yut wrote:A lot of my chums are into this stuff, along with Radiohead, etc. Basically, anything British and pretentious (without merit) and MTV accessible. I remember all these same amigos were so into the Polyphonic Spree, and then you never hear it or hear mention of it anymore... As it should be -- crap should vanish off the face of the earth...

I mean, my chum(p)s are so into this band, they even have the Spirtualized coffee mugs. Any band (except Yes) that has coffee mugs can go scratch... At least with Yes, you get some decent Roger Dean artwork. I don't get why anyone would pay $25 for a mug that just has "Spirtualized" glazed on it, unless they are some sort of rube.

I think a lot of my friends are just too lazy to listen to anything but MTV alterna-crap. Heck, I even think Interpol are cool when I watch their videos with their dapper suits... But then I realize that this is their schtick -- the 8th note chop suey...

This tends to be my problem with all of these MTV alternative type bands... They have a strict formula they conform to, which isn't really good in the first place. They have to rely on slick marketing (in the form of music videos) to make an impression. But once you get the record and realize it's just a bunch of chop suey, it's like eating Chinese food in the rural midwest -- Mmmm... catsup & pineapple = sweet and sour...

This is some kind of generic criticism but doesn't seem related to Spiritualized. What about their music don't you like? Not the issue of your friends having no taste.

I think it's kind of bland soul/gospel based brit pop. My criticism is generic, because they are a generic sort of band. They seem to fit into this snug culture of MTV alternative stuff...

I think I was pretty specific about the coffee mug though. That is lame. It just says "Spiritualized" on it. All of my friends have it. They might as well sell 10 packs of pencils with "Spiritualized" on them.

I've heard their stuff and it washes over me in waves of unimpressiveness... They're not terrible but they are not even close to great, or even good for that matter. They are bland and unoriginal. They take a lot from gospel, blues, soul, and really don't run anywhere with it.

If you want to hear some really interesting music with gospel and soul influence, check out Magma.

yut wrote:If you want to hear some really interesting music with gospel and soul influence, check out Magma.

Magma?!?!? Magma sounds like a drunk Luciano Pavarotti gate crashing the love-in between Mahavishnu Orchestra and Gong. . . and soul never enters the equation my friend. A bunch of 7/4 noodling and psuedo-mystical cosmic mumbo jumbo. Do you do a lot of singing along with Magma in that Kobian language or whatever of theirs? And talk about songs that don't go anywhere...

Magma... fookin' hell. Bad enough that you mentioned the coffee mugs with the Roger Dean artwork. (I'll agree with you that buying Spiritualized mugs is crap, but pretty sure this thread was just about their music.)

I think you're approaching Spiritualized in the wrong way really. There's a deliberate minimalism and abstraction to their music, and that's kind of the appeal in addition to the rhythmic trance effects they sometimes make use of. The album "Pure Phase" especially, is an experience and not just a collection of MTV friendly songs. I'm not saying to "turn on, tune in, and drop out" - but if you've got a nice comfortable dimly lit room, and the mellow mind altering substance of your choice, then "Pure Phase" from start to finish is a real pleasure.

I'm not saying Spiritualised is for everyone, but they certainly don't belong in the same category as Interpol or anything on MTV (actually I haven't watched more than a minute of MTV in over 15 years, so don't really know what's going on there, though I've heard it's ghastly.)

Anyway, Spiritualised is one of those bands people either get, or don't. But they're certainly less irritating than Magma. (gahh! those voices! get them out of my head!)

The funny thing is that you could equate some elements of Spirtualized's music with some prog rock bands such as Amon Duul, Popol Vuh (what the hell kind of names are those anyway?) Tangerine Dream, Neu, etc. because certainly in their more spacey moments they sound similar, but you have to realise that the basic approach is different. Whereas most of those bands were searching for cosmic bliss, Spiritualised were searching for drugged out bliss, and in the end it was still about the rock-n-roll.

Probably not my most cohesive argument, but that's my two cents on the matter. . . and please, no more Magma. It really hurts.

Magma is not crap.

Spiritualized is not crap, WF 7 for that Amazing Grace record that was kinda bad.

burun wrote:Magma is not crap.

Musically they're not my favourite, but I'll go with not crap on that. However, singing in a language you made up? Crap.

...now if you'll excuse me, I'm late for my Esperanto lesson. After that I'll be attending a Klingon choir session.

yut wrote:I've heard their stuff and it washes over me in waves of unimpressiveness... They're not terrible but they are not even close to great, or even good for that matter. They are bland and unoriginal. They take a lot from gospel, blues, soul, and really don't run anywhere with it.

I agree.
Almost as boring as Spacemen 3.
CRAP

I don't understand what there is about Spiritualised that gets people so excited. CRAP. No waffle.

rashiedgarrison wrote:I don't understand what there is about Spiritualised that gets people so excited.

Heroin, oddly enough

Christopher_Dragon wrote:Almost as boring as Spacemen 3.
CRAP

sleepkid wrote:Musically they're not my favourite, but I'll go with not crap on that. However, singing in a language you made up? Crap.

But making up a language to hide the fact that you're French? Not Crap.