Reviews (page 2 of 9)
Total fail.
What an interesting piece of music! I think the title explains the experience pretty much spot on. The whole atmosphere and instrumentation is just mighty and huge but the production is perfect and smooth with it. It gives a soothing deeply calm feeling though not sleepy but still energetic at times. Instrumentally there is a lot going on they were working with a string quartet, they got piano, keyboard a gospel choir and just many great musicians together on this album. I also loved the vocal harmonies on the title track for example, beautiful work. This is my favourite psychedelic approach out of the 90s that I have yet listened to. Though calling it psychedelic rock wouldnt do the album right its more like a spacerock psychedelic blues artrock gospel combination or something like that and somehow it works out great. Is it a bit long and some songs could have been cut to make it a shorter more crispy experience? Yes for sure but on the other hand its one of those albums that gets you in a real spacey calm mood as a whole package and you want that vibe to stay longer than just 30 minutes so in this case I appreciate the length. 10 minutes less still wouldnt have hurt though. Looking forward to give this a relisten when I am in the right mood! 3,7/5
Es la primera vez que no me banco un álbum. Larguísimo y aburrido. Tuve que pasar varias canciones.
J Spaceman and his interstellar psychedelic gospel revue are here with a masterpiece of love and heartbreak and drugs. Mostly drugs. 5🧑🏻🚀
A difficult one. It is indeed very spacey. It feels like a strange mixture of Britpop (like Oasis or Blur) and Pink Floyd, mixed with the post-rock of bands like Godspeed You! Black Emperor and The Black Heart Procession. There are long parts of weird soundscapes which can be quite struggling to listen to—sometimes you wonder if it's even music at all. But I liked the parts that are more guitar- and rock-focused. I also liked the first track, which includes a clever adaptation of Elvis's "Can't Help Falling in Love". Other tracks have very basic, standard lyrics; it is really all about the atmosphere they create. Difficult to describe, but an experience. Initially, I even thought of giving it 4 or 5 stars because of those great guitar moments, but it lands on 3 stars in the end.
At first listen I had a problem with the vocal - it feels very mismatched from the production. On a listen with better headphones, most of the songs are more bearable, but the vocal still takes me out. And despite the lushness of the songs, I'm not sure where it is they're taking me. There are moments of gorgeous charm and tranquility, but then it launches into very muddy walls of sound that I feel don't thrill me in the way is intended - they're just feedback and noise. I literally just skipped 2 minutes forward on the last track and couldn't tell I'd done so. Admire the ambition but it doesn't move me. 6/10
I had pretty high hopes for this one, but it was terrible almost from the start. There are a few nice textures buried in all the haze, but most of the album felt bloated, repetitive, and way too pleased with how druggy and atmospheric it sounded. The freestyling sax near the end of “No God Only Religion” was especially grating. That was one of those moments where the album stopped being merely boring and started actively getting on my nerves. There’s only so much droning, feedback, and wandering instrumentation I can take before it starts feeling like homework. I know this is supposed to be some huge psychedelic statement, but I mostly heard a lot of noise stretched across an album that badly needed editing.
It wasnt at all bad, The vocal was very boring but the music and noises were captivating in places. There were a couple of naff tracks though the second one in particular, had to skip it after a while. An interesting experience
Spiritualized's 'Lazer Guided Melodies' was one of the very first albums that I got. My notes said nothing other than "dull". After 550 further days of exposure to different albums, my reviewing and taste have both been refined. I didn't mind this one, though the vocal is indeed a bit dull. There are some trippy sounds on here that make it suitable for just waking up, or maybe for switching off completely as you wind down. The noise bits are really engrossing and cool. I don't think it's something I'll return to, but I did like that I reflected on what a a year and a half of opening my mind has brought me. I wonder if I'd still rate some of the early albums the same today. I feel that this space rock has done its job. Overall, I enjoyed this.
Πολυπρόσωπο και με πολλά διαφορετικά στυλ άλμπουμ, διατηρώντας παράλληλα μια ενιαία ατμόσφαιρα. Επίσης καθάριζα πρώτη μέρα στο Λίμερικ οπότε έχω κέφια και είμαι γενναιόδωρη
Totally boring, and feels interminable when you're listening to it. The final track is like 15 minutes long and dull as ditchwater
Listened while working first half was good but second half too much of a distraction 65 for now maybe bumps up if played on speakers or running
Æ, þú veist... eitt lag sem ég komst aðeins inn í, en annars bara meh...
I'm pretty confused, but it's pretty nice. To be honest, I didn't listen with my full attention when I first listened to this, but now that I'm relistenning I'm taking a liking to this.
This is one of those albums I've seen on Best Of lists and "If You Like..." recommendations for years, so I was very excited to finally try it out. Going in, I had zero expectations, so discovering that this was such a vast multiverse in and of itself was captivating. I love the way that older rock motifs and allusions are constantly incorporated throughout, and the dramatic crescendo-type tracks are simply awe-inspiring. It definitely gets a little over-indulgent at times (there's no just reason for "Cop Shoot Cop" to be 17 minutes), but this still really connected with me and will undoubtedly end up being a personal favorite that only continues to grow on me. Fav Tracks: Ladies and gentlemen we are floating in space, Come Together, I Think I'm in Love, All of My Thoughts, Electricity, Broken Heart, No God Only Religion, Cool Waves, Cop Shoot Cop Least Fav: The Individual Score: 9
Wow. I had been in an album slump, feeling like I kept getting meh at best picks, and then this came along and reminded me why I’m doing this to begin with. I can’t believe that all the musical algorithms I’ve been prey to up to now missed the fact that I’d love this album, and I’m mad that I could have been listening to it for years now. I loved it. Broken Heart might be one of the most moving songs I’ve ever heard, and you can hear Radiohead in some of the instrumental interludes. And it has a gospel track?? Man. I’m glad I get to live in a world with music like this.
Pretty awesome opener, but save for the ultra-catchy "Electricity," this was somewhat boring in comparison to the meaty yet still dreamy shoegaze crossover on Lazer-Guided Melodies. The maximalist experimentation with the lengthy personnel list did not provide the intended results here.
It's like they took the weird, short, interesting parts of songs and decided to just do those parts for an entire album. Seems like it makes it less interesting and not annoying.
Starts off on a really strong foot with the title track, with its cool spacey repurposing of "I Can't Help Falling in Love." I like track 2, "Come Together," as well. Unfortunately it doesn't keep that momentum as it goes on and there's more drifting into noise. Most the runtime lives at 3 stars.
I’d been looking forward to this one since hearing Spacemen 3 on this list recently. This was effectively Jason Pierce’s solo project after his previous band broke up, featuring various musicians as the band evolved. His girlfriend at the time was keyboard player Kate Radley and they were in the middle of a relationship breakdown during the recording, which is reflected in several of the songs. Musically, this continues the 60s psychedelic space rock feel with nods to the 90s Manchester sound. Notably, they were the last band to play at the famous Hacienda club before it closed. The effect is the classic humungous wall of sound, with swirling guitars, gospel choirs and electronica thrown in. The highlight for me is the 17 minute album closer Cop Shoot Cop with a close second for the title track which riffs off of Elvis Presley’s I Can’t Help Falling in Love. Zero-G-tastic!
And apparently my car went hurtling from the roads of Nebraska all the way into the literal stratosphere…and somehow it’s not as impressive. Going in, I had known pretty much nothing about the album besides the title and the album cover, having seen it pop up on Spotify before, but I didn’t know anything about the music itself. After listening to it, I think it’s decent, but I do feel like it has flaws. The main one being the fact that, although the album sounds big, it feels like it needs something to ground it. The music sounds spacious, but it can kind of meander and get lost in just being floaty and echoey, and not feel like it’s really going anywhere. There are a few exceptions to this, one of which being the title track, my first standout, which actually does feel spacey without feeling empty, with its several overlapping vocals, which, although feeling indistinguishable, feels like it works better than most of the album. Jason Pierce’s vocals feel like they go between Liam Gallagher, Damon Albarn, and something in between, which works sometimes, but not others. I also feel like there’s too many same sounding love songs on the album, Cool Waves and Home Of The Brave being two culprits. However, Broken Hearts, my second standout, does feel almost movie-esque, with a pretty cinematic string arrangement, and not feeling as samey as the rest of the love songs. The QOTSA-esque Electricity is my third standout track, feeling a lot more down to earth than a lot of the other tracks, and the instrumental No God Only Religion, my final standout, has some pretty impressive drumming that I feel like would be killer live. Overall, I feel like the repetitive subject matter and overly floaty feel kind of takes away from this album for me, but by no means is it an awful album. If you like space rock, check this one out, though I’ll be headed back to earth for the next album.
