Photo:
The illnesses of Spiritualized frontman Jason Pierce are fairly well documented, yet his plight is worth reiterating. Suffering double pneumonia in 2005, he successfully channeled his experience via 2008's 'Songs in A&E', and having recovered, he was then forced to confront the decimation of his liver, recording this album under the influence of 'new, unkown drugs'.
Getting to pop experimental medication does sound slightly cool, and his liver damage is a consequence of the debauched lifestyle his career has afforded him, but that doesn't make his health issues sound any more manageable. That his struggles have manifested themselves in the form of two quality albums suggests we should be somewhat grateful that not only did he survive, but that he was able to channel them in such a way.
Allowing a band the benefit of context to inform an opinion is to be critically lenient, yet you can't help but hear music of redemption and renewal in 'Sweet Heart Sweet Light'. Granted, sounds of triumphant achievement aren't exactly absent from the Spiritualized oeuvre, and familiar themes of resurrection are again being employed, but Pierce should not be condemned for playing his strongest hand.
Clearly some artists prosper in the aftermath of trying circumstances - the consensus being that the Spiritualized masterpiece is the confrontation of heartbreak 'Ladies and Gentleman We Are Floating in Space' - and so the return of grand choirs, string sections and the invocation of Jesus on this ecord is generally good news. He is thankful of his opportunity to once more document his tussles with mortality, as evident in lyrics like 'I've got no right to be here'.
The loss of health made audible is generally enjoyable, Spaceman's intoxication sonically expressed in the psychedelic sound of 'Get What You Deserve' (in which he sings 'Used to care but I took care of that' and 'I used up all my affection'), but it can also be a chore. Lyrics are delivered with conviction, but his phrasing often cloys and grates through lack of nous and subtlety: 'Sometimes I wish that I was dead 'cos only the living feel pain'. Similarly, 'Too Late' is repetitive and uninventive.
The lush production never falters though, as with 'I Am What I Am', where an array of conflicting sounds are merged brilliantly to form an engaging atmosphere. Thematically, this is not alien territory for Spiritualized, but 'Sweet Heart Sweet Light' is uplifting and beautifully crafted.
