Reviews (page 4 of 8)
I think I had Spiritualized and Suicidal Tendencies mixed up in my head. Was not expecting something so Stone Roses-y. But with less groove. Not a big fan through the first half of the record. The album is so sleepy and dull. Weird one, in isolated moments I think I should be enjoying this, but the overall impact was so much of the same uninspiring sound. 2.6/5
This is not a genre that I am usually into, but maybe I'm just in the right mood for it. I really like this. (Note: it's late at night on a Saturday and I'm quite buzzed.) These guys are like a slowed-down Velvet Underground. I dig it. Very close to 4 stars but not quite.
Quality, if a little too sedated, 90s space rock.
"Lazer Guided Melodies" by Spiritualized is a great debut album by the band. This album has very calming and fun tracks to listen. It has a very good opening "You Know It's True" and has consistent of sounding till "Run". After that I found the album loses interest for a while and then regains with "Shine a Light" (a highlight from the album) and again start to look good. But I find they dragged the song length which is not needed. I find most of the tracks repetitive also. Overall, very good album but I think they dragged too much in song length and some tracks are not needed. Besides that a good debut album by Spiritualized
I think this might be quite good, great even, but I am in the middle of a project and only heard the first half or so. I think I will give it for now, a standard rating and do a more thorough review at a later date. I did try though, and instead of a did not listen I will say so far it is quite interesting.
Listens: 2.5 Standout Tracks: None Ya know... when I read the Wikipedia blurb and the first sentence contains the term "space rock"... I was sort of expecting something better than this. I was thinking some spacey and psychedelic music like Grateful Dead or Pink Floyd or even Rush's 2112. Instead we get some vague, barely-spacey sounding shoegaze rock music. Needs much harder hitting sound. Needs more future sounding synth. Needs more cymbals and percussion. Track lengths are also too short to really get into it. This album isn't bad. I found lying in bed last night, listening to this album that it was even somewhat peaceful. But it's also not good. It's bland and unremarkable. I could not tell you one track from another. I couldn't remember any notable parts of the music, and by the 3rd listen, I turned off this album and put on MF DOOM's BORN LIKE THIS.
My previous album's artist name was Spirit now I've got Spirtualized, I wonder what is next, Spirituality? This album is a superb 'chill-out' sort of album, it feels very peaceful and delicate. I swear I can hear clouds coming from this. It's quite repetitive, but it it works well like that. It's not really a sort of in-your-face confrontational album, if anything it's the opposite. These guys are shy as all hell! Typical Indie's, pfttt. I liked this album more than I didn't. I think this is a album that might grow on me. I might return to this album in the near future. Highlight Song/s: "Step Into the Breeze" and "Take Your Time"
Certainly interesting for the time - was this the beginning of shoegaze? - but the dreamy ambiance and formless songs make for too sleepy of a time for me. Beautiful background music
This is a tough one. I really liked everything from "Take Your Time" on, but I was pretty cool on this album up until that point. I think that last handful of tracks needs the buildup for me to really appreciate it, but I just was not very engaged with the first two-thirds of this album. This one is fine overall, and probably gets a 2.5/5 from me, but I'll round it up for the sake of the strong ending. Favorite track: "Shine a Light," probably
Nice. But I just wanted to hear Sigur Ros the whole time.
I’d join this cult for the vibes
Weird but OK. Not my preference, but nothing that hurts the ears.
Really spacious, very ethereal, but also not the most immersive. I liked a lot of what they did in the first half of the album, creating some really big space rock tracks that are very calming while also very fun to listen to. The opener may be super soothing and relaxing, but it is from the song "If I were With Her Now" to "Run" where it gets more uplifting, with very catchy melodies sang by the incredibly soft and ethereal voice, very distorted electric guitars playing nice riffs and lines, entertaining rhythms and a lot of elements in the background to create big and immersive atmospheres. The next couple of tracks, "Smiles" and "Step into the Breeze", enter again in the softer and relaxed side. "Smiles" is a very short song that doesn't really do much, as it starts calms and then instruments start coming in the middle point without ever reaching any really interesting point. The other song, "Step into the Breeze", features some very beautiful sounding violins and nice loud moments when the electric guitars come in. Once reached the ambient track "Symphony Space", is when the album, to me, starts to feel dragging. The songs become very slow, repetitive, without reaching any climax or building interesting or immersive atmospheres. There were some moments that sounded very promising: I liked the saxophone in "Shine a Light", but I think it is really repetitive and I liked the sudden bursts of instruments in "Angel Sigh" as well, but they last very little and they don't really feel that epic, so in the end they weren't doing that much for me. With that being said, I don't think these songs are bad at all. They still have the very pleasant, relaxing and spacious sound, regardless of how I feel about the ideas. Ultimately, I think it is a decent album, one with a very unique space atmosphere and that makes me feel intrigued about how "Ladies and gentlemen we are floating in space" will sound.
Chill, not bad. That's all I've got with this one.
Liked this a little better than Ladies and Gentleman. Seemed more cohesive and less pretentious than that later release. That being said, it's still something that bores me.
Lullabies for robot babies.
Its an okay album melo vibes 6/10
I liked the album a lot, but I felt it is too long for this type of music.
meh
nicht schlecht, aber nicht mehr
Spacy slightly ethereal electronica, quite enjoyed it
Očekivala sam nešto baš specifično i da mi se nikako ne dopadne. Samo me nije posebno oduševilo, a inače je ova ocjena koju dajem baš čvrsta trica.
You aren't going to get a lot of hooks on this, but you are going to get a lot of atmosphere. Sounding like that feeling you experience before you drift off into a deep sleep, the repetitive music that can put you into a trance. It's not quite shoegaze, but has elements of that sound. "Symphony Space" is straight up relaxing ambient music. Unfortunately it does drag on longer than it needed to. This didn't need to be an hour long. I got what I needed out of this 40 minutes in and I did groan a bit at getting handed a 6-7 minute song so late into the record. I don't think I would put this on again to pay deep attention to every track, but it works well for spacey background music.