Favourite Tracks: Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space I Think I’m In Love Electricity Broken Heart Cool Waves
Ladies And Gentlemen I Am Floating In Space🌌
Idk man. Dit hangt voor mij te veel tussen dingen in en is het allemaal nèt niet ofzo. Nèt geen GYBE, nèt geen Talk Talk, nèt geen Slowdive, zowel qua sound als de kwaliteit van de nummers. Er zitten echt wel wat mooie, meanderende stukken tussen maar ik heb zo veel muziek wat hier op lijkt en gewoon meer voor me doet.
I really dug this album. Need to listen again when I'm not doing errands.
# Album Name: Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space # Artist: Spiritualized # Rating: 4/5 # Comments: An enjoyable listen. Much better than the last album i heard from these guys. Plenty of good "airy tracks". # Top Tunes: Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space / come together / im in love / electricity / broken heart / cool waves # Would I listen to it again? Yes
Need to listen still
Couldn't listen, it was just a bit naff
muy experimental
so so so much very experimental and raw and classic
Float away, please.
This one was fun and interesting. It had an almost big band feel just with more electronics. At times it gave me Muse vibes with a similar operatic drama. I wish there was a little more complexity. But overall an enjoyable experience.
Don't know if it's the post tough day at work haze, but this was really mesmerizing. 3.8/5.
I absolutely did not get this. It's not ambient enough to chill to, and it's not interesting enough to pay attention to. Any value I might have found in its rare melodic moments (e.g. 'Broken Heart') were more than swallowed up by the vastness of soulless noise I had to traverse to get there. "Floating in space" is right... it's waaaay too long for the substantive content being provided. It's cringy, really. For something that tries so hard to present as name brand, it comes across generic as hell. I also may have strained an optic nerve rolling my eyes when I read about the special and limited edition packaging. How pretentious can you get?
What the fuck was that?
One of the best white noise albums I've heard that I totally did not absorb.
I wish I was floating in space cuz there’s no sound up there. Three tracks that are tonally different from the rest of the album. Maybe the longest feeling album yet.
I was hoping for more space music but not like this
Holy fucking shit this album changed my life
I have no opinion on the music of Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space, because I didn’t hear anything I would call music. The vocals are equally terrible.
Strange coincidence that I got this album two days after John Prine giving that Jason Pierce appears to have lifted a lyric almost completely from Prine with no apparent writing credit. That happens early on in Cop Shoot Cop..., the 17 minute closing track on this, which despite its runtime is the absolute standout on here. I knew Electricity and Come Together and liked a few other tracks but at times if strays off a bit into almost avant classical territory. The final track sounds like it could have come off Spirit of Eden/Laughing Stock-era Talk Talk and I enjoyed the way it ebbs and flows before leaving you in an ecstatic moment.
Took me on a fucking rollercoaster here. First song's a knockout punch of feels, then it's like they couldn't decide if they wanted to be Slowdive or The Jesus and Mary Chain. But you know what? It works. It's like they threw a bunch of ideas into a blender, hit 'puree,' and out came this emotive, batshit beautiful mess. Spins: 2 Playlist Additions - Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space - I Think I'm in Love - Stay with Me - Broken Heart
Not bad at all - another one I don’t recall from the time - solid 3
This was awesome. It was very gorrilaz to me. Which for me, is a very good thing!
Stunningly beautiful, like stop you in your tracks, jaw on the floor beautiful. Somehow too beautiful for 97' but also perfectly situated with the right kind of 90's sounds. Wowsers, that was fun, I'll be listening again and again.
A little loose and noisy. Couldn’t dive in.
Since Spacemen 3 splintered into a million directions, it would take a family tree historian to keep track of the remnants. If your tolerance for droning psychedelia is that of a normal person, you need not worry about most of it. But you shouldn’t miss out on this one. The third proper album by Spiritualized is a decadent, luxurious bubble bath in zero gravity. Imagine Ren Hoek suffering from space madness — a little cabin fever, a little too much Spectrum and Experimental Audio Research on the headphones — thinking he has an ice cream bar with a delicious creamy center, he blissfully enjoys a lathery bar of soap. It doesn’t matter that it’s just a bar of soap, that it’s just another Brit band who can’t put on a good live show to save their lives. Sometimes you just have to lay back and take respite from the mundane absurdity that is life and take a bubble bath in zero gravity.
One hit but the rest quite blurry...
Gotta admit that this one grew on me quite a lot. At first I really didn't like it, but about halfway in I realized I might actually give this close to a 4. And you know what, I think I will.
Excellent indie rock that’s atmospheric, spacey, and experimental while remaining totally engaging. A great listen front to back.
Mostly bearable with a generous sprinkling of please let me out of this torture
Pleasant enough, space rock indeed
I liked this except on track that was just annoying sounds the rest though had a kind of swagger about it which I enjoyed.
This sounds like the Beatles were stuck in a drunken depression with a keyboard and synthesizer. Every song felt like it was fighting to be the final track to fade out.
Pretty enough, but probably needs an edible to really get into it.
A bit repetitive and long Why is this song 17 minutes
On speakers, alright, not fantastic. On headphones, oh yeah, I see it now.
Nice Album, definitely add it to the list of listen again. Favourite songs are "Ladies and Gentlemen we are floating in space" and "Cool Waves".
Really enjoyed this
Such a great album. Loved listening to this when it came out and it still sound fresh and doesn’t feel like it’s aged at all. So easy to listen to and get lost in.
Possibly best listened to at 3am on a summer’s evening staring up at the stars whilst under the influence. This epic album combines the sublime sounds of a cosmic cascade of sonic music with the chaotic brilliance of a multi layered jam session. It also combines the entire serenity of the universe with the tortured mind of a musical genius. As an album, it just works. Multi layered, fluctuating, and always flowing. Other artists write better songs, few produce a better album than this. So the message kids: don’t take drugs! Unless of course you want to end up like the musical genius Jason Pierce.
Such an amazing opening few songs, as Mr Spaceman brings in his new blues and gospel elements to an already excellent formula. I’ve just always found it a shame it loses its way in the 2nd half somewhat, albeit finishing on a banger. But hey, it’s Spiritualized, you can’t go wrong really.
Another British electronica album in severe need of a grown up to police song length. First track is great, the rest is repetitive and grating.
Interesting sound but this feels unnecessarily long
It seemed like I was gonna like this then I thought it was an album of Beatles stuff then it got too long 2.5
I wanted to like this but 1 song I will listen to and the rest is background music
A cosmic concept album dealing with faith loss and want. It was an interesting listen.
Ok 2/5
A stone cold classic
long ass album and too experimental for me. There are some more melodic songs which are nicer, but I wouldn't listen to it again honestly.
I love psychedelic music, but I found this album mostly irritating. It seems like their approach to "experimental" music is entirely additive: more counter-melodies, more bowed strings, more wind instruments, more gospel choir, more backup vocals, more organs, more synthesizers, and make the song longer. It's all so epic and grandiose and expensive, but when you peel back the layers there's not much to love underneath.
Pretty good, but didn't feel super special
Verrassend
Pretentious
heard this before. good shit :)
This was ok. It blended I tot eh background quite a bit. I hit a moment where I realized I forgot I was even listening to something. When I did pick up lyrics, I found them to be fairly mediocre. 3/5
This feels so conceptual and I quiet enjoyed it.
I could see a world in which I give this 4 stars. The Individual and the last song were dumb though.
Totally fine music. Just completely in unremarkable and unoriginal. Just a plain oiled Brit pop band. I know a couple of interesting Spirituallzed songs… forgot which album it is that I thought was pretty good. But nothing better than that. And this one was even less memorable.
