soaked haze. Less about climax, more about drift. Feels like floating in slow motion. Easily a 4/5 trip.

4/5

Very obviously a predecessor to Spiritualized. I really enjoyed Revolution and Suicide on here; repetitive and hypnotic in a way that worked for me. I liked the rest too, but not to the same extent.

3.6 That was pretty good, very similar vibes to the Spiritualised project, so was surprised to see that most of the hlmusic was actually written by the other band member. Nice precursor to Spiritualised. Must say, the list owner does tend to favour Shoegaze. Luckily it's my cup of tea but if I wasn't a fan of that genre it would be getting tedious. I guess I'm bearing the brunt of that with 60s pop, Clapton/Springsteen et al.

It reminded me of the time I was very stoned and 17, and playing my guitar, except these guys are way more talented than me.

I listened to the album and thought it sounded interesting, but this review is mostly to prompt a deeper exploration later. An album like this requires conentrated listening and probably copious amounts of ganja. I just don't have the time to give it the attention it needs currently.

I listened to one song from this album before. I did not know this album came out in 1988. It sounds newer than that. I can also see how other psychedelic rock artists were inspired by this album. My favorites from this album are Revolution and So hot (Wash away all of my tears).

This was really good. I had listened to this band before, but forgot how much I like this style of music.

The first thing I do when I see that an album is two hours long, or has more than one disc, is tho check Wikipedia to see if I've inadvertently gotten some stupid reissue version and, hallelujah, that was the case with this album. Because while I really liked it, I'm not going to listen to two hours of it. So this review is based on the first 9 songs, because that was the original release - and the first 9 songs were pretty damned good. It's kind of dreamy, shoegazey, and I would have never guessed it was released in the 80s. I can hear the shades of music to come, which lets me know it was probably super influential to bands like Mogwai, Godspeed You, and the like. It's a 3.5, but I'll give it a half star because it surprised me

Me parece interesante musicalmente, al principio viene medio monótono y rompe con Revolution (lindo detalle). Suicide al principio no me llegó, en vivo mejoró y el final alternativo me terminó de convencer. En general buen disco.

Excellent this. Can definitely tell Spiritualised were born out of this. Some bands dont get that hole repetitive, hypnotic thing right but I feel these nail it. Stripped back and minimal, but in an interesting way, kinda like neu! at times, but more on the pysch side. Will definitely be back. Strong 4.5

Du bon rock. Bien repetitif, parfait pour se perdre dans les chansons. Revolution une bonne rockeuse bien distortionnée. Shoegaze un peu?

pretty psych heavy, but i found a nice little groove listening to this while working. would go back to this on a busy work day for sure

A very good album. It checks a lot of boxes for me, but fails to deliver a real knockout song. I was not surprised to learn that one of Spaceman 3's founders went on to form Spiritualized, another band that I mostly enjoy but never feel blown away by. The sound feels ahead of its time for 1989. Clearly, Spacemen 3 have been super-influential on bands of the current Indie scene.

Lovely psychedelic tunes, but not much else to say on my end. 4.5 bumped down to 4.

trip de pcp

Very ahead of its time. I can hear how it has influenced bands that I listen to today such as wooden shjips and animal collective. 3.7 stars

This was sick. I loved the blended chords, minor sevenths, hushed vocals and progressive movements of this whole record. Very Radiohead like. Everything kind of builds and layers and crashes. Starts with very little and the progresses as the album flows. This was a pleasant surprise today!

First listen to this album and this band, I'll check out their other stuff.

Best music for acid trip.

Spacemen 3 assemble the pieces that would form the blueprint of what would become Spiritualized with Playing With Fire, an album that mostly does good on the themes displayed on the album cover and reinvokes the spirit of the psychedelic age to fit their modern times. An accurate purity of love bound by revolution and suicide. Favorites: Honey, Come Down Softly to Me, How Does It Feel, Let Me Down Gently, So Hot (Wash Away All of My Tears), Suicide, Lord Can You Hear Me.