If Ladies And Gentlemen is a bombastic intergalactic adventure then this is a slow float through the solar system with the occasional passing asteroid. I like how the songs on each side flow into each other. The lyrics are mostly secondary with the vocals acting more as texture to the instrumentation. Favorites are I Want You, Run, and Angel Sigh.
Second half of the album was more enjoyable. Maybe I just had to get used to their tone to begin enjoying it more.
Got techno vibes but slightly better
This was really cool. I don't particularly know why we keep getting so much of these spa sound albums, but this one was better than most in that realm. Maybe it just caught me in the right day, but I absolutely found myself just getting swept along by it, cool and calm.
Geht so
Quite boring at times but overall vibe was nice
so ~nearly~ good
Some very relaxing melodies with a few memorable highlights. Atmospheric sounds that relate well to the sing titles.
Odd that this one is on the list ahead of Spitirualized's other records, imo. Maybe a quirk of the timing? Possibly their weakest album, albeit it's still pretty good in a general sense.
zieke cover art, leuke muziek maar net te weinig interessant
Sleepy dreamy snoozy snooze
I have no specific memories of anything from any of the tracks of this album that I listened to yesterday. I do remember that it was on the borderline of being boring enough that I wanted to switch to something else, but while drone-y it till kept it juuuust interesting enough Standouts - 3/5
This was fine, but nothing special.
interesting sound definitely not smthn i wldve listened to in my own, cool cover art
It's 3.5
3 - ok became background music after awhile
The momentum that was building on the first half completely vanishes once track 7 starts.
75
Not what I was expecting Always thought Spiritulized were a dance act, so was pleasantly surprised. Meanders along nicely, pretty melodies and reminiscent of velvet underground somewhat. Cover art is dreadful though. Favourite track: You know it’s true
So we had these guys awhile back and much like that album, I found myself all over the place with my thinking. With each listen I get a little more interested and bored at the same time with the "dream sequence" sound. I can see in the right atmosphere and mushroom state of mind how someone would call this a pretty good album. I can also see how someone would ask WTF. I found myself more on the enjoyable side. First several songs and lyrics were pretty good. Then halfway through we hit a 6 minute period of the "dreamy, spaced out" sound then it seem tp be quite prevalent and just got to be a bit too much. Think I listened to this 5-6 times I bet I would have given a different rating each listen. In conclusion after saying a lot of nothing, I liked a good portion of what this album offered. 1st 6 songs and 200 Bars were the best. Symphony is Space and after lost me a bit. I have this in mind my next mushroom journey. But for now, I'll go with a 3. I'd listen again. 3
3 We’ve experienced this group on this list before with Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space, and for an album designated as “space rock”, I remember it feeling pretty underwhelming. The title track was neat with its atmospheric take on Elvis, but honestly, not a single other thing comes to mind thinking about it now. So, I revisited my review on it, and it seems I found the music to consist mostly of mediocre Britpop tunes with the occasional strings and sci-fi flourishes. Fortunately, I definitely picked up more of a “space” vibe in this go-round, and it results in a lot of really cool moments. The only problem - it results in a lot of weird, drawn-out ambient bullshit just as often. Like, for every period of enjoyability, it really felt like there was another just as annoying awaiting me. The album still flows quite well overall despite those shifts, but that also makes it hard for me to pinpoint any specific examples - it feels more accurate to say that it just sort of slowly dips in and out of listenable, quality songwriting at any given moment. I can confidently say, however, that the two most extreme poles of enjoyability for me lie in Angel Sigh and Symphony Space. Angel Sigh isn’t just my favorite song on the album, but it’s also probably the heaviest it has to offer. Like, if you want your journey through time and space to feel powerful and climactic as f***, like a true sci-fi epic should, that’s the track for you. When I think of the term “space rock”, Angel Sigh aligns pretty closely with what I imagine and would hope for from the genre - not Symphony Space, which is basically just six minutes of drone noises. I mean, yes, there’s certainly a sci-fi feel to that and it doesn’t exactly feel out of place, but I still found it to be a bit of a vibe killer each time I listened through anyway. As for the rest of the album, I feel like you could just listen to the two aforementioned songs and fill in the gaps yourself what midpoints between them might sound like. There’s definitely a psychedelic nature about this as well, so I could very much see this being an experience on drugs, but as of right now, I don’t feel particularly incentivized to go and try that out. That said, I’d be interested to hear what an Interstellar 2 or Project Hail Mary 2 score from this group might sound like.
Meh, it didn't grab me
I didn't hate it. Not sure it belongs on this list though.
pretty dope. didn't stick with me particularly. favorite song is If I Were with Her Now, really brings a dab of funk to the whole spacey vibey thing, also love Shine a Light
5/10
It was okay. Not spectacular, but enough to bump above a 2.5
Some tracks were oddly hypnotic with moments of unexpected loveliness, and others were just... dull. I'd have to listen to it again though to work out which ones were which.
A few good songs and a few snoozers. Overall, a decent album for background. Nothing really stands out as great.
Liked it. Sounds like a Pepsi commercial from 1997.
It promised so much and let me down
Très chill, diffus
Chill to have on in the background.
Another album from an artist I didn't know. That is interesting at least. Every song starts out as a beautiful song, then the vocals come in and you get disappointed. Then the song never ends. Could've been wonderful, but falls way short of that.
Interesting album. No particular track fully stood about but I need more time with it. Not sure what to fully make of it. Think I’ll go back to it.
I'm a little surprised at the low-ish ratings for this one; I can see how people would find it a bit repetitive and meandering, but I dug the spread out, spacey vibe for the most part. I think it sounded relatively modern to have come out in 1992.
I went into this one completely blind. I don't always live shoegazer music, but this was ok.
This has something to it. It didn't annoy me painting so I'll give 3
first song is really long (~20mins), music is decent
Unsure how i managed to get the sane band 2 days in a row
From the first two tracks, I am getting the sense of "all tension, no satisfying payoff" from these guys. The instruments are great, but aren't in a great composition. "I want you" was back to something more mainstream; their sound is similar to The Stone Roses - I felt - in this track. "Run" is an incredible track, but the momentum drops off straight away with "Smiles". Another band/artist, like Tom Waits and Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, that is frustrating for being 'almost there' for regular listens. A lot to like here, but it's spread out across all of their songs; never unified into a single track outside of Run.