#1015. This one is decent, but probably not something I'd revisit. 3/5: acceptable
I kinda like "space rock" and adjacent genres. But this just didn't really ignite the thrusters for me, so to speak. It's more on the noisy end of the spectrum, with a few surprising dashes of gospel, and I like my spacy/stoner stuff more in in the Floydian vein, or synth-heavy, or heavier in general. It's an eclectic mix, very artistic, but, well…
Covers in the beginning then sounds like a movie soundtrack, cause it got wild halfway through. I don't even know wth they were thinking making this. Just sounds like a mumbo shit pile of disorganization
These guys are so fricking boring, how did they get multiple entries in the list. The first time something happens on this album is 2 and a half minutes into the third track. Fave Track: Cool Waves 2.4/5
This was sick! I have never heard of this before, but it was super cool. The sounds were really rich and there were a variety of influences ranging from 60s/70s psych rock to gospel music.
Other than the first song, not a really interesting album Best Song: Ladies and Gentlemen We are Floating in Space Rating: 5/10 Stars: 3
No, *we're* not . Maybe y'all are, unfortunately.
Really transcendent most of the time but they don’t know when to quit
Majestic. So much going on. The melodies and bass lines are all killer. The grand concept works. Broken Heart is one of the greatest songs of al time. Great cover art.
The announcement Len used to make at the start of his famous acid parties. 2.0 1/12 ladies and gentlemen we are floating in space…..
This album is a mess. The opening tracks are an extended cacophony of noise. Then it blurs into bad Britpop. I won’t waste more time writing about it.
This was so, so much better than I thought it would be. I've heard the title track before, and thought it was a wonderful interpolation of previous ideas. But then they just keep doing that in different, interesting ways. Loud, fuzzy plays on prior music. Thoughtful, languid pieces. Standouts: the title track, "Come Together," "Electricity," and especially "Broken Heart," which echoes Morricone's "Ecstasy of Gold" in a beautiful way. I expected this album to be a listen once and experience once and never again. I feel like this is going to join my regular rotation. A great surprise.
A little too light for me but overall solid
Never heard of album or band. More alt nice. Good production on ladies and gentlemen. Lyrics are eh. The layers of singing are cool tho. Awesome horns and production as a whole on come together. I like this song. Again not a lot going on with the lyrics but it works. Awesome fade into I think I’m in love. Guitar and bass rock on this one. All of my thoughts is fine. Very generic alt. Nothing really special. Electricity is generic Brit pop. Not bad but not great. Good guitar. Great solo to end it out. Another nice fade into home of the brave. And again a nice fade in to the individual. Hate the horns on this one. A lot of screeching. This song is weird. Broken heart is super emotional. Love the strings. This song hits. No god is cool too. Good musical ballad. Greta production. Again really cool production on cool waves. Vocals are kinda bs. Chorus is nice though. Cop shoot cop is another nice musical ballad for the first 2 mins. Vocals aren’t terrible but it’s all about the background track. Back half is kind of junk. Could’ve ended after 5 or 6 mins. Cool ending either way. Overall, well produced but it’s JAA. Nothing too special about it but not a difficult listen. 2.7/5 stars.
meu deusssss
The list continues to astound. I have hated, literally HATED, every other album this dude has had on the list. I think the last Spiritualized album got a 1 from me, as well as an album from his previous band, Spaceman 3 or whatever. Hated them both! Genuinely! But this album? It’s kind of a masterpiece? Idk what it is, but it’s got that indescribable difference that makes it really fucking good. The songs work. The lyrics work. The production works. The instrumentals work. I loved listening to this. Reminded me often of early Broken Social Scene. I’m as surprised as you are. I expected this to be another low point for me. Instead, it was an unexpected high. It’s nice to be surprised!
Totally accurate description of album contained in the title!
Thought this was pretty good and will definitely give it another listen.
As a huge Spaceman 3 fan, how can I not love Spiritualized?
This feels like the best version of Spiritualized / Spacemen 3. Tons of dirty feedback, actual songs rather than background noodling. I enjoyed this a lot.
Worth another listen or two. Sounds a lot like Radiohead in places
Good atmosphere (mostly : ), creative, alter. I like it.
A 1997 3 but a 2026 2. Some interesting ideas and I bought this at the time (and largely enjoyed it) but these lyrics are diabolical. Cop Shoot Cop is undeniably good. Excellent packaging on the original release. Yet another musical reminder on this journey that drugs make bad albums.
Just. Yeah... It's ok. Of all the albums ever made this is definitely one of them.
Meh. Low energy
This album feels almost like a precursor to The Avalanches' "We Will Always Love You", but with more of a focus on rock, sounding a little like Oasis, and less of an ambient and electronic focus. It's unfortunately just a bit noisy. Not much ever really coalesces in the way you want it to. There's so much potential here, with allusions to space, reality, symbolism, but what results is more of a mesh of cosmic noises overlayed with wishy-washy rock music, and also every song it about twice the length it should be.
Wasn't horrible but way over done and most songs drugged on way too long.
I don't understand this album at all. Too dull
A really good album, I love the title song and Broken Heart the most.
# Spiritualized - *Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space*: An In-Depth Review --- ## Overview and Context Released in 1997, *Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space* is widely regarded as Spiritualized's magnum opus and one of the defining rock albums of the 1990s. Led by songwriter and frontman Jason Pierce (J. Spaceman), the album represents a quantum leap from the band's earlier shoegaze-influenced work, embracing gospel, soul, blues, and orchestral grandeur to create something truly singular. The album's title comes from Jostein Gaarder's philosophical novel *Sophie's World*: *"Only philosophers embark on this perilous expedition to the outermost reaches of language and existence... 'Ladies and Gentlemen,' they yell, 'we are floating in space!' But none of the people down there care"*. This sentiment captures Pierce's ambition to push rock music to its outer limits. --- ## Lyrical Themes The album is inextricably linked to personal heartbreak. Pierce's relationship with keyboardist Kate Radley had ended (she secretly married The Verve's Richard Ashcroft in 1995), and this emotional devastation permeates the record. However, Pierce has often played down the strict autobiographical reading, noting that this emphasis caused listeners to miss the album's humor and poetry. **Love and Addiction as Twin Forces:** The album brilliantly conflates romantic longing with drug dependency—two addictions that become nearly indistinguishable. On the title track, Pierce subtly shifts from singing *"All I want in life's a little bit of love to take the pain away"* to *"a little bit of dope"* midway through—an admission that substances have become an emotional crutch. **Raw Emotional Confession:** The lyrics are often stark and plainspoken, which makes them more devastating. On "Home of the Brave," Pierce sings: *"I don't even miss you / But that's 'cause I'm fucked up / I'm sure when it wears off / Then I will be hurting"*. "All of My Thoughts" captures the disorientation of sudden loss: *"Don't know what to do by myself / 'Cause all of my time was with you"*. **Dark Humor:** Despite the bleakness, there is a wry self-awareness. On "I Think I'm in Love," Pierce deadpans: *"Think I'm the heart and soul / probably just snorting"*. "Home of the Brave" admits: *"Sometimes have my breakfast right off of a mirror / and sometimes I have it right out of a bottle"*. --- ## Musical Style and Production This is where the album truly achieves transcendence. Pierce assembled an enormous cast—the London Community Gospel Choir, the Balanescu String Quartet, New Orleans legend Dr. John, and over 100 musicians across multiple studios including Abbey Road. **The Wall of Sound:** Pierce's production draws heavily from Phil Spector's "Wall of Sound," but pushes it into psychedelic territory. The title track layers gospel vocals, strings, and horns into an overwhelming yet intimate experience. The original version features a choir singing Elvis Presley's "I Can't Help Falling in Love," a sample initially blocked but restored for the 2009 reissue. **Genre-Bending:** The album synthesizes an astonishing range of influences: space rock, gospel, free jazz, blues, soul, and drone. Tracks like "No God Only Religion" venture into free-jazz chaos, while "Broken Heart" is a stately orchestral piece that could score a film. "Cop Shoot Cop..." (the 17-minute closer) blends voodoo blues with noise-rock catharsis. **Organic and Live:** Despite its layered complexity, much of the album was recorded live, giving it an organic warmth that distinguishes it from other high-concept 1990s records like Radiohead's *OK Computer*. The harmonica, piano, and gospel vocals root the space-rock ambitions in earthy, human