Can't quite put my finger on why I liked this so much. Some of the songs should be too repetitive, some of the vocals are quite weak but it is more than the sum of it's parts

Played this album whilst soaking my aching legs in the bath following a hard 3-set Padel match defeat where we’d thrown away match point at 5-2 in the 3rd set. It was perfect timing. Just lie back, chill and absorb as the endorphins wash over me. I probably wouldn’t have given this the focused time it needs otherwise. Spacemen 3 passed me by in my formative years, so this release offered up a whirlwind of interesting experimental soundscapes, with Revolution and Suicide being with standout tracks for me. In places, the latter sounded as though I was patiently loading a 1980s home computer game via cassette tape during its monumental 11 minutes of screeching yet somehow non-cacophonic feedback and squelching. Very happy to have discovered this album, especially as I used to really like some spiritualised back in the day. Will revisit some time for sure, maybe next time I take a bath .

Rock psyché

4/5. I have been of fan of Spiritualized so I kind of got the energy I was going to get from this album. A lot less song structure and more just repeated riffs and phrases. I am not usually a fan of shoegaze, but this hit the right balance for me. It felt "spacey" and yet like you are falling down to Earth, sometimes just grabbing onto the orbit and other times getting ready to hit the Earth. Like with other shoegaze, it does fall into the category of not being able to put this on anytime. It's not perfect but I do enjoy it. Best Song: Revolution, Honey, How Does It Feel?

Cool album - it’s like the sonic equivalent of watching 2001 a space odyssey. Not for everyone, but interesting to hear how multiple genres can combine to create such a unique sound.

Far out stuff man

Just what I needed to hear to keep me grounded while my brother goes on having a manic bipolar episode. The early version of All of My Tears reminds me how much I love early Spiritualized. Going to see them play Pure Phase in full soon and can't wait for that bit. The centrepiece drone of Suicide is peerless, and Lord Can You Hear Me is beautiful. I love it. I do love Spiritualized more. A very high 4

4- Stars (10/15)

This one surprised me. Initially I didn't think much of it, but the more I listened it drew me in. Going with a four but I may have to move it higher after further listening.

Amazing album and the long instrumentals were awesome mde me feel like I was actually floating in space

I really liked this. The combination of minimalist synth and bluesier stuff was a lot of fun. And it feels different that pretty much anything I've heard. Kraftwerk+Arcade Fire or something? Anyway, I doubt this is everyone's cup of tea, but this was great for me. I've never heard of this band and their significance is completely lost on me, but I'm glad to have been introduced.

Skills

Very droney and spacey, I’ve never heard this before. Love it.

ACCURACY REVOLUTION PURITY LOVE ... SUICIDE??! sounds like a space cult and it somehow slaps hard

Spacey, jam, dynamic

A pretty good album, I liked Come Down Softly To My Soul, Suicide, Lord Can You Here Me and Any Way That You Want Me the most.

This is a really good album with a variety f moods and dynamic swings. I think I still prefer Recurring but no slouch here. Honey, I Believe It, Revolution and So Hot are stellar and it ends on a beautiful quiet spiritual note with Lord Can You Hear Me. 4 stars

I've never listened to Spacemen 3 but I've always enjoyed Spiritualized. This felt more ambient and drone-y which I loved!

Always liked Spacemen 3 more than Spiritualized (their joydivision/neworder esque sequel band) and I had never heard this album but really enjoyed it - i think the psychedelic and post rock influences work really well with the drone-y and dream pop vibes on this record .. anyways i really liked it!