Sleepy. Spacy. Pretty good.
Surprisingly good. At first I was a little put-off by the lack of "drums". There *is* percussion, and there are drums.... just not in the traditional "rock band" sort of way. But it's very chill, and the more I got into the album, the more I enjoyed it. Probably won't listen to it again, but of all the records I say that about, this one is arguably the best of that lot.
I liked this more than I thought. I wasn’t a huge fan of any of the spaceman albums, so this took me by surprise. 4/12/26
If I’ve learned anything from this journey, it’s that I mostly find Shoegaze pretty boring. “Shine a Light” is easily the best track here, and beyond that, there’s not much I feel is worth revisiting.
Listen while high?
Something a little different is always nice here. Enjoyed this one 3.5 stars
I was initially a little disappointed, couldn't help comparing it to Ladies & Gentlemen... which was a 5-star album for me. By the end of it, though, it won me over. It doesn't really have enough of a distinct identity to call it a must-listen alongside the aforementioned album, but it is good.
Inoffensive but not exciting
I thought this was okay as background music but didn’t really do anything for me sorry :/
My familiarity with Spiritualized comes from their 1997 album, Ladies and gentlemen we are floating in space, so when I was recommended the band's debut album I had no idea what I would be in for and honestly I was a bit surprised and underwhelmed throughout the entire hour this project had me. It floats a lot of interesting ideas that I feel the band would not only become more confident on future releases, but also understand how to execute more effectively rather than throwing it in somewhat sporadically. I do think there are some truly great moments here like with Sway and Run, but for the most part a found a lot of the music here serviceable but nothing really more than that. This is a band on the cusp of something great but they just have to dial it in a bit more to fully get to their respective visions. I appreciate this album for giving Spiritualized a start, but this is also a rough debut not really worth praising too hard....
I'm glad someone made something new, but this was missing something because we listened to it through streaming, instead of the original LP release. And it really did just turn into background music instead of being forefront.
Good trippy space rock album, much better than I expected since I don't really like that band in general
Meh Passe bien mais l'album est très situationnel de mon point de vue Ce n'est pas de la mauvaise musique mais certains passages sont lonnnnnngs et il faut faire autre chose à côté pour esquiver Morphée Je pourrais réécouter, mais c'est très peu probable
Es agradable, pero era innecesario añadirlo.
Interesting and different
Love this album cover. It's cool that they gave one of the figures big tits. Favorite track: If I Were with Her Now 3.5/5
Very dreamy and not as discordant as most shoegaze tends to be. More warm and soft-sounding rock I guess. Kind of have to let things simmer and allow yourself to be immersed in the sound. It's harmless, inoffensive, atmospheric, but also plateaus as a certain point.
kaia
I have no idea where each song ends and the next bgins at times. WHat i do know is that it feels so much newer than it was. It lacks any kind of a profound message or sentiment but what it does deliver is a feeling that i can't quite put a name to. It was a surprise to me.
I like the first part of the album. It goes downhill later. I'd give it a 4 if not for a few truly awful songs.
Very vibey. Would have liked some more dynamic changes within each song. Felt a bit long, with no real standout moments, but still nice sounds and textures.
This was pleasant. Does this sound condescending? I supposed the album really stays on the same level all the way through, not the most exciting thing I've heard. With that said, Shine a Light is great, especially the end, I did not expected that superb finale and it really grabbed me. I just feel like this can't be a four and I feel bad.
great vocalist of all time
First listen
я мало что осознала, что-то вейгли инди как будто
Quite chilled
It was slow, gentle, pleasant. Not soft rock, more like feather rock. It was boring, but not necessarily in a bad way? It was very relaxed, I could imagine sleeping to it. I was standing up during the last track, 200 Bars, and got a little drowsy. Not sure if this was intended to be a sleep album, but it did make me sleepy, which I find pleasant and valuable.
Kinda liked but also just passed by, I like the cover Will I listen to again: 25%
Tienen cosas mejores.
It was decent, but I’m not sure I’d remember much of it a week from now. It’s got that hazy, floaty, “stare at the ceiling” sound going on, and it does it well enough. The problem is it kind of stays in the same headspace the whole time. Nothing really jumped out and grabbed me. It’s fine while it’s on, then it’s gone.
3.5. Good, not as good as ladies and gentlemen…
Grand instrumentals and atmospheric effects that slow a restful listen
As one half of UK space rock legends, Houmous & Chutney, in an authority on this genre. 3.1 12/12 200 Bars
Dreamy. I liked it.
Light 7
Ok
Solid Lou Reed style album with absolute highlight being final song 200 bars
Best Song: Shine a Light. This had a really expansive sound, with the perfect mix of fuzzy background and groovy, discernible melody. Worst Song: Symphony Space. This song feels like it is most significantly trying to capture a "we're in space now" vibe, but it just feels like it replicates (or influenced maybe, I don't know. this album is old) all the cliche tropes of space in media. Listening to this song, all I can imagine is people floating in zero-G, looking incredulous as their arms float up in front of them. Overall: A really chill space rock album. That alone makes it interesting, because I feel like a lot of albums that purport to do space rock/opera music fall much heavier on the "opera" than the "space" end of the spectrum. Very relaxed background music for reading, but still too often too understated for my taste.
I wasn’t expecting much, but it was pretty peaceful
Never really heard of this band but this was good. In my opinion it sounds like a very spacey Love & Rockets. Excellent piece of work.
This didn’t offend me, but it was mostly pretty uninteresting.
Some of these songs are amazing. Some in the second half were awful.
If this was just 30-40 minutes, I’d love it. But it’s not, and so this is the highest I can give it.