expression. --- ## Themes **Heartbreak and Escapism:** The album is a 70-minute journey through emotional devastation, with drugs and musical excess serving as the primary escape mechanisms. Yet it never feels merely nihilistic—there is a strange healing quality to the music. **Spirituality Without Religion:** Pierce consistently uses the language of gospel and religious imagery to express secular, often drug-fueled, transcendence. "Cool Waves" and "Come Together" feel liturgical, yet Pierce openly questions faith on "Cop Shoot Cop...": *"Jesus Christ died for nothing, I suppose"*. **The Cosmos as Emotional Landscape:** The space travel metaphor isn't just sonic window-dressing—it represents the isolation, vastness, and disorientation of extreme emotional states. The album's psychedelic expansiveness mirrors the feeling of being lost in one's own head after profound loss. --- ## Influence The album's impact has been immense but diffuse. It influenced artists ranging from Sigur Rós and Mercury Rev to Coldplay, Muse, Doves, and Arcade Fire. Christopher Owens of the band Girls has cited Pierce's plainspoken lyrical style as a direct influence. In the context of 1990s British rock, it signaled a shift away from Britpop's laddishness toward complexity and ambition. However, its true legacy may be more spiritual than direct—few artists have attempted anything as audacious, and even Spiritualized themselves have never quite recaptured this magic, though subsequent albums like *Let It Come Down* and *Songs in A&E* have their defenders. --- ## Pros and Cons ### Pros - **Ambitious Vision Fully Realized:** The album achieves what it sets out to do—creating an immersive, emotionally devastating, sonically overwhelming experience that rewards repeated listening. - **Flawless Sequencing:** At over 70 minutes, the album never drags. The transitions between songs feel inevitable, and the contrast between chaos and calm is expertly managed. - **Rich Production:** Every listen reveals new details—a tinkling piano, a lonesome harp, a buried vocal harmony. The sheer depth of sound is staggering, with up to 20 musicians contributing to the album's scope. - **Emotional Authenticity:** Despite the dense production, the emotional core feels raw and genuine. Pierce's deadpan delivery makes the pain more affecting, not less. - **Enduring Relevance:** Twenty-five years on, it remains a towering achievement in rock music and a touchstone for listeners dealing with heartbreak or loss. ### Cons - **Can Be Overwhelming:** The maximalist approach may feel exhausting or indulgent to some listeners. The instrumental freakouts and lengthy passages (the 17-minute "Cop Shoot Cop...") require patience and commitment. - **Second-Half Drag:** Some critics have noted that the album sags slightly in its second half, with tracks like "Cool Waves" and "Broken Heart" feeling slower and less engaging before the epic closer. - **Drug References May Alienate:** For some, the overt drug imagery (and the prescription-pill packaging of the original CD) can feel gratuitous or off-putting, though these elements are integral to the album's themes. - **Humour Often Overlooked:** Pierce has expressed frustration that the album's dark humor is frequently missed, with listeners focusing too heavily on the biographical heartbreak narrative. --- ## Conclusion *Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space* is a rare album that earns every superlative thrown at it. It is a masterpiece of maximalist rock, a devastating breakup record, a drug-addled space odyssey, and a testament to the redemptive—and destructive—power of love and addiction. It demands your full attention and rewards it with a transcendent, cathartic experience that few albums can match. Whether you approach it as a sonic journey, a philosophical meditation, or a raw emotional confession, it remains one of the most extraordinary achievements in 1990s rock music—and, for many, one of the greatest albums ever made.
Liked the first couple of songs, then it started to drag on. Broken Heart's into does feel like you're floating in space. Great pick me up song towards the end. That song and Ladies and gentlemen we are floating in space stood out. Cool album and band I've never heard of. 3.5/5
I bought this CD for the packaging and my appreciation for them grew after that. Saw them live when they opened for Radiohead. At least, I think I did…. It’s trippy and rockish and different. Do I know what happened to them after this album? No I don’t. This is worth multiple listens to really appreciate. It’s a slow burner for acceptance. Choice cut: Ladies and Gentlemen we are floating in space.
Dafuq outta here with this shit. There are Gregorian monks that would find this boring!
Pretty much as soon as I started getting into this it turned into garbage noise
Ladies and Gentlemen This is Perfectly Average. Not to say I didn't like it. It was an ok listen. And it's very likely that if I invested enough time in this act then it's the sort of immersive, sonically dense, magnum opus that I could really get into. Fact is I just can't be arsed with a band I've never heard of from 30 years ago that never really did anything. I guess it's a hot day and I'm a bit tetchy.
I have no idea.
Better than I thought - I'll have to listen again
Space Rock? That is a stupid and weirdly specific genre. It also qualifies as Shoegaze...one of the worst genre's of music ever invented. This is not good, but much like I said about Echo and The Bunnymen, it's maybe the best of a terrible genre. No God Only Religion is the best song on the album, also the only one with no words, I don't think those facts are unrelated. Closing with a 17 minute song? That's a bold choice, Cotton. At least it has all been music so far...no stretches of silence or fake phone calls or Ben Stiller laughing on a loop. Two Spiritualized albums out of 1,001? That is a bad call.
I always want to love this album. The first song is so incredible, and then …. nothing. It’s a hard song to follow, though.
It's exactly as if I'm on drugs, yep
I was never obliged to listen to the whole album. Now after listening to it end to end I like it more than I thought I would
3.4 2x
Great album. Fav tracks: Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space RYM: Y (#821) Saved a song: N
Never listened to Spiritualised before today, but I'm quite enjoying this. An underlying cocktail of psychedelia, prog and space rock, and yet a vey 90's club sounding album. Guests include Dr John, BJ Cole and the LCGC.
Initially was indifferent but the more I listened the more it sounded like noise
2.5/5 Favorite Songs: Come Together I Think I'm In Love Electricity Broken Heart
Wow. Clearly very slickly produced. First song was very promising but then it seemed to melt into the background and then came Broken Heart and I was woken from my slumber. And then Cop Shoot Cop. Amazing and worth several listens. Right now, I think about half the songs are unremarkable, but after a few more listens I might like them all. Certainly the list of good-great songs just gets longer as I listen to it more. Giving it a four but suspecting I will rerate to a 5 someday…
Very smooth
This was really cool but it is wayyyyyy too long
As others have pointed out, this album comes off as a bit excessive at times. That said, this was a fun listen while drinking coffee in the morning.
Not really my cup of tea but not bad. Big Stone Roses-y vibes but in space.
Interesting listen bc it was different, but generally a little too spacey. Title track was my fave by far. Electricity a good rock out and music really pretty on Broken Heart.
There's a lot going on here, but at the two-thirds mark I've yet to hear a single thing that I want to go back and listen to again. Not even a single hook in a track that makes me enjoy the build-up in anticipation. I can't even tell where each one ends and the next starts; it's not difficult to listen to but it really is just a panorama of noise of varying types. I'm eternally grateful it's got strings, horns and the associated grandeur they bring, which saved me from listening to 69 minutes of guitar-led indie shoegaze, but that's not really enough to save it unfortunately
The Individual
Another record where the artwork is better than the album, but this record's artwork is a fucking work of art!
Enjoyed this a lot more than I expected to. Need to give it a second, more dedicated listen.
Number: 172 Date: 06/24/26 Artist: Spiritualized Album: Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space Year: 1997 Style: Space Rock Familiarity: Extremely (5) Rating: 5 Before: ======= Pretty sure it's going to be a 5. During: ======= 5 Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space 5 Come Together 5 I Think I'm In Love 4 All Of My Thoughts 4 Stay With Me 5 Electricity 5 Home Of The Brave 3 The Individual 4 Broken Heart 3 No God Only Religion 5 Cool Waves 5 Cop Shoot Cop… ----------------------------------------------------- 4.52 WEIGHTED AVERAGE (accounts for song lengths) After : ======= 5 my personal rating 5 suitability for this list 5 impact ----------------------------------------------- 5 composite rating
i really like the pharmaceutical imagery in this album. fitting for the emotional themes on the first half. instrumentally though i think it pops off in the back half. i'm not huge on Cop Shoot Cop but the ones before are atmospheric as hell. deserves to be one of the 1001? yea
Some songs were way too long for how boring they were, enjoyed some of the instrumentals but that's kind of it.
