'Amazing Grace' by Spiritualized. Is it, like some of its fellow overlooked LPs, dying on the musical vine, in the shadow of ' Ladies & Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space'. The LP that made Spiritualized a name to be remembered and reckoned with. Jason and his band of soul searching villains have, since then, released a few LPs, as well as a greatest hits / obscurities compilation, which was all very well, and a 'Live @ The Royal Albert Hall' LP, they released 'Let It Come Down'.
It was a great LP that subtly strayed from a tried and tested formula, involving an almost domineering keyboard sound, with Jason singing his heart out about the trials and tribulations of getting to a better place through the crap thrown your way after all the bad choices you've made...
Trouble is that on both 'Let It Come Down' and to some respects, 'Live @ The Royal Albert Hall' LP, Jason tried singing delicately and solemnly, which he has proved he can do on numerous occasions before on previous releases, as the bands name might suggest.
But on these 2 LPs, it just sounded a little to much like he couldn't be bothered singing, and that the spirit in Spiritualized had faded and died somehow. So, what does this album deliver? Well, the sleeve shows an arm. An arm with no track marks on however. Was this the cause of the subdued Jason on previous work? Was this the reason why this LP delivered what others had hinted at? Whatever it was that changed, changed for the good of all our sakes. And Jason's. Thankfully.
Again, less keyboard work, which I personally don't mind, and more focus on a raw honest sound, made with guitar, drums and all the usual suspects. Drenched in rattling rock n roll, bleeding heart gospel tinged harmonies, and even some trademark noisy jazz freak-outs.
And, Jason got the singing just about right. You can hear that he's feeling it.

TRK 6. An instrumental filled with quiet cool percussion and some, not too outrageous guitar, lead us unsuspectingly into another great jazz style jam, given away by the sudden and tremendous trumpeting. A nice reminder of 'Ladies & Gentlemen'...

TRK 10. Another delicate composition, images of seeing a sunset lowering through your tear-filled eyes are conjured, just from the music. It really is soaked in sentiment and sorrow. The vocals are desperate and timid. Heartbreaking stuff that bleeds into some suggestion of another epic jazz solo,
but this time the restraints are on. The brass is held back, as is the jangled guitar work.