I listened to this once over speakers while working and it failed to catch me at all other than being pleasant in the background. I felt like that wasn't giving it a fair shake so skimmed through it again on headphones. I really like the way they end most of the songs but there's too much buildup to that. Still a pretty nice listen. I think I maybe don't like shoegaze as much as I think I do.
I don't know what I expected but it was not a clear inspiration for bands like Cut Copy, Tame Impala, etc. A little divided between 3 and 4 but dips down a bit too much for me to go with 4 I think.
its was fine
OK - this was fine, I guess. Didn't quite put me to sleep, but it wasn't far off. I'll say 2.5, round up because it wasn't bad enough to be a 2.
This was ok
It's fine. Like kinda dreamy Britpop. It's not terribly exciting and kinda seems full of itself, but it's not offensive to the ears. I'll tell you what though: I fuckin' haaaaate the name Spiritualized. Like what the fuck even is that? Should be New Age mixed with Goa Trance. Spiritualized is the name of a Goa Trance party. I think I might like this more if they had a more compelling name. Seriously, Spiritualized is one of the worst names ever.
First section featured just a touch too much fuzz for my liking. Could not seem to find the ideal volume for the album. The record gets significantly spacier as it progresses but I find that it isn't very courageous, just misting around between the ambient and rock spaces, not really committing to engaging its listener. I've heard Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating with Space before, which is also good, but it's not really something I repeat often. Probably this will grow on me over time. Amazing cover art.
Really liked how spacious and ambient this was while still having lots of more focused moments of songwriting
eh background noisy 3
Lazer Guided Melodies is clearly made with care and musicianship, but it largely functions as atmosphere rather than expression. There are moments of beauty and texture, yet the album rarely asserts itself emotionally or structurally. Much of it fades into the background, not because it’s bad, but because it seems more interested in sustaining a mood than creating memorable or resonant moments. Admirable in craft, restrained in ambition, and ultimately distant. Respectable, but not engaging enough to demand a return visit.
Slow, not a lot of action, but dreamy, a little underseasoned but I still like its flavor
Most of the songs were missing a hook and an obvious ending, maybe that was the point but the couple of tracks 9 & 10 that had it were so much better. I can see the 1997 album had orchestra and gospel singing which would definitely make it better
It flows very well but weirdly inconsistent in sound / quality throughout, sympathetic to the ambient stuff but I much prefer when they rock out
3.75
Pleasent
honestly kinda cool. liked this more than I thought I would. very floaty feeling. good as background music for studying 6/10
Dreamy electro pop shoegaze. I was at work while listening, but it probably pairs well with some THC gummies.
Electronic music, new my ears
There's a special type of frustration associated with being disappointed by an album you had really high hopes for. I was filled with that frustration all through my listen of today's album. It sits in a musical space that should really connect with me knowing what sort of music I like, and the album cover really reeled me in and I was ready to be wowed... but I just really didn't feel much listening through Lazer Guided Melodies. And it was deeply, deeply frustrating. I think its the super super slow, repetitive nature of the songs and just the sound of Jason Pierce's voice that leaves me with not much to hang onto and love. That being said, by the end of the album on my second listen through I was starting to enjoy the groove a bit more, particularly on the last three tracks. I can definitely see myself going back to this one, but whether my rating will go up or down from there is to be seen. Fav Track: 12 - 200 Bars Best Three Track Run: 10, 11, 12
Kinda dig the spaced out vibe but I'm not really seeing the need to go 4 I really liked the vibe of it at the time just not really anything that stands out to me
Very vibey and feels ahead of it's time for 1992. Not sure I'll go back but enjoyed this listen.
I feel like I liked this better than ladies and gentleman we're floating in space....but maybe just because there was less expectation. This is also like the 5th time a band I was sure would only have one album on this list has had 4 or 5....wonder what he left off for this to be here....sad...
Loved the whole vibe but kept thinking I was listening to The Jesus and Mary Chain. That's a me problem though.
Still to listen to. I’ll come back and review this one later.
Heard some Spiritualized before, and recently had Spaceman 3 here. This sounds pretty much what I expected it to. Has some interesting moments, sort of flows over you. Shame to break the great week I was having, but this lacks a punch, although the last 3 songs are cool. 3 Heard before? Some Owned: No 46/181 (25%) Will I get: No
Better than I expected. Not very good for sitting and actively listening, but good for background tunes and I'd bet REALLY good performed live.
Har ju kompisar dom gillar dom, men har aldrig riktigt lyssnat på Spiritualized. Som sveriges kanske fjärde största Sterolab-fan är jag ju väldigt svag för användningen av analoga synthar i psych från 90-talet, men tycker det saknar lite variation och ljudet blir lite för stort och abstrakt för ett högre betyg... En jäkligt trevlig lyssning första gången, och sen ännu bättre en andra gång bäng. Skulle dock behövas lite mer utmanande utstickare och mer variation men en riktigt stark trea! Kommer lyssna vidare på andra album
Blev förvånad när den här plattan dök upp! Jag älskar Spiritualized, men skulle personligen nog inte ha med detta som en av deras fem bästa som helhet. Vackert och stämningsfullt, men tråkigare än deras album som följt och känns inte riktigt som det klickat här än. En jättestark trea!
Hmmmm........... Skulle uppskattat mer variation, vet inte om det här har nog för att göra ett helt album av, som dessutom är en hel timme. Jag är av någon anledning svag för röstförvrängningar och det finns det en del av. Diggade nog för en någorlunda stark trea.
Han inte lyssna så noga tyvärr
I once roadied for Spiritualized at a festival and they were nothing but polite and gave me and some of the other crew who stuck around for load out a load of beers BUT they also had me and this other guy carry a really heavy gong up a big ramp and then they only used it once so for that reason I must give this three stars.
This seems like a real step forward from Spacemen 3, with a wider array of instruments and a dreamier, blissful feel. They got even better with Ladies and Gentlemen... I was hovering between 3 and 4 but have rounded it down for spelling. That may seem harsh, but with no half stars available there are bound to be some narrow calls. Zorry Jazon
Decent.