Nothing too great nothing too bad.
I thought I was going to be listening to some Spacey type music but all of these songs had structure and they all had great hooks. Definitely a banger.
In an ideal world, the two Spiritualized albums on this list should swap titles. Lazer Guided Melodies is bigger on spaced-out atmosphere than tunes - the melodies are actually on this one.
I don’t have a consistent thought about this album. Parts are disturbing and sound like a car accident; other parts are inventive and melodic. I think the entire listening experience would be improved by using hallucinogens.
Mit "Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space" lieferte die britische Band Spiritualized 1997 ihr drittes und bis heute bedeutendstes Album ab, entstanden über zwei Jahre verteilt in den Moles Studios in Bath sowie weiteren Sessions in London (The Church, Rooster, The Strongroom), Memphis (House of Blues), New York (The Hit Factory) und Los Angeles (A&M), veröffentlicht über das Label Dedicated. Diese geografische Zersplitterung der Aufnahmen spiegelt sich im Klangbild wider: Space Rock, Neo-Psychedelia, Shoegaze und Gospel verschmelzen zu einem Sound, der zugleich fragil und überwältigend wirkt, getragen von Bläsersätzen, Streicherarrangements und dem Gospelchor der London Community Gospel Choir. Inhaltlich speist sich das Album aus der persönlichen Krise von Bandkopf Jason Pierce, dessen Trennung von Partnerin und Bandmitglied Kate Radley während der Entstehungszeit das emotionale Fundament der Songs bildet. Stücke wie der Titeltrack, "Electricity" oder "I Think I'm in Love" oszillieren zwischen zärtlicher Verletzlichkeit und kontrolliertem Lärm, ohne dass die eine Seite die andere je verdrängt. Gerade diese Balance – zwischen Popmelodie und Klangrausch, zwischen Intimität und Bombast – macht das Album so unverwechselbar. Was "Ladies And Gentlemen" von vergleichbaren Werken der Ära abhebt, ist die Konsequenz, mit der Pierce seine Vision bis ins Detail durchzieht, ohne dabei je überladen zu wirken. Das Album altert mit erstaunlicher Würde und klingt fast drei Dekaden später so dringlich wie am ersten Tag. Ein Meilenstein, der Schmerz in Schönheit übersetzt, ohne dabei sentimental zu werden.
God i hate shoegaze, what a boring album
I avoided listening to this album for like a week straight, because glimpses of the opening track made it sound like I need to be heavily depressed in order to even survive it. Think Loveliescrushing's discography. Thankfully, I was proven wrong. It's not depressive, just insanely boring.
90년대 드림코어 맛 좀 봐라 첫곡이 가장 좋음
This was mostly just kinda boring Will I listen to again: 2%
This feels like one of those albums that would grow on me with time. Happy to revisit it 7/10
Dull
Heard Before: Yup. I've never been high in my life, but somehow I'm still the kind of person that everyone thinks would love this. Notes: - so many ingredients that i love - dense arrangements, horns, strings, choirs, drones, pillowy drums, crawling tempos, extreme repetition. - these songs mostly go nowhere, but that's by design. it's best if you surrender. so while the opener is the obvious single and best track, this time around i had the best experience with the closer, all 17 minutes of it. - the lead vocals grate on me a bit. i think this overstuffed miasma of sound deserves a soaring, operatic sort of lead. but songwriters too often insist on singing their own material. - the generic "love" lyrics are pointless when clearly all this band loves is big sounds, drugs and themselves. - the key dilemma with these static, more-is-more songs is that if they don't start strong, they rapidly wear out their welcome. this happened several times for me. Verdict: Ambition mixed with bombast, slowly spreading like a warm puddle. Listen Again? I've probably heard it enough at this point.
The concept of outer space has long captured the imagination of artists, writers, astronomers, and even drug users. There’s something incalculably magnetic about the vastness of the celestial bodies. Fewer attention is paid to the great vastness between these great hurtling rocks however, for humanity is relatively dispassionate about the void in which they lay. It is in such consideration that I too learn I am uninterested in the dark, empty space that exists between music and noise. That is to say that this space rock album is boring as hell and there’s one good nugget on it: electricity. ⭐️
dreary sounds
Starts very spacey and gorrilaz like, come together gives massive attack , then goes dark and orchestral and jazz like and ends a bit noisy and velvet undergroundy but a little more organised noise like as if there were 30 more years of musical advancement since velvet. Pretty good! Strong 4 out of 5 Top tracks: ladies and gentlemen we are floating in space, broken heart, no God only religion
6/10 Liked a good chunk of the vibes in this album
Ok
No
One of my favorites. J Spaceman is a legend. The only problem is it’s slightly triggering if you’ve ever had an opiate problem!
just astonishing, man. i think there is very little music so feelings-forward as Spiritualized, so guileless and naked and huge. massive waves of pain and euphoria, filtered through krautrock hypnotism and oldies/classic rock radio, the whole meaning of rock'n'roll compressed into a pill. there are many vices and means of salvation on Spiritualized records, but they are all made of rock'n'roll, the Real Fundamental Thing that God and smack and love are all reaching towards. the title track is a cover of Can't Help Falling In Love, but it is also ABOUT Can't Help Falling In Love, how that song makes Jason Pierce feel, the experience of listening to it filtered through one man's heart and distilled. and speaking of hearts, man, Broken Heart, my god. one of the truest, simplest, most obvious lyrics there is. i love this record, hugely and unabashedly, which is i think the only way you can really love it. if you have ever been sad, been high, been in love, and/or heard music, and you are open to being incredibly earnest about any/all of those experiences, this record is here for you, and thank god that it is
One of my favorite albums of this list so far. It really is a must listen.
(strong 8/10) Holy shit. This thing started out pretty unassuming for me. The intro track was pretty and spacey, and then the rock piled on with "Come Together", but as soon as the cycling and repetitious "I Think I'm In Love" started growing and growing, I was fully latched in. This album is lonely and isolated in mood, much like space. Though it's not quiet and somber, it's oftentimes loud and suffocating. The instrumentals are either shoving in your face loud combos of guitars, strings, synths and bass, or they're lulling you into a temporary reprieve with dreamy zero gravity ballads. Jason Pierce's vocals are soft and measured, acutely providing the songs with context when needed, in such a delicate way as to not completely ruin the immersion that the record tries so very hard to accomplish. This thing truly is mind-blowing in that regard. The amount of detail in everything is stunning. Everything is so purposeful that if anything about the songs on here would change, the balance would be tipped too far and the experience would be ruined. The album is capped off with a monumental 17 minute long song that fades in with dreamy space rock, and gradually shifts into noise and free jazz before touching down with what we began with, reassuring and calm, perfectly wrapping up this 70 minute adventure. I had no clue that this album was going to turn into one of my all-time favorite breakup albums but here we are. It's got a little bit of everything. This is the Yin to Duster's Yang as far as space rock albums go. Holy crap, I will definitely come back to this one as soon as I can.
A massive audioexperience. Must be listened to as a whole. Sort of reminds me of Revolution 9 and She's So Heavy by The Beatles on one side, and something like Kraftwerk on the other. Favorite song: none, must be listened as a whole.
I hadn't heard of this before, and given the title and band name, I was prepared for some bullshit. What a surprise! I might revisit if remember it exists after this is done.
I listened to this and immediately forgot it.
I like a fair amount of Spiritualized but don't find enough hooks to ground me in space. I can't argue with the ambition or epic quality here. Great album title, too.
4/5 - Surprised myself how much I enjoyed this one. The whole sound is pretty epic. Would probably be amazing with headphones.
A band that I listened to but never got into properly. I missed this album completely while i was doing life and barely listened to music for a few years. a beautiful chilled introduction to the album and then boom! Come On, Come Together!. This is a fantastic album that has a bit of everything an covers so many sub genres of Indie. I have too many notable songs. Mt Standout song was going to be Stay with me, But I think the shoegazy crying guitars in Cop Shoot cop clinched it for me. 4.5 stars
This was a new to me band and album. There were parts of it I really liked and parts that I just didn't get. It had a very "space-like" vibe to it. Lots of instruments and just lots going on. At times it was too much going on. The last song is 17 minutes long and a good portion of it just sounds like a lot of noise. I didn't mind it playing in the background while working, but I don't think I would seek out any specific songs to listen to again.