## In-Depth Review of *Playing With Fire* by Spacemen 3 *Playing With Fire*, released in 1989, marks a significant evolution in the sound and thematic exploration of Spacemen 3, a band known for its unique blend of psychedelia and alternative rock. This review delves into the album's lyrics, music, production, themes, and influence while also addressing its pros and cons. ### ****Lyrics The lyrics of *Playing With Fire* reflect a deep introspection and an exploration of existential themes, often intertwined with drug references and emotional vulnerability. - **Existential Themes**: Songs like “Lord Can You Hear Me?” grapple with questions of faith and personal despair. The repeated plea for divine presence resonates with listeners seeking solace in their struggles. - **Emotional Vulnerability**: Tracks such as “So Hot (Wash Away All Of My Tears)” reveal a yearning for redemption and inner peace, showcasing the band's ability to convey profound emotions through simple yet poignant lyrics. - **Minimalism**: The lyrical content is often minimalistic, mirroring the musical style. This approach allows the listener to focus on the emotional weight of each line rather than getting lost in complex narratives. Overall, the lyrics serve as a vehicle for exploring themes of love, loss, and transcendence, creating a deeply immersive experience. ### ****Music Musically, *Playing With Fire* is characterized by its minimalist approach and rich textures that create an expansive soundscape. - **Drones and Repetition**: The album features extensive use of drones and repetitive structures, particularly evident in tracks like “Suicide,” which employs an 11-minute two-chord drone that captivates listeners through its hypnotic qualities. - **Guitar Effects**: The guitar work is notable for its innovative use of effects. In “Honey,” guitars are processed to mimic synthesizers, showcasing the band's experimental spirit. This technique creates a lush auditory experience that complements the lyrical themes. - **Diverse Influences**: Drawing from a wide range of influences—from John Cage to Kraftwerk—the band successfully merges various genres, resulting in a sound that feels both contemporary and timeless. The incorporation of elements from ambient music enhances the album's ethereal quality. ### ****Production The production of *Playing With Fire* plays a crucial role in shaping its overall sound. - **Minimalist Production**: The album's production is intentionally sparse, allowing each instrument to breathe. This minimalism enhances the emotional impact of the music while creating an immersive listening experience. - **Layering Techniques**: Producer Sonic Boom (Pete Kember) employs layering techniques that add depth without overwhelming the listener. The careful balance between clarity and density allows for a rich sound that invites repeated listens. - **Atmospheric Quality**: The production captures an atmospheric quality that aligns perfectly with the lyrical content. Tracks like “How Do You Feel?” exemplify this with their haunting melodies and spacious arrangements. ### ****Themes The thematic core of *Playing With Fire* revolves around introspection, existentialism, and the search for meaning amidst chaos. - **Psychedelic Exploration**: The album embodies a psychedelic journey that encourages listeners to explore their inner landscapes. The combination of drug references and spiritual inquiries creates a complex narrative about escapism and enlightenment. - **Urban Alienation**: Reflecting the band's experiences in Thatcher-era Britain, themes of urban alienation permeate the album. This context adds a layer of social commentary to the personal struggles depicted in the lyrics. - **Duality of Experience**: The juxtaposition between beauty and despair is prevalent throughout the album. Songs oscillate between moments of serene beauty and haunting melancholy, mirroring the complexities of human emotion. ### ****Influence *Playing With Fire* has left an indelible mark on both contemporary music and the broader psychedelic genre. - **Legacy in Psychedelia**: The album is often cited as a pivotal moment in modern psychedelia, influencing bands such as Spiritualized (founded by Jason Pierce) and other alternative rock acts that followed. - **Cult Following**: Over time, *Playing With Fire* has garnered a cult following, celebrated for its innovative sound and profound lyrical content. Its impact can be seen in various genres that embrace minimalism and experimental approaches to songwriting. - **Continued Relevance**: The themes explored in *Playing With Fire* remain relevant today, resonating with new generations who grapple with similar existential questions and emotional struggles. ### ****Pros and Cons #### Pros - **Innovative Sound**: The blend of minimalist structures with rich textures creates a unique auditory experience that stands out in the alternative rock landscape. - **Emotional Depth**: The introspective lyrics coupled with haunting melodies provide listeners with a profound emotional connection to the music. - **Cohesive Themes**: The thematic unity throughout the album enhances its overall impact, making it a compelling listen from start to finish. #### Cons - **Repetitive Nature**: Some listeners may find the repetitive structures overly simplistic or monotonous, potentially detracting from their enjoyment. - **Accessibility Issues**: The minimalist approach may not appeal to all audiences; those accustomed to more conventional song structures might struggle to engage fully with the material. - **Fragmented Collaboration**: Given the tensions within the band during its creation, some may perceive inconsistencies in collaboration affecting certain tracks' cohesiveness. ### Conclusion In summary, *Playing With Fire* by Spacemen 3 represents a high point in the band's career, showcasing their ability to fuse innovative musical techniques with profound lyrical exploration. Its legacy continues to influence contemporary music while inviting listeners into an introspective journey marked by beauty and despair. Despite some potential drawbacks related to its repetitive nature and accessibility issues, its strengths far outweigh these concerns, solidifying its status as a seminal work in modern psychedelia.