Interesting and enjoyable. 3 *
Overall: 8/10 Vocals: na Lyrics: na Instruments: 7/10 Likely to listen again: 10/10 i didnt listen to it completely Symphony space is so good, it feels like your floating.
Early 90's indie music with fuzz. similar to The Jesus and Mary Chain (look up the song "Just Like Honey") but a little more "spacy" and mellower (In the same vein of Mercury Rev). I liked the songs "I want you" and "Smiles". I liked it and would listen to it again. a mellow type of album that you would listen to driving by yourself at night or just chilling in a half-lit room with a beer.
My definition of a 3. A pleasant and enjoyable listen. Would not purchase. No songs that I loved and no songs that I found horrible. A good average alblum
I surprisingly enjoyed this album. It was very relaxing… like I was at a spa getting a massage. Bonus: the alien on the album cover with the nice round boobies.
Rv
Little weird tecno but not bad
"This genre is ""space rock"" which is objectively hilarious. I'm not sure what type of music I was expecting but this wasn't it. I don't think I could watch a concert of their music but it could be perfectly suitable in the background of a coffee shop. It's very soothing. "
3/5
This was probably about 20 minutes longer than it needed to be.. I liked some of it quite a bit, but the filler tracks in between made the whole thing drag..
It’s ok. Early shoegaze but super spacey and ethereal.
Enjoyable
I’m glad I gave it a chance, but that ambient sound just isn’t my jam. It’s fine for what it is.
More ambience than a traditional record, but still a vibe.
Better than Coldplay
If you like to fall asleep to music, try this.
5.5/10
It’s buzzing kinda slowly but nonstop. Vocal is also very nasal. Not pleasant. Music wise ok but not catchy and don’t do much for me.
Was the second half of "The Individual" really necessary? I was vibing with this album nicely until I had to listen to 2 minutes of dissonant sounds and tones. It really through me off. I think I'm going to stick with a 3, but it could have been a 4 without that.
The album starts strong and feels very s of centered which works well early but the album drags as it moves towards the end. I do love run.
Interesting album concept with a unique sound, but nothing that really grabbed me. It wasn’t a difficult listen, but about halfway through I was ready to listen to something else…
For space rock and neo-psychedelia, this was a solid album, but its biggest flaw is its pacing. The music is incredibly slow, and while it does take you on a journey, it’s one that unfolds at a turtle’s pace. That meditative quality might work for some, but it makes the experience drag a bit too much for me.
Quite enjoyed this but more in the sense it wasn't very abrasive to listen to for it's run time, just pleasant enough to see it through easily.
psychadelic. nice to draw to
Pretty good chill/spacey tunes I’d never heard of
Really chill and enjoyable record. Nice, soothing sounds throughout at a moderate pace. Vocals are serene and pleasant all the while. I like this one.
cool
***An ok album, instrumental, easy listening
This was very noisy, but I don't mind that. I have heard a better Spiritualized album. Liked Songs Added: Shine A Light
This was a long one
Enjoyed this, very spacey
I know I heard about Spiritualized within the past year. Founded by former Spacemen 3 singer-songwriter Jason Pierce, they're considered one of the most well-known groups in the space rock scene. That said, their debut record here, Lazer Guided Melodies, leans more toward shoegaze and dream pop, as Pierce and company utilized minimalist compositions with layered instrumentation, hazy sonic textures, and some string and horn incorporation to make for a cinematic soundscape. There's a serene, dazed-out nature with this album, as the guitar strumming and Pierce's soft-spoken delivery are thoroughly drenched in reverb. It certainly made for a peaceful listen. Yet, the issue I'm finding with this record is that it was rather difficult to discern, let alone latch onto any specific hook or melody. Aside from some very obvious lyrical incorporation from a few classic rock songs on "Run" and a particular horn motif on "Shine a Light", tracks tended to go in one ear and out of the other for me. That's not to say it was a bad experience, but rather one that proved hard to remember, like waking up from a dream and scrambling to remember the details. I certainly didn't mind listening to Lazer Guided Melodies, but I feel like the best of what Spiritualized had to offer is yet to come.
floaty psychedelics~~ Tracks to Track: Shine A Light
Repetitive. Atmospheric. Some flourish. Prefer other records of theirs.
very mellow and focused on atmosphere over song structures or progression. other than Shine A Light which has some lovely brass tones, not a particularly great example of this type of music. but it does sound like what i thought Pink Floyd sounded like when i was 8, so that has to count for something. 200 Bars bumps this up a star to a solid 3 deserves to be one of the 1001? i think the Spiritualized picks are pretty decent. though if this one was missing i don't think i would really notice or care
Not bad at all for some super chill vibes music.
This was a really cool listen that at times presents some nice sounds and feels that help it rise above shoegaze. Almost as if the Stone Roses are meeting Galaxie 500 in a world of chill airiness that keeps things moving forward without ever becoming boring. Shave some of the length off, and it probably rates higher.
Wasn’t expecting a shoegaze cover (sorta) of They Call Me the Breeze. This is a vibey listen but this style always leaves me wanting more. If you were to put this on for people, they’d probably think you’re cool but then ask “what else ya got” after about three songs.
I prefer "Ladies and gentlemen we are floating in space" but this album is fine. A bit long for my taste but a chill listen that hits nicely if you're in the right mood. Good, not great. 2.75/5
Das Debüt von Jason Pierce und seiner Band klingt wie ein sorgfältig arrangiertes Mosaik aus psychedelischen Gitarrenflächen, sanften Bläsern und wiederkehrenden Gospel-Anklängen. Die Stücke sind zu längeren, farbkodierten Suites verbunden; das Ergebnis wirkt zurückhaltend ambitioniert — dichter Klangraum statt plakative Eingängigkeit. Mir fällt besonders die ruhige, fast meditative Geduld der Arrangements auf; die Platte braucht Zeit, bietet dann aber klare musikalische Charakterzüge. Aufnahmen / Studios: VHF Sound Centre (Rugby), Moles Studio (Bath), Far Heath Studio (Northamptonshire); gemischt u. a. in Gooseberry/Comforts Place und Mastering u. a. bei Abbey Road. Nationalität: Englisch. Einige bekannte bzw. prägende Stücke: „Shine A Light“, „Step Into The Breeze“, „Symphony Space“. Genre: Space Rock / Shoegaze / Neo-Psychedelia. Kurze abschließende Bewertung: Stimmiges, sorgfältiges Debüt; empfehlenswert für Hörer, die Atmosphäre über sofortigen Hook stellen.