Not my usual style, but I liked this a lot
Pierce is an addict. Give him a gospel choir and an orchestral section and he will, inevitably, go gloriously OTT. This is a truly epic piece of space rock that rivals some of the great prog albums of the 70s for variety and theme.
I genuinely believe this is the saddest album of all time. Written in the wake of J. Spaceman's breakup with keyboardist Kate Radley, and permeated by a quiet but undeniable hatred for Richard Ashcroft, it's a masterclass in emotional devastation. The fact that Radley was still right there in the studio recording these tracks alongside him adds a layer of agonising, real-time tension that even Fleetwood Mac would never even dare attempt. It is an immense, sprawling monument to heartbreak, drug induced numbness, and profound spiritual malaise, translating a deeply personal, messy tragedy into something universally breathtaking. My advice: turn off the lights, put on some headphones, and just let it wash over you. It’s a wild mix of space rock, gospel choirs, and noisy, orchestral layers. It’s definitely a lot to take in, but that’s the whole point. It perfectly captures that feeling of trying to deal with a broken heart when you’re not really in your right mind.
This album (as well as the Royal Albert Hall live album) have been my gospel since college. I have never taken psychoactive substances, nor do I need to in order to appreciate this album. Jason Pierce is one of the great UK songwriters of the 80s and 90s. Heavily inspired by multiple influences, his experiences with drugs and anxiety really allow him to go the extra mile when it comes to making complex, rich soundscapes. Everything is here: psychedelic rock, punk, gospel, R&B, jazz, noise, ambiant, etc. - the way he composes is the way that I hear the world. Moments of silence with moments of loudness. This can be challenging but overall rewarding music. It may come off as pretentious and bombastic at times, but the grandeur only elevates the message further. Pierce is, however, a very sentimental person with songs about heartbreak and loneliness. I really feel that everything he added was with sincerity and to push the boundaries of what he was trying to do. This is an album not to be taken lightly, as it makes you feel insignificant facing it head-on. The fact that they could also pull off this sound live makes them second to none. Give it all your attention and face the beauty and chaos of the abyss.
wow. 4.5
Yeah ok this shit rips. I melted away into this really damn quickly, it's absolutely breathtaking.
I don't know. I wanted to like this album but it feels a mile wide and an inch deep. It started well, the first track was good, but it doesn't really go anywhere after that.
muy bien
3.5
Space Rock? That is a stupid and weirdly specific genre. It also qualifies as Shoegaze...one of the worst genre's of music ever invented. This is not good, but much like I said about Echo and The Bunnymen, it's maybe the best of a terrible genre. No God Only Religion is the best song on the album, also the only one with no words, I don't think those facts are unrelated. Closing with a 17 minute song? That's a bold choice, Cotton. At least it has all been music so far...no stretches of silence or fake phone calls or Ben Stiller laughing on a loop. Two Spiritualized albums out of 1,001? That is a bad call.
Breathtaking album. Might not be everybody's cup of tea, but I found it to be a great listen as I was driving around. Highly recommended
Uff I'm so happy I was sober when I turned this on! This is smooth, interesting, and very well-crafted - just not for my daily rotation.
Spacemen 3 no me interesó yy esto tampoco
I used to like this album a lot more but I do find it kind of excessive and cacophonous now. Electricity and the title track are great but I don’t think there’s much else good
A landmark album for me. East Slope, Sussex, 1997.
This is one of the reasons why most bands should be limited to one album on the list. There's no reason I can see for another one of their albums to be here :/ 2/5
I listened to this album earlier this month during my 1997 deep dive and it really didn't do anything for me. So much so that I almost skipped listening to it again for this. I'm glad I didn't. I don't know what I was doing the first time around, but this is great. "Electricity," "Broken Heart," "Cool Waves"....incredible tracks. It's a bit on the long side, but most of it is good enough to make up for it. Higher than 3.5, probably lower than 4, but I'm rounding up
Hmm a bit out there
Weird, sleepy sometimes, definitely spacey. Didn’t love but didn’t hate!
Ok, _now_ I get it. Not sure why it took me so long. The Individual stood out as one of my favorites, as did No God, Only Religion. (Why are these the lowest played tracks on the album? They're great)
I went in with fairly low expectations, I'd already had an album from them that seemed up my alley but left me disappointed. Though here it started off really well I lost my goodwill as it went on, kinda pretentious.
Började toppenbra men tappade ordentligt i andra halvan
Härlig början men sen gick intresset fort ner.
Kan inte riktigt förklara detta men fick en jäkla bra känsla!
Jovars, gillade soundet även om det kanske var lite mycket.
Favorite Song: Ladies and gentlemen we are floating in space
I cant put my finger on it. This should be something i like, but i just dont. I left from a concert with them just after this album was released. I just dont like it.
oh joy, some psychedelia never harmed anyone, did it? this is said to be one of the best releases by this group here... mainly a theme of heartbreak, recorded during some relationship trouble with band members. i honestly enjoyed it. psychedelic music was quite a prevalent genre more than a half-century ago, and this late '90s take on the genre is a nice, kinda more modern take on the classic sound. i think that's the main thing i can say about it... if you're longing for something fresh with that sort of sound and you're sick of the staticy '60s sludge, this album might soothe you a bit.
why?
Ehhh, this seems like something I should like, but it’s like something is just missing. Not sure what. It’s like they almost got to a good album but fell a little short. Too repetitive or not enough oomph. Not sure, but I didn’t care for this much, but I wanted to like it. 2.5⭐️
Expected a few more lasers from a 'space rock' album.
nice vibe 17 mins for 1 song is crazy
amazing album title everything else was just mid
Interesting album with a mix of mind warping cacophony and gentle atmospheric pieces. I like it, but would probably not sit and listen to this album again. What I would like is for some of these songs to show up in a generated playlist.
Inesperada mezcla de lindura con puro caos. Nota: 3.7
I once had to carry a gong up a big ramp for Spiritualized and then they only used it once! I resent them for this and have marked this unfairly as a result. (It's actually decent)
This has everything that I love in music: long song structures, fantastic production, multiple layers as well as just being odd. But this doesn't do anything for me. Often times it seemingly layering just do it without a care as to if it sounds good or not. I can see how someone would love this and I can see how this would be a critics wet dream, waxing poetically about how brilliant this is and if you don't think so you're not cool or smart enough to get it. There does come a point about halfway through where its clear that they are just rehashing the same thing repeatedly and it becomes exhausting. 2/5, would not purposely listen to again.
After the first few songs I was so ready to give this my first 5. Truly felt like I was floating in space as the name suggests, however there were a few songs that really took me out of the experience I was having with this album. Still an extremely solid album I will be returning to.
The level of production is quite incredible and some of the tracks are outstanding, but there were a few times when I felt it got a little lost.
This is an instant 5 for me. Not one bad element to this album, lay back, and float in space!
Favourite: broken heart Its okay but a bit weird
I would absolutely swear that I have listened to this album before on this list, but no. Maybe I have heard parts of I Think I'm In Love before? if so I have been skipping the last part of the track. I would also have been skipping large parts of this album if I had the choice. I see this is defined as space rock, but it's not what I like in space rock. Tedious.
Early on, I could already tell that this was pretty overwrought and almost too grandiose. The production itself isn't necessarily a problem for me, everything just sounded almost too Britpop-y with some spaciness added in. Ultimately forgettable I felt.
Floaty, lekker
El primer tema es una de las canciones más arrebatadoramente bellas que jamás he escuchado. Luego prosigue de una manera caótica y psicodélica que no debería funcionar, pero que lo hace al límite exacto del desborde. Una joya.
Entiendo que hay canciones más lentas, pero por dios, me duermo. El tramo final es soporifero Luego las movidas me parecen jesucristo
This one doesn’t fit in any genre. It has a unique sound and style to it. The album starts off strong with a very spacey, almost psychedelic title track that uses counterpoint and interpolates Elvis Presley of all people; and also uses a very common chord progression that everyone knows (Pachelbel’s Canon). And it works really well. A bit on the repetitive side, but it doesn’t detract from the overall creative flow. I’ve never heard anything like this before and probably won’t again. This is truly a unique experience. Unfortunately too much droning for my taste. 3 stars, but totally worth the listen.