Atmospheric cool electronica. Great listen. Nothing world shattering, but funn.

This is my type of music. Droney shoegazy spacey atmosphere. I get why some people wouldn’t like it but I love this shit

Welcome to space church Get lost in the droning stars And worship vastness

Really fascinating piece of proto-Spiritualized work! I think the influence of Suicide and the Velvet Underground come across a lot more clearly on this - and it's much more psychedelic than the music that comes after it. But I enjoyed a lot - it's soothing and hectic in equal measure. Best Track: Lord Can You Hear Me Worst Track: How Does It Feel

I was surprised. After the rather below-average reviews, I was expecting the worst. But I quite liked the album. There are a lot of repetitions in the pieces. But that fits perfectly with a minimalist soundscape. And I find something like that very appealing. Peter Glass and Klaus Schulze's spherical sounds are also part of my repertoire. And the album fits in well with that. I will certainly listen to it again. 4/5

This is actually quite lovely, might inspect further. C+

Playing With Fire has a lot of dimensions to it. A bit of Velvet Underground, a bit of new wave, a bit of noise, all with well crafted distortion. For a distortion based album, this is minimal and patient. I found it interesting and relaxing. I do love long distorted guitar.

This lacks the surging drama of later Spacemen 3/Spiritualized work, but it's still unique and soulful. The soundtrack to your comedown breakdown.

New to me. Hypnotic. Probably good for going to sleep. 4

Trippy stuff.

Got lost in this album. Thats a good thing 4

Intriguing. If I did drugs, would be even more fascinating to listen to…

very psychedelic. very trippy. I like it.

Good, easy to work to.

wow. This was an unexpected, happy surprise. Great music. Almost feels like EDM from time to time, but seems like natural instruments. Even the guitar heavy songs are nice vs cacophonic.

I dig this album, but I'm not surprised by all the 1-star reviews it's gotten. It scratches an itch for me—the more minimalist it gets, the more it draws me in and keeps me transfixed—but I get how it would drive others off a cliff.

This album had a calming effect on my brain. I really enjoy the heavy guitar sounds in this techno space. And I love me a good soothing, spacey jam. I know this whole project is heavily influenced by time and space and it's hard to work and listen sometimes. Other times, the vibe compliments work and you feel like it's fueling through the email slog. Highlights How Does it Feel I Believe It (use of the organ to create that hymnal feel)

I never heard of it before, but this is a great psychedelic, space rock, shoegaze album. A trance synthesizer like experience is created by heavy distorted guitars and slow chord progressions.

Ahh Spacemen 3 with one of my favorite dictums - \"taking drugs to make music to take drugs to\" This album toes a line between brilliance and noise for me. Most of the time it works but there are a few times it leaves me scratching my head. I've gotten into some Spacemen 3 and loved the spinoff album we listened to a few weeks ago. Definitely a fan of space rock. Suicide has the riff from Run Thru constantly going. Wonder if there was any inspiration there. I've heard a decent amount of album now that fall into this genre and can see the influence they have on each other. Mostly Suicide into Spacemen 3. But can also hear it in some of the things they went on to produce (MGMT, Beach House). This is a solid 4 for me.

Beautiful and lovely shoegaze, the genre of my saddest dreams. Actually, this was good but not brilliant to be fair. Yer man from Spiritualised will always tug at the heartstrings, but I don't think it quite has the swelling emotion of the very best (MBV or Galaxie 500 say) shoegaze.

4.0

I guess I would be the regular at the bar.

I found this to be super work compatible. I can imagine coming back to this again.

Okay, so damn cool. This is inspiring. Great listen for work. Fun to hear jam music that isn't a rip off of Grateful Dead.

had no idea what to expect from this and was pleasantly surprised.

Full shoe gazing . love suicide

Didn’t mind this, relaxing without being boring, which is a tricky line to walk

It’s a really good album but I don’t think I’ll ever listen to it again. It’s just not for me but I can tell it’s good. Is that weird?