Atmospheric and sets a tone that’s not altogether unpleasant.
This is probably my favorite (?) shoegaze album I've yet to hear. Faint praise, but still. It's something. Two biggest complaints, though. 1. It makes me want to slip into a coma, which is rarely a feeling I'm interested in pursuing. 2. There's several songs where it seems like it's building up to something else, more dynamic. And then, suddenly, it doesn't.
I like stuff like this but wasn't so blown away I thought it was really valid for the list.
Much better than the Spacemen 3 album on the list, but probably still not something I'm crazy about. I like my dream pop/shoegaze to be more structured whereas this album is a lot more spacey and ambient. Still, really good album. Kinda sounds like if The Beatles were a shoegaze band. Angel Sigh is the standout for me on this one.
Kind of spacey and simplistic, but not in a way that tickles my brain. It's okay.
I think with an album like this, the environment in which you listen to it is really important. For me, im not sure it got the focus and attention it needed to properly shine. I did enjoy the floaty ambience and I found it an enjoyable listen but I wasn't blown away. No one favourite track. 7/10
Eh. I was really hoping this would have been better
Lush sounds but lacks variety
Alright background music
Warm ethirical
Felt like I was being edged the whole time. There were some two-star moments, some four-star moments....but mostly bang average 3-star moments.
- Hat einen entspannteren Vibe - Ab und zu nice Gitarrensolos und nicer Bass - zum Ende hin hören sich alle Lieder irgendwie gleich an und die Lieder selbst variieren auch wenig Topsong: I want you
Walls and washes of guitar noise and whispered vocals that blend into a mix of shoegaze and dream pop with occasional dashes of glam. I couldn't whistle any of the tunes though so the album title is a tad misleading. Best Tracks: I Want You; Run; Shine a Light
Grintcore. Helped me to focus on some work.
Drifty. Intense. Easy to zone out to. Lush in places. Sneering and indie in places. Life is so much cinematic comedown music.
Pretty chill, good work music
Almost fell asleep. Kind of the point I guess. Some nice songs but very long winded
- I thought at first this was going to be another late-60s psychedelic rock album until I looked up the group and saw they were an early-90s group from the UK. the opening track is a little like early Pink Floyd and David Gilmour’s more subdued vocals (“Fat Old Sun,” etc.) - some albums seem really reflective of the time period in which they were produced, but I would have a hard time figuring out which decade this came from if the first few tracks were all I had to go on. there's a kind of timelessness to it, which is aided in part by the tambourine, some hand drums/bongos, and acoustic guitar mixed with electric (not to mention some of the very psychedelic effects in tracks like “Angel Sigh”) - I’m having trouble figuring out which group this mostly reminds me of. I hear a little of Air in the repeated bass riff and minimal keyboard sound effects (especially in “Take Your Time”), but there’s another group I can’t think of right now (that I’m sure will come to me in a dream or similar time when I least expect it) - overall, very pleasant to listen to while working. the vocals aren’t at the foreground enough to be distracting, and the instrumental sections (like in "200 Bars") are repetitive enough without being annoying. it makes working feel 10% less soul-draining than normal, and I'm sure I'll put this on again when I'm having trouble concentrating on a task
This was an alright album, didn't blow me away but it wasn't bad by any means
not so moving
A really good album, but one that I didn't resonate with as much as I expected. It's early dream pop, gentle shoegaze, every song a crescendo into the air. I guess that's where I kind of struggle with it-- each song has a similar formula of ascending to something, but it never really reaches a goal. The sonic textures are clean and simple, but what are we building towards? Each track feels like the introduction of something else or the opening tracks to an epic album, but it's like that for an hour. There seems to be a lot of space-filling (and maybe that's all the goal is) but with it seeming to build, and then nothing coming, it's like being musically teased over and over. That said, it's a nice album to turn the lights off and sink into for a while. Put on your noise-cancelling headphones and turn it up to hear all the layers of instruments. I just felt it missed the opportunity to rise to the next step of releasing the tension that builds throughout.
Enjoyed this rather more than the other one of theirs on this list, which reminded me of Kraftwerk, if I remember rightly (although it has been over 900 albums now, so I may be mis-remembering). Captured the mellow Monday morning work mood to a tee. Couldn't name any of the tracks (despite playing it twice back to back), but it drifted past pleasantly in an ambient haze. Not bad.
It was quiet and soothing. Great music for a slow evening
Spacey, not bad, good work music. 3* Highlights: shine a light
interesting listen. i wouldn’t recommend listening to it while driving, however. i swear that some of the songs put me in a trance.
Prima werkmuziek, daar is t ook mee gezegd
It grew on me. But listen to New Age Healers instead it’s better.
Vacation’s over, we’re back. This was fine. We listened to it while on a drive and I think it made nice background music, but I couldn’t say anything that stood out to me about it. I frankly couldn’t really understand what he was singing about, but I still found it to be miles above paul simon’s album, which is apparently my new litmus test for a three-star rating. I’ll never listen to it again but it served me well for a single hour.
This album was too situational and specific to broadly classify as a “great album”. It felt like most of the music could he enjoyed in the background - but to truly appreciate the album it almost feels like you have to be on acid or smoking a ton of grass. Angel Sigh was a particular highlight though.
not as good as their other record on this list
Not what I was expecting. Decent
Spiritualized would go on to make better albums. This is a solid start.
Another rerun. One Spiritualized album was sufficient.
I always want to like Spiritualized more than I do.
Not good, not bad.
Like it!
If quiet monotony is where you want to be, you need something extra to grab my attention. It was not provided here.
