Following up the band's all-encompassing Ladies & Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space, this live double-CD is one of the more successful attempts at bringing a full-on studio effort full circle; from the studio, to the stage, and back to vinyl. Through 15 tracks (and nearly 100 minutes), ex-Spacemen 3 Jason Pierce & Co.--with considerable help from a gospel choir, string quartet, and brass section--has managed to faithfully recreate Spiritualized's studio sound while adding the intensity and immediacy of a live performance.
The release documents the entire Albert Hall show, with most of the tracks drawn from Ladies And Gentlemen... . In addition to a pair of songs from Pure Phase and Lazer-Guided Melodies, there are reworkings of Spacemen 3's "Walking With Jesus" and Spiritualized's live staple, "Oh Happy Day." As expected, the disc covers a lot of ground, from gospel and almost-traditional rock songs like "I Think I'm In Love" to free-for-alls and hypnotic aural soundscapes. Standouts are the big, brash "No God Only Religion," the spiraling trance of "Come Together" and the schizophrenic heady rock of "Medication." For most bands, indulging fantasies of orchestras and choirs are recipes for disaster. But thanks to Pierce's strong musical vision, Spiritualized's helpers do exactly that: Without overpowering, they help flesh out one of the most interesting "rock" bands on either side of the Atlantic.