Favourite tracks: so hot - wash away all of my gears; come down softly to my soul; how does it feel; lord can you hear me

Tres bien

7/10. I liked the variation but some of the longer songs did start to feel repetitive. Overall, I enjoyed it!

This was really cool, I liked it. Great build up, reminded me of Mogwai a lot.

Standouts: Come Down Softly To My Soul, Revolution, So Hot - (Wash Away All Of My Tears), Suicide, Lord Can You Hear Me

Sehr spacig und eingängig ist das Album. Irgendwie überwiegt der Rock untermalt mit elektronischen Klängen. Das macht es etwas poppig, was dem Album einen comerziellen Anstrich gibt, was nicht negativ ist. Im Gegenteil. Mir gefällt es.

I like Spiritualized, so it’s not surprise I like this. I would have liked it more in my twenties, though.

Really cool album for the 80s. Reminds me of Pond. A lot of 2000s psych rock sounded like this.

I really dig this album. It’s close enough to ambient spacey jazz post rock territory with some interesting noise as well. I don’t mind the repetition and minimalism, especially when I’m in the right mood and setting. Easy 4/5

Thought this was going to be another 'because British' inclusion but I really enjoyed this. Too bad only 2 of their 4 studio albums seem to be available for streaming.

Love Spacemen 3/Spiritualized. This album is almost ambient at a lot of points which I really dig. They have such a distinctive sound that really creates a great vibe.

“Come with us now on a journey through time and space” felt like I was transported into an episode of the Mighty Boosh and I enjoyed the trip

Nice pre-Spiritualised trance inducing guitar noise.

Highly expansive and highly interesting and highly, well, high. The slow pace ("How Does It Feel," "Let Me Down Gently") is not just for mellower narcotic appreciations but for tension-building and to give ideas space to breathe and time to develop. Spiritualized is a natural evolution of these ideas and a worthy heir. One feels like one hasn't had quite enough Spacemen in one's life in recent years.

This was so chill, I liked it. Definitely a mood album good e.g. for working

Funky and great listen

Minimally psychedelic according to Spotify, and that's right. I liked it all right. It was good while I was in walking home, and it was good background while I was studying. I might come back to it another time and give it another listen

Good songs, enjoyed the LP

What a great album this is, the Velvets mixed with late sixties psychedelia, and a touch of Terry Riley drone music. Mixed in with the freak-outs and drones there'sa touch of gospel in which salvation or getting high are pretty much the same.

1/18/24. I’m familiar with Spiritualized so glad I got a taste of the original group. I’m always drawn to obscure, psychedelic music; it takes me to a good place. Enjoyed this one.

Really liked this

Look - I like shoegaze, so sue me. If that’s something you’re not into you’re gonna hate this.

Rocks

This is my first time hearing Spacemen 3 and I m pleasantly surprised. The album is generally much slower and chill than I usually seek out. I will definitely be checking out the rest of their albums.

I love shoegaze

I like the experimental nature of this but can’t say anything really stuck with me. Debating 3 vs 4 stars, the ambition will push it to 4 for me

December 6, 2023 Spacemen 3

75/100

Heard this one a few times and I really like Spiritualized as well. This and the Spiritualized albums are similar. This is fantastic! I think it will become an easy five star album to me .... someday.... not today though. Standouts: So Hot (Wash Away All of My Tears), Revolution, Let Me Down Gently, Suicide. 4/5

This came out in 1989, but it's totally new to me. Sounds pretty currrent (2023). Ethereal. Distortion. Paced. Easy to hear the Velvet Underground influence.

Unforgettable spacey vibes

Very Spacey!

For me, Spacemen 3 never quite reached the heights that Spiritualized got to later. I still put them on when the mood hits though, and this is perfectly enjoyable to me honestly. Great, but not amazing.

I had no preconceived notions about this album, I had never heard of it or of this band before. I found it interesting. I know I'm going to have to listen to it more, and the initial listen was cool.

dosn't quite get going like "recurring"

I liked it. Yes.

Whoa this is a trippy affair. Some gospel tunes and organ but done in a totally psychedelic way… then we have songs that I couldn’t really place in time (I was surprised this was from 1989). Then there were some pretty overtly political messages. A lot to digest here…. Very unique and very interesting!