Really enjoyed this. Felt like a good bit of variety between tracks, and really feels a bit ahead of its time
This was mostly alright, a little on the boring side. A 17 minute track is crazy, one of the longer songs I've heard.
I thought this would never end. They really didn’t know which genre of music to make so they made them all.
I fought I’ll ever listen to it again but I didn’t hate it
I listened to this album today as I ferried into Seattle for work during the sunrise. Really hit the spot. I do wish this was an instrumental album as I find the vocals to be a bit jarring, but a nice listen nonetheless. 4/5
This one has sent me down a rabbit hole the last few days as I can’t remember the last time I listened to the whole thing. Sprawling widescreen emotion, as accessible as Jason Pierce ever got, it’s close to a five but maybe slightly outstays its welcome.
Didn’t like it
I’ve heard a lot worse on this list.
A long time favorite of mine 5/5 would get spiritualized
Bonus point for Dr John.
Just say no to Big Pharma! ★★
Me terminó de gustar. Como ando corto con el tiempo (otra vez) lo voy a volver a escuchar y seguramente me arrepienta de la nota pero bueno. Es la que tengo a día de hoy. Sin embargo, es positiva la cosa.
An enjoyable mix of songs that flowed together nicely
Good.
Masterpiece
Often trends towards boring.
Nice chill album for a quiet afternoon. I've listened once before. The Individual and Broken Heart are both good songs.
mood based album. I'm sure somedays this really hits the spot. Today was meh.
I hate broken heart but everything else man! crazy
nice to know it
Not for me
The packaging arrives as a prescription medication blister pack with the instruction “1 tablet 70 min” — an invitation to take the whole thing as a single immersive dose rather than a collection of songs. It’s either the most pretentious or most committed album concept of 1997 depending on your perspective, and the music inside takes that instruction seriously. Jason Pierce builds something genuinely atmospheric here — space rock, gospel, drone, and orchestral ambition layered into a record that asks for complete surrender. The gospel influences are present but submerged in texture rather than front and center, which means they register as color rather than conviction. “Broken Heart” in particular creates such a complete atmosphere of stillness and calm that it becomes genuinely nap-inducing — and not entirely in a bad way. There’s a real distinction between music that puts you to sleep because it’s boring and music that puts you to sleep because your nervous system simply lets go. This is closer to the latter. The problem is the same one that landed Lazer Guided Melodies at a 3 earlier in this project — the atmosphere is carefully constructed and occasionally beautiful, but it rarely asserts itself emotionally in a way that demands full attention and rewards it. Playing it in the background while working felt entirely appropriate, which is probably not what the prescription packaging intended. “Cop Shoot Cop,” the album’s seventeen-minute centerpiece, tested that patience further with a noise section that required editorial intervention — a reminder that commitment to atmosphere and commitment to the listener’s time are different things. Two Spiritualized records, two honest threes. Well crafted, occasionally lovely, and best experienced horizontal with nowhere urgent to be.
very beautiful instrumentals and vocals all the way; I suppose the high as referenced in the album cover and first track comes from this. would definitely recommend.
I’ve heard this before, but it was way before I really got into space rock and shoegaze. And for some reason Spiritualized is one of those bands I somehow missed and skipped over. The soundscapes they have in the noise breakdowns are exquisite, I counted three extended ones that each sound unique. Every song is fantastic. Even the packaging described in the wiki article sounds amazing. This is a psychedelic masterpiece.
I see why this is called space rock. It felt like it was flying by in the distance.
I enjoyed this. Kind of soundscapey, kind of shoegazy, occasionally a little funky, kind of Stone Rosesy. This is a decent album that I had never heard before.
Dead + Floyd with 90s sensabilities
very cool premise/concept for a band. nice production/jams. Loud, a little psychedlic rock, a lot of post rock, and a cool spin with gospell and, the on the nose but poignant band name. Defintiely the most lifeless live performance I've ever seen but a solid group/album and glad it's represented
It grew on me as it went along. Spiritualized was bit too discordant sound for me. Still, I could listen to this album in the future to mix it up. I like “Stay with Me.” “Cop Shoot Cop…” but there’s no reason it had to be over 16 minutes long.
kind of a nothing burger ngl
I've heard this album from start to finish before this challenge, and I did it again for this, but this is unironically one of my all-time favorites. Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space still is the kind of song I want to die slowly in the snow to. Come Together is still a song I'll scream-sing to every time it comes on. Stay With Me, Cool Waves, and Electricity kicks so much ass. The 17 minutes that is Cop Shoots Cop is exactly how this album should end. This is my personal perfect album.
B+
I'm honestly curious how the first track on this is far and away the most streamed one as there's so many other tracks that blow it out of the water. Either way, I really really enjoyed this. It's got amazing production and soundscape, like they really know how to do atmosphere. On top of that, it feels grandiose in certain places which isn't suprising considering they apparently had a large backing orchestra and choir in the studio. There are of course moments here that do feel like a miss though... "The Individual" for example just sounds grating to the ears so I'm not really sure what they were trying there. It's clearly an ambient transition track so idk why they drug it out for 4 whole minutes... Overall though it was an amazing experience and I'll definitely be checking out their other albums
I love the title track and after listening to the album three times through like the whole thing. It's unusual, a bit experimental but still fun to listen to. Favorite songs: Ladies and gentlemen..., I Think I'm In Love
where’s the beef?
its good then its not and its too much not good to be good 2 stars
starting w a little elvis sample okaayyy strings in broken heart oml love 17 minute song is wild
I was somewhat familiar with this seeing as it came out the year I graduated high school. There is a lot I like here and I feel this is one that would keep growing with more listens. Love that it popped up on this list to give me a fresh listen.
3.75. I wore this CD out around 2002. It's a great listen and holds up very well
2.75. Weird in a way that I can appreciate, just not enough to listen again.
I didn't really care for this one. Much of it felt like a sleepy time playlist.
3.25 - Much better than the last album I listened to by this band.
2 stars. Started off good and went down hill
chill vibe, a little too long overall for my taste
I wasn’t thrilled about this one at first sight, but this an experience to behold! Such a rich tapestry of an album. Really stunning.
I'm frustrated that parts of this album suck so much, because the other parts are incredible. Such an incredible soundscape. It's too good to be a 2 I guess... But it sucks too much to be a 4. I pray that a more polished album by them exists - Wait 2nd song sucks and is completely different - 3rd song has a fun intro... where will this go? I like it! - This is a TOUGH one. Great highs, terrible lows. No way it's a 4, but does it deserve 2? - I'm frustrated that parts of this album suck so much, because the other parts are incredible. Such an incredible soundscape. It's too good to be a 2 I guess
Okay guys, I'll tell you this much. One of the challenges of this series has been tackling the longer records. You just don't have 70 minutes to dive into an album straight every day. This one was broken up into 3 or 4 sessions. The car, the gym, at home. Not all exactly the best places to get "Spiritualized". I'll tell you this: There were places in this record where I felt bored, but I kept feeling this pull to go back and listen to the songs again. It's a record that I don't think can be fully appreciated in one go. But that's the paradox of this thing. We're not going to have time to listen to everything twice.
we should all be glad that J Spaceman was able to fire this one off in the late '90s when labels were still shelling out $$ for studio time, orchestras, and gospel choirs. I believe this album would have received much more attention if it hadn't come out the same year as Radiohead's "OK Computer". there's so much to love on this album -- space rock, minimalism, free jazz maximalism, the positive influence of drugs on the music and the negative influence of drugs on the creators of the music expressed through the lyrics, the incredible song sequencing that provides a little respite between storms. favorite moments: the call-and-response of "I Think I'm In Love" ; the explosive "All Of My Thoughts" ; the drone of "The Individual" ; the you-have-to-drive-faster-when-it-plays "Electricity" ; the horn-driven charge of "No God Only Religion" ; Dr. John banging away with the ensemble throughout "Cop Shoot Cop." Spiritualized has always had a knack for interpolating other music into their songs, like John Prine's lyrics in "Cop Shoot Cop," and "Can't Help Falling In Love" as a part of the title track (which wasn't on the version I grew up listening to -- the Presley estate didn't approve that until reissues at least a decade after original release). I listened to this album (and "Loveless") every time I drove from Chattanooga to Bristol. couldn't begin to count how many times I've listened to it since discovering it in a used CD store in Atlanta as a teenager. one of my favorite albums of all time.