This was a huge surprise. It really grew on me over the course of the album. Feels like a sleepy, very early version of alt-J. I think it'd be rewarding on a re-listen, but I'm not sure if I'll ever actually do that.
# Playlist Track - Shine A Light # Notes - Needed to listen to it a couple of time before actually enjoying it. If my memory serves me right, their other album in the project had a similar effect. - It's an annoying listen at times. The pauses and drama drag a bit too long, and it gets a bit boring while you wait for the next cool moment. But those moments are there. - Good, not great. Recommend for the indie folks only.
Well-crafted, laid-back sounds, good for sleep or ambience. 3.3
dreamy shoegaze. Forgetable. fine.
If I ever want to listen to spiritualized I’ll listen to ladies in gentlemen.. So this is the first time I’ve listened to this album. I enjoyed it. But it’s not changed my view that there’s only one of their albums I’ll go back to regularly.
(3.5/5) I'm pretty sure this is the first band I had never heard of prior to the generator. I'm sort of surprised because they're pretty cool. I'm also learning that their sound is somehow "space rock"? I imagine some more Hawkwind type of intergalactic psychedelic shit when I hear that term, not the ambient, moody, patient stuff on this album. My music education continues, I suppose. Anyway, at first I thought this might be the first random album that blows me away, but it never quite got there. I like the sound, I like the production, I like the overall mood, but none of the songs really took me to the higher plane I anticipated. I'll keep checking them out for sure, though. Also, I've seen some scathing, angry reviews about this album on here. What the hell? What about this music elicits anger? It really makes you scathe-y? Calm down, pal. We've bigger fish to fry.
Synth alt album, a bit heavy, not too bad.
I must have been in the mood to listen to Shoegaze, because I didn't hate it.
As the title and artist name suggested, this was a bit ethereal. Fine enough but lacking a bit of edge to make it too interesting.
2.5
3/5
Floating
The first time I listened, I was driving down the freeway, so I could barely hear much of it beyond some electronic blips. After listening to the almost the whole album again at home with headphones, it clicked: you absolutely need to be in a certain state of mind, possibly altered by some illegal substances, to truly appreciate this. Too much of this album is wasted on formless instrumentals and songs that seem to never end, but when they focus their pop instincts you can hear something special.
Not unreal for a first listen. Imagine this type of droning would need some time to appreciate it more.
So, I didn't save my review from yesterday. Unfortunate! Anyway, I couldn't finish the album yesterday as the album put me to sleep, but in mostly a good way. It's peaceful and definitely is something I'd listen to in between songs with heavy guitars and strong vocals.
It was pretty good but it never really captured me.
Yawn... This was soon boring...
I tend to like this kind a dreamy, shoegazy, psychedelic stuff, but apart from bits here and there, it kind of fails to click. Nothing really bad, but nothing particularly standing out. Feels like it could have been better.
Parts of this album are really cool. Other parts are kinda meh.
Pleasant enough, but nothing special. Extreme background music.
:-) I can imagine there are mindsets where this is just the greatest album. I liked it just fine.
Its alright
3.5
3.5
Luna-esque
This sounds a lot like one of those sleep music playlists you listen to when you can't get to sleep. There's nothing bad about this music, it's just not something I would want to listen to unless I'm wide awake in a dark room at 3 AM.
To be honest, my day was insane and I didn’t get to listen to the lyrics and vocals as much as I would normally …. But ….. this was great background music during a hectic day. I’ll definitely give it another go
ending of song one kinda reminds me of duster in a good way 7.4
Lazer Guided Melodies is the definition of an album that’s greater than the sum of its parts, which, arguably, is what the album format should aspire to in general. In isolation, no single song stands out as exceptional, but when experienced as a whole, the intention and the concept come into focus and become completely apparent. It’s less about individual moments and more about the atmosphere it sustains. And speaking of atmosphere - this album is full of dreamy, layered textures and spaced-out noises and drones. And while I really appreciate it for this, I still needed something more to latch onto here - a brilliant melody, an interesting lyrical line, something unexpected. At times, the band feels low on momentum: hypnotic, yes, but also slightly lethargic. It's an approach that Jason Pierce would refine with more emotional and dynamic contrast on future records. That said, Lazer Guided Melodies succeeds fully on its own terms. It creates a world of its own and pulls you in for an hour, and immerses you in its atmosphere. 3/5
First album, exactly 1 hour long which was my estimated time to set aside for an average length album :) A bit shoegaze-y, a bit too discordant in parts but enjoyed the piece as a whole. Not in a rush to listen to it again.
Space rock…the name says it all.
More like Sleepy English Space Rock. This album was fine, but almost every song sounded the same, which I guess works in your favor when your genre is space rock, where the 1 hour run time makes the record sound like one continuous track. I didn't hate it, but I won't be seeking these guys out again... unless they have another album on this list, that is. And my guess is that they probably do.
certains son incr
Easy, enjoyable listen but somewhat bloated. 3.5
I enjoyed the second half much more than the first. I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about it overall, but I liked it well enough to give it 3 stars.
Perhaps a hot take, but my least favorite Spiritualized record. They get so, so much more interesting for me after this. 3/5
There's a lot of beauty here, but it does get a bit backgroundy/droney
So-so dreamy pop. I didn’t hate it, but I wouldn’t rush to listen again soon.
ok
not bad, not great
Sonic layered space rock. There’s a lot to hear in the mix. I just wish it had a point or point of view. This feels more like soundscapes at times than songs.
6/10
Good. 3.999 stars. This album is very much My Kind Of Thing. Although truth be told their other bigger album might be the only one of theirs that deserves to be on this list. This album from this period of time being on this list is consistent with the UK bias of this project.
This one is new to me, but I know Ladies and Gentlemen We are Floating in Space, which is very similar. Both good, long and I just kind of forget about them when they’re done.
Not bad. Started strong. A bit boring, a bit long.
Fairly generic shoegaze-y affair. A bit too long but not bad by any means.