Experimental and sparse, but still a very nice listen. Definitely prefer Spacemen 3 to Spiritualized but I can see how they may have gotten sick of this sound at some point.

This is a 2 hour, 2 disc album. Very psychedelic in sound and feeling. For a time when bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam were starting out and creating a new wave. These guys stayed the course with the love and peace, hippy sounds of the slow psychedelic Era that was big in the 70s. Take an edible, put on some headphones and get lost in the Organ.

The shoegaze, proto-post-rock version of Hawkwind. I quite enjoyed this album, but have to admit I don't see any justification in considering this a 1001 must-hear-album.

I made more fun of these guys than they deserve. Pretty good.

An enjoyable album, Suicide was the one track set apart from the rest, not a challenging listen.

I enjoyed this album overall, as it got better with every listen, and still may do so. I like the experimental and electric sounds throughout this record, it gives feel to something more than psychedelic. It makes it more unique. Suicide and Revolution were mediocre tracks IMO. They are not bad by any means and do fit the albums theme, but just have not resonated with me (yet). A sonic record I did really enjoy. Favourites: Honey / Come Down Softly To My Soul / I Believe It / Let Me Down Gently / So Hot / Lord Can You Hear Me

Pretty sweet. Pretty spacey. Very nice plane music. 3.5/5

IMPORTANT: do not listen during daytime. This is evening/late night music ONLY. I could probably rate it higher, but I did make that mistake and put it on at work. However 'Honey' is wonderful at all times.

I was a bit worried when I saw that this was a British band that I've never heard of, since my history with similar bands on this list is not spectacular. However, I really enjoyed this album. I like ambient music, so space rock is pretty firmly up my alley, but this album is also very well executed. The songs flow nicely from one to the next, but each one is distinct. The vocals are a bit muffled on some of the songs, but that could also be intentional. Really cool album for relaxing whilst chemically altering your brain 4/5

Reminded me of shoegaze. I liked it

Spiritualized <3

Mostly superb

Two listens lead me to very much appreciating the distorted guitars with electronic elements.

This was cool. Never heard of this group but a few of these songs sounded familiar. A more intense Spiritualized. Side note: I really wish artists/Spotify would publish original track listings for all albums. Lord Can You Hear Me was my fave.

Not for everyone, but for fans of neo-psychedelia this is essential listening. I like this best of their three releases. More subtle than the first two, Playing With Fire glides along in the best possible way. The hushed portions of the songs enhance the overall sound. All three releases are worthy, but I would start here.

I think if I'd listened to this album in shirt headspace, it might have been a 5 star

Me hizo pensar en Spiritualized

more embers than pyrotechnics

i'm partial to a bit of spacemen 3 and their offshoots of spiritualised and spectrum and you can see their influence in bands like the brian jonestown massacre and all of the subsequent modern psych music that's about. this album isn't quite as good as 'taking drugs to make music to take drugs to' which apart from being one of the best album titles ever invented is also spacemen 3s best album.

This is an album I'd listen to while in a taxi on the way to the airport early in the morning, staring longingly out the window, after I'd just made a big life decision to finally move out of my hometown and get a fresh start somewhere else. It's an album that creates great atmosphere, but this music would work much better as a movie soundtrack. This isn't something I want to actively listen to.

Lämpenin tälle :p spotify mhmmm albumi löytyy joo spotifystä joo mhmmm vieläs 2h:nakin sieltä voi kuunnella 2 tuntia siis :)

So diverse, ruthless riffs alongside gentle gems, yet it seems to fit.

4.1 - Another happy discovery in the Spacemen 3/Spiritualized back-catalog. No surprises here - spacey dirges that descend into scratchy chaos inflected with bluesy shoegaze and whiffs of gospel ("Lord Can You Hear Me"). Highlights: white noise at the end of "Revolution", "Come Down Softly on My Soul", the static-y percussion on "Let Me Down Gently" over a single-note bassline that pulses like a heartbeat.

This album punches above its weight for me. I’d definitely throw this album on in the background of the imaginary parties I throw. It’s missing just a little something that would push it to a 5, but a strong showing to be sure.