Finally an album on this list that earns its one hour-plus runtime. Even with a lot of the same sonic elements throughout the album, no two songs sound quite alike, and Spiritualized does such unique work mixing noise with pathos in a really affecting way. This album is sequenced so well, with that opening suite of six songs building on each other and providing the emotional groundwork for a devastating second half, both lyrically and musically, ending with the release of "Cool Waves" and "Cop Shoot Cop...". "Home of the Brave" is so damn good. A killer melody that is then encircled and overcome by chaos; it's my favorite kind of song.
Another one misses the mark. Perhaps I'd like some of this better if I were listening to it closer, but in general very little of it grabbed my attention, and some felt downright indulgent (looking at you, Cop Shot Cop...).
I liked the first 3 tracks, felt the 4th track was a little too long, and then fell back into the groove until the last song which was just too much. If this album was all like the first two songs it would have been an all time classic.
Their actual genre is “Space Rock”? How could you possible know what rock sounds like in Space? It’s impossible to have any sounds! I guess psychedelic rock would be a better descriptor. The upbeat sections I found were good. They're pretty complex and there’s a lot going on with the instruments but it works. Particularly like the bass lines that ties it all down and provides the structure for the rest of the band. Definitely has some highlights and lowlights. Like what’s the deal with Cop Shoot Cop with the random section in the middle?
I’d heard of these guys and this album, but had not actually done so before the project. Great record.
A decent crossover between ambient, indie, psychedelic and maybe some pop as well. Nothing really stands out, though there are a few good moments across the album.
Lo que más destaco del album son los instrumentales de shoegaze, especialmente los momentos que distorsionan un poco la guitarra y queda ruidoso, pero la forma de cantar del vocalista me recuerda un poco mas a panic at the disco y por momentos se hace medio gospel, lo cual no creo que como combinacion quede muy bien. 7/10
My first space rock album, ha. I didn’t really get it, but it was nice at times. But usually it was either boring or hard to listen to. Favorite songs Ladies and gentlemen we are floating in space, Cool Waves
I once had a choir and band do a performance of the title track for a local schools gala performance. They pulled it off pretty well. The title track stands out but it was a far better album than I remembered. It has a range of emotions and texture, has good changes of pace, and is well structured as an album.
The title track is somewhat ubiquitous (I’ve heard it standalone so many times) but rarely the album in its entirety. It’s a great showcase of the sequencing of an album that tells something of a story, with all the highs and lows of the human experience, told through the mechanism of a drug infused haze. I love the fusion of instrumentation and styles heard here which at times teeters on being a bit too much but then pulls it back again; the closer, ‘cop shoot cop…’ where it finally falls apart. Feels like a 90s ‘dark side of the moon’ in its ambition and in my eyes, largely succeeds.
I could have done without this. I give credit to the album title, as at times, the music does evoke a floating in space vibe. But it's not a vibe that appeals to me.
Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space Come Together I Think I'm in Love Electricity Broken Heart
Fighting every urge to give this a one star. It’s just not good
Maravilloso. Lleno de texturas, géneros, espacios. Este SI es de los discos que hay que oír antes de morir. Una obra maestra de la música electrónica y el rock espacial. También me gustó que veníamos de haber escuchado a Jason Pierce en Spacemen 3 en otro momento en la lista.
Indeed we are.
Didn’t like the last one. This has a little more life to it n places, but still painful to listen to.
Boring.
I’m not usually a fan of songs that drag, or have weird noisy middle sections, or repeat a lot, or are longer than 15 minutes. Cop Shoot Cop, however…
Great stuff, although I tend to prefer the upbeat pieces to the "trippy and dreamy" ones...
Interesting album name. I wonder what we got here...This first track sounds familiar. Hm I don't know what to think about this so far.
Ecoutable
This isn’t subtle. From the drug like packaging, and the bare bones lyrics “little j is sad and fucked because first he jumped and then he looked” and the music itself which veers from blissed out strings to horns and guitars that clash and dive over each other. This is intense psychedelia full of sharp edges and glimmering moments of joy. Narcotic in many senses
Super
Started out as an oasis want to be ended with a psychedelic mind bend. Listened to it while cutting down tree limbs which heightened the experience. 6.75/10 Top song Ladies and gentlemen we are floating in space
A claustrophobic, intense album. I've grown to love this album over the years. Definitely not a album I need to listen to all the time but I appreciate it a little bit more every time. My intro to John Prine too even though I didn’t realize that at the time.
Another solid album that reminds me of the Dandy Warhols (two days in a row for that vibe). Liked it front to back more or less, but found it forgettable.
Some songs were decent, others not so much. Liked the energy early, but the album started to lose me near the end. Really cool that Dr. John is on a song. 2.5/5 Probably won't listen again
Did not expect to enjoy this as much as I did! Honestly, I’m super glad I listened to this before I died, it definitely deserves to be on a list like this. Hi guy energy songs with a unique distinct style, especially on Electricity. Would recommend this to anyone. Even Cop Shoot Cop being 17 minutes was a fun song to listen to!
I like Spiritualized. I had liked Spacemen 3 as well. I may never have got myself anywhere near as fucked up on any kind of drugs as anyone out of either of those bands, but I still get it. Luckily Spiritualized (both bands in fact) were/are capable of taking drugs to make music that doesn’t necessarily require the listener to take drugs to enjoy. While it’s reasonably well accepted that Jason reached the full realisation of his sound on this album, I personally was enjoying the ride more before he got there. My explanation is that I find the fullness of the sound here to be detrimental rather than beneficial to the sound he’d established on their first two albums. I understand how the strings and horns etc may help deliver the intensity of emotion being expressed, but to my ears the density of the arrangements become oppressive and I long for a little room for the songs to breathe. Of course there are occasional quieter moments and I’m genuinely not afraid of noise, but when the outcome sounds like a reel to demonstrate the effects of the mastering “loudness wars” of the early 2000s, I feel the need to call “too far” and “what about the dynamics?”. Thankfully the 1001 also includes Laser Guided Melodies so I’ll get to vote there in a manner that shows my love for the band. Here though, and it pains me to say it, I am, as is often the case, going to need to go against the grain and sore this criminally lowly.
Bit wack by the end Fave track: Ladies and gentlemen we are floating in space
I enjoyed it but I don’t have the motivation currently to explain why. The most recent Spiritualised album is really good, I can tell you that much. 3.5/5
achei que seria pior, mas é um pouco pressão baixa né.
This is a good time to mention that I've been listening to all these albums through a pair of headphones. And rarely has it felt more impactful than with this album. At first glance, the album exudes pretentiousness, or maybe portentousness (a word I was unfamiliar with until today), and that would usually turn me off of an album. And there was some hesitation here, with the album name and seeing space rock as a genre I'm mostly unfamiliar with. But the first track, probably my favorite on the album, hooked me in a way that I completely did not expect. It's the kind of layered/harmonic music that scratches a very specific part of my brain. The second track takes you back down to earth a bit, reminding you that it is indeed a rock album, but the highlights for me are the floaty moments away from that. It's a tough genre to put into words after one album, but something about it feels epic. The orchestra and the choir, the longer tracks, and even the storied development I read about on Wikipedia create an experience that I was entirely unexpecting. Maybe I don't put enough emphasis on how important first songs are when I'm listening to this list, but there's no doubt now that starting an album off on the right foot can affect the entire experience. Definitely the most surprising hit of the list so far, I'd recommend everyone give this a try even if I know it isn't for everyone. Highlights: Ladies and gentlemen we are floating in space Broken Heart No God Only Religion Cool Waves Lowlight: Come Together
7/10
Autoroute album. Tried to listen to it when it first came out but couldn't get in. This time it was more accessible, or I was more amenable, but still the kind of band you'd sit down at the gig for.
Good
Muy raro, pero me gustaron algunas canciones. Está bueno para fondo, o estar mirando el techo
Some of it was really good. Some just felt like noise