Kolejna płyta na granicy 3 i 4. Pierwsza połowa, mimo mojej nienawiści do shoegaze zmierzała w stronę czwórki, ale niestety druga połowa: nadęta i zbyt kosmiczna na mój gust, zniszczyła moje nadzieje. Końcowe utwory są zbyt długie. Próbują we mnie wszczepić energię kosmiczna na którą mam alergię. Nawet przyjemny wokal i naprawdę mocna pierwsza połowa tego nie uratuje. 6.5/10 równane w dół.
Likes a lot
Pretty chill and spacey, but also a bit boring. I'm very much torn what to think of this.
Aight
Not as good as other Spiritualized album on the list. Lazer Guided Melodies falls a bit flat, especially after raising my hopes through "Ladies and Gentelmen..." Still quite entertaining, but slightly disappointing.
No real reason for this to be an hour long. Background music, but nothing terrible. 2.5/5.0: Mixed
same complaint as their other album on the list, too long for what it is, still decent overall
Nice enough but don’t see how it’s possibly interesting enough to be on this list
Liked this much more the second time through - I could see it growing on me. The sonic textures build into each other, rising and falling slowly - chant-like and meditative - boringly interesting
Pleasant background music, but a bit too soporific for me.
Never heard of this artist. Interesting, first track a little out there.
stille og rolig
As far as shoegaze-y, melodic music goes...this one wasn't bad. I would 100& listen to this again. I'm a sucker for reverb drums and spaced out vocals. This came out in 92 and it feels like the precursor to the dreamy indie that started popping in the 2010s. 3.5/5
The Lynyrd Skynyrd (and to a lesser extent Velvet Underground) "cover" of the Breeze (Run) is one of the more surprising things I've heard on this list. There's definitely an element of the British bias for this album's inclusion but it's not bad. Sounds like a less rock/more electronic version of the Stone Roses. Enjoyable, good to be exposed to something totally new, not sure if I will listen to it again. 5.5/10 (2.75/5)
I wasn't expecting Lazer Guided Melodies to be very good but this was quite a bit better than i was expecting. This is a space rock album so the name of the game here is ambiance since there is certainly a lot of that. Because of that, this album is best when in certain situations in which ambient music fits and this album won't be the easiest to get into but when you do get into it, it can be a pretty relaxing album that's good to listen to after a long day. This album also does have many quirks in its sound with all the extra instruments and sounds aside from the typical stuff and i find those to be fairly nice additions. This album is kinda hard to get into but if you do, you will find a pretty decent album. Best Song: Run Worst Song: If I Were with Her Now
Tough one. I like it, it's well crafted, and it has its place. Once again, I am reminded of the Jesus and Mary Chain, but only if they had taken truckloads of lorazepam. Anyway, I feel like the fact that the music is weightless also makes the album kind of weightless. Right music for the right time, but ultimately nothing to raise it above other "zone out while sorting through dead letters" type music.
Largely shapeless, formless songs that meander and don't make much sense without pharmaceuticals. The second half, especially, just drags. 2.5 rounded up.
Very atmospheric, ethereal music. Sounds like a soundtrack to drifting up to heaven. Quite meditative and mellow but at times still dramatic. An experience but won’t listen again. Quite long and meandering.
Ambient with the occasional noise. It was generally just there. Stand-out: Shine a Light
So this is it. Ladies and Gentleman... We are now floating in Neo-Psychedelia/Space Rock Revival Hell. But wait a minute... this is actually not hell. although dream pop hell is in relation with here, this album is quite decent. and some song sounds quite indie as well! 3.5/5.
lazy
#553. Never heard of it before, but looking at the description I see this is the guy from Spaceman 3. This right here is Spaceman Prime! And he did it! After all those years of studying Earthman music, he finally managed to make some himself. Shame he had to leave his two Spaceman pals and do it himself, but maybe they were dragging him down or something. It's still not the best music you've ever heard by a long shot, but it's better than the zeep zorp noises he was making as one of the Spacemen 3. 3: good job, bud
Mellow rave
Low-fi techno vibe
Had no idea what to expect, it was alright no standout tracks though to put on a playlist
01) You Know It's True - 7,0 02) If I Were with Her Now - 6,5 03) I Want You - 7,0 04) Run - 7,0 05) Smiles - 6,0 06) Step into the Breeze - 6,5 07) Symphony Space - 5,0 08) Take Your Time - 7,0 09) Shine a Light - 7,5 10) Angel Sigh - 6,5 11) Sway - 7,0 12) 200 Bars - 7,0 TOTAL: 6,67 (67/100) Current ranking: 354/507
Fine. I can see some alt stuff that I enjoy much more developing here but not enough to stick around.
I like Spiritualized whenever I hear them, and they’re kind of perfect for music to slip into the background or to chill to. This is one that sort of washed over me, but in a nice way.
Not bad but will require more listens
Listenable and ambient, but too directionless for me.
Drags on a bit, but still overall has a really nice atmosphere. I think I definitely did well to listen to this album late at night, that's definitely when it sounds the best.
Basically just slowed down, less creative U2. I realize I mentioned U2 in my last two reviews, but seriously could we get some U2 on this thing?
2.5/5
This is sort of shoe-gazey I feel (even though I can definitely hear his vocals better than in MBV's music) and I do like it. It's sort of cutesy and light and prairie like and friendly to my ears. The first two songs feel especially chilled out and "I Want You" feels ambitious and grand. I like that. As always, I am positively disgusted by the fact that these people are British, but I've learned to be tolerant. This is music for staring out of a car window on a drive across a bridge. This is music that could melt into the background -- in a good way. It's pretty pleasant. Weirdly, the singer's voice reminds me of the Nine Inch Nails dude. Same sound but much less aggressive, obviously. I like how 200 bars was so much counting. It was interesting. I do think it was a nice, chill album that I could study to or listen to casually/on a road trip to get into an introspective mood, but not super remarkable to me. 3.7ish? Strong 3
Sensual and dreamy. Good but I wish it was more.
Fine
It’s ok
I thought it was pretty good. It's a little boring but honestly, pretty great background music.