Its a lovely combination of lush sounds and arthouse rock. Its really good. A -1 for some lyrical naffness

This band came up in my recommendations not long ago and they really worked for me. Glad to see them get an entry in the list. Best track: Lord Can You Hear Me

Finally, a soundtrack for taking drugs!!

Really dug it!

Arty, out there and intense. Definitely gets one's ears to ringing. One likes the all-in oddity and willingness to go both big and weird. Definitely set the stage for Spiritualized. Hard-edged music resonates more richly the more abstractly it's presented, one thinks.

Aj karamba, usunelo mi notke albumowa, bo jestem prawie pewny, ze cos notowalem o spacemenach 3, zwlaszcza o krazku laaczacym w sobie kosmiczne granie z psychodelia, bazujacym na motywach gospelowych, wiec doswiadczenie ktorego nie mocno rarkowe

i dig it

Some fun space/psych rock, I enjoyed it. Kinda weird song titles though

interesting

4.25

This was new to me and very cool. While I don't love the emphasis on/glorification of drugs and suicide in the lyrics, I loved the experimental psychedelic electronica vibes, and when I looked them up I realized Spacemen 3 were a precursor to Spiritualized (who I love) which makes sense and explains a lot. So this was awesome, would definitely listen again.

Take me to outer space, baby

Not sure how I'd classify this, but surprisingly good. Kind of like an analog EDM. ADM?

Oh, wow, never listened to these guys before but am a big fan or Spiritualized. What a fun trip.

If you have a day where a touch of experimental space rock is the tunes du jour, this album is near perfect. Melodic, sensical, and reliably less annoying than other experimental pursuits out there, "Playing With Fire" will break the monotony in a good way with its own kind of it. It may not change the world, or even rock it a little bit, but somehow this album was the respite that this reviewer did not know they needed.

Not very easy to listen at first, but gets better and better each time you try again.

Ladies and gentlemen, we are floating in space.

I used to live this album when I had more time/attention span/weed to smoke to long repetitive albums

I think this is actively changing my life; I am also a musical artist, and I think they get what I’m trying to do? Sorry, this is just the first time I’ve heard that. Also, the organ on “Let Me Down Gently” is so beautiful. 3.75

Very good album, with kind of progressive vibes, a lot of synthesizer with prog riffs, but sometime very repetitive.

Very Spacey

Sounds like mighty boosh

Really cool sparsely populated psychedlia. I'd be interested to see where this band went.

Never heard of this group before and only saw that it was listed as neo-psychedelia which sounded interesting. After giving it a listen, I did enjoy it but it didn't sound really unique or ground breaking. Some songs are a little too long but overall the album doesn't out stay its welcome and I will be checking out some of the other albums from this band. Unfortunately can't give half stars so I round up to 4 stars.

Ziemlich psychedelic, ambient, geil.

Cool minimal psychadelia

That was great. I heard of these guys before, but never got to listen to them. Definitely something I want to delve into.

Review eight of the Easter blitz, Spacemen 3. I’ve embarrassed myself smoking weed and whiting out maybe three times in my life. One of those times I felt like I was being hit by a comet over and over and over again (it was the rough corrugations of the couch I was melted into). Its white hot light scorched temporary blindness into my vision, while the ringing in my ears – constant and insistent – felt like it was playing for keeps. Finally, all these years later, I am released from my shame. What I felt there and then might have taken me out of the pool party (whose party I couldn’t even tell you anymore) but it’s put me in the frame for getting my head around Spacemen 3. That pulsing, cursed quasi-hallucination of the comet was just a future echo (well, the past; but relative to me the future) of “Suicide” – an excoriating barrage of noise and rhythm that grows more urgent, more compelling with every tortured loop back around. For all the raucous clattering of that one, the majority of this album is much gentler fare. It passes by which such pleasant ease that it starts to feel like I could listen to this record forever (or perhaps just that it might last that long – the concept of time is the first piece of solid ground I cede when dialled in properly to Spacemen 3). The effect of the compositions is sheer hypnotism; elegantly sparse arrangements that work like a dream machine. It blew my mind to learn that one half of the songwriting duo went on to form Spiritualized, while the other become a collaborator of/producer to Sterelab, Beach House and Panda Bear. Not because that doesn’t make perfect sense – it entirely does – but because yeah, it makes too much sense. Make of that what you will.

Loved it. Great coding musix

Interesting

Some of the best ambient/space rock I've heard. Spacemen 3 is fucking right

I am familiar with Spacemen 3 through the album Recurring which has some brilliant moments. This album also has brilliant moments. Starts off with dense hypnotic music that draws me in. Then suddenly Revolution comes on and I think I've morphed into listening to a Stoofes song. Brilliant! More hypnotic sounds culminating in the 11 minute gem Suicide. The only version of the album I found was a 2 hour deluxe edition with some live tracks, alternate takes and other bonus material that proved too much for a single listening session but taken as a 50 minute or so album I think this is great....better than Recurring. 4 🌟

WHOA! I've never heard of this band and now I need to know more about them. LOVED THIS.

No idea who this was before i heard them but i quite enjoyed the vibe

Noise and madness with beauty mixed in.

Surprisingly good

Not bad, but having to listen to "Suicide" on my long commute home after my first day of my new job was not fun. Favorite track: Come Down Softly To My Soul

Ok. Prefer the spiritualized stuff to be honest. Lots of tracks very similar loops and just end. Love the genre, but honestly don't think this is the best example of it.

surprisingly OK but not really my thing, a bit samey

*1989. *Hard to describe what this is. Psychedelic with a lot of drugs involved for sure.. Sometimes chill and ambient, sometimes it sounds like the Beatles weirder stuff, sometimes there's late 80s electronica/synth throw in... *There are parts I feel like I would like, but it's also an odd combination of repetitive and all over the place. RATING - 6/10

Good balanced start. Loses its way towards the end.

Spacemen 3's Playing with Fire is an evocative, atmosphere-driven record that leans heavily into hypnotic minimalism and hazy, drone-fueled textures. While tracks like "Come Down Softly on My Soul" and "I Believe It" effectively utilize delicate instrumentation and organ swells to create an immersive, almost religious sonic space, other moments like the chaotic "Revolution" struggle with a muddy production that threatens to derail the album's meditative flow. Ultimately, the record succeeds best when it embraces its own quiet intensity, offering a dreamy, albeit inconsistent, journey that balances standout, mood-setting gems against occasional filler that feels somewhat lethargic.

A little long and samey but also meditative.

I've really liked Sound of Confusion in the past, but this one doesn't work for me. Maybe I just like hypnotic garage rock, instead of hypnotic music in general? Or maybe Spacemen 3 just lost their fuzz pedal here.

This is actually pretty nice; dare I say it would be better without vocals?

Very noise and ambient but okay

Album #186 Spacemen 3: Playing With Fire Though I enjoy Spacemen 3’s other album, The Perfect Prescription, a good deal, and I do love some Spiritualized, I found this album to be a bit lacking. The band famously takes drugs to make music to take drugs to, so really the fault is on me as I sit here stone cold sober; however, I feel like most of these songs are a bit formless, with not much to grasp onto. It is enjoyable, yet also uneventful. Perhaps the drugs are meant to fill in the blanks, but based on my current state, this album is just decent. Best Songs: Lord Can You Hear Me, Revolution, Suicide Worst Song: I Believe It Score out of 10: 6

Not bad, liked suicide the best.

***An ok album

Not my favourite J Spaceman album by any stretch but still an enjoyable listen, and Lord Can You Hear Me? is an excellent album closer.

Thoughts before listening: I know I've heard of these guys before. I feel like its some sort of spacey, shoegazey type of indie rock. Review: Maybe its possible to be too spacey. I mean it was 20 minutes in on track 5 before I heard a song that actually felt fully realized. Now that track is "Revolution" which is a complete banger, but I had to sit through a bunch of droney, slow, sing-speak to get to that point. From there, the album again slows to a crawl with minimalist tracks until "Suicide" turns the distortion back up creating a wall of sound that was captivating throughout. All in all I found that this album has 2 very good, compelling tracks, surrounded by others that just don't hold my attention. I'll give it 3-stars.