Appropriately preceded by the mind-melting crunch of the 'Revolution' single, 'Playing With Fire' proved to be the end of Spacemen 3 as a functioning band, but in truly spectacular fashion. Exploring both the depths of serene, agog beauty and sheer tape-shredding chaos, 'Playing With Fire' pushed the extremes of 'The Perfect Prescription' to an even further edge. It's little surprise that Pierce and Sonic couldn't find themselves properly working together after it, but even less that hordes of bands to follow would rank 'Playing With Fire' as the equal (or better) of psychedelia's '60s and '70s forebears. Sonic himself is quoted in one reissue's liner notes as feeling the album 'was the refining point of a lot of my theories on minimalism being maximalism' — as apt a description as any. One of his songs, 'How Does It Feel?,' sums it up by using a series of notes echoing off into the distance, again and again. With future Spiritualized bassist Will Carruthers in place of Baines, the trio (and uncredited drummer) created glazed, liquid songs with subtle arrangements and sheer reveling in aural joys. Flange is everywhere, as is echo, full dynamic stereo mixes and more, a feast of sound. When aiming toward a gentler, hushed sound, most notably on Pierce's compositions, the incorporation of gospel power filtered through the band's own perspective results in wonders, as heard on 'Come Down Softly to My Soul' and the album closing 'Lord Can You Hear Me?' As for the louder end of things, besides the awesome 'Revolution' itself, a slow burn blast that just keeps getting more and more obsessive and frenetic as it goes, Sonic calling for a release of energy in a mere five seconds, the other complete freak-out is 'Suicide.' An instrumental tribute to the New York synth pioneers, Spacemen 3 keep the minimalism and up the feedback with astonishing results. Initial re-pressings of the album in the mid-'90s included tracks from the 'Revolution' and 'Threebie' singles. [An elaborate reissue in 1999 included a full, extra disc of demos and rarities, including covers of the Perfect Disaster's 'Girl on Fire' and The Troggs' 'Anyway That You Want Me' — eventually Spiritualized's first single.] [Source: AMG]my 2 cents; being a long time devoted fan of both spacemen , spiritualized and some sonic boom, i would vote that for the 1st time listener, 'Playing With Fire' (original release or bonus tracks) is a great primer for the band.Next i would go to 'The Perfect Perscription'Track Listing: CD1-01. Honey (3:03)CD1-02. Come Down Softly To My Soul (3:46)CD1-03. How Does It Feel? (7:58)CD1-04. I Believe It (3:19)CD1-05. Revolution (5:57)CD1-06. Let Me Down Gently (4:29)CD1-07. So Hot (Wash Away All Of My Tears) (2:38)CD1-08. Suicide (11:03)CD1-09. Lord Can You Hear Me? (4:34)CD1-10. Suicide (Live) (12:24)CD1-11. Repeater (How Does It Feel?) (Live) (5:31)CD1-12. Che (4:31)CD1-13. May The Circle Be Unbroken (3:45)CD2-01. Honey (Demo) (3:24)CD2-02. Let Me Down Gently (Drum Mix) (4:50)CD2-03. How Does It Feel? (Alternate Version) (8:24)CD2-04. Suicide (Alternate Mix) (11:51)CD2-05. Lord Can You Hear Me? (Demo Vocal) (4:40)CD2-06. I Believe It (Alternate Mix) (3:20)CD2-07. Che (Maracas Mix) (4:37)CD2-08. Any Way That You Want Me (Demo) (3:21)CD2-09. Girl On Fire (Demo) (2:06)Spacemen 3 - Playing With Fire (1988) [1999 Reissue w/Bonus Disc] (Disc 1)Spacemen 3 - Playing With Fire (1988) [1999 Reissue w/Bonus Disc] (Disc 2)via
For a first album, Spacemen 3 found their sound immediately. It's a great debut album, and would normally get 5 stars. It just seems a bit overpriced but maybe I'm spoiled already owning 'Translucent Flashbacks', a singles compilation of 1995 that was maybe half the price with twice the content. Spacemen 3 were an English alternative rock band, formed in 1982 in Rugby, Warwickshire, by Peter Kember and Jason Pierce, known respectively under their pseudonyms Sonic Boom and J Spaceman.Their music is known for its brand of 'minimalistic psychedelia'. Spacemen 3 had their first independent chart hits in 1987, gaining a cult following, and going on to have greater success towards. Nexxsys training manual.
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Appropriately preceded by the mind-melting crunch of the 'Revolution' single, 'Playing With Fire' proved to be the end of Spacemen 3 as a functioning band, but in truly spectacular fashion. Exploring both the depths of serene, agog beauty and sheer tape-shredding chaos, 'Playing With Fire' pushed the extremes of 'The Perfect Prescription' to an even further edge. It's little surprise that Pierce and Sonic couldn't find themselves properly working together after it, but even less that hordes of bands to follow would rank 'Playing With Fire' as the equal (or better) of psychedelia's '60s and '70s forebears. Sonic himself is quoted in one reissue's liner notes as feeling the album 'was the refining point of a lot of my theories on minimalism being maximalism' — as apt a description as any. One of his songs, 'How Does It Feel?,' sums it up by using a series of notes echoing off into the distance, again and again. With future Spiritualized bassist Will Carruthers in place of Baines, the trio (and uncredited drummer) created glazed, liquid songs with subtle arrangements and sheer reveling in aural joys. Flange is everywhere, as is echo, full dynamic stereo mixes and more, a feast of sound. When aiming toward a gentler, hushed sound, most notably on Pierce's compositions, the incorporation of gospel power filtered through the band's own perspective results in wonders, as heard on 'Come Down Softly to My Soul' and the album closing 'Lord Can You Hear Me?' As for the louder end of things, besides the awesome 'Revolution' itself, a slow burn blast that just keeps getting more and more obsessive and frenetic as it goes, Sonic calling for a release of energy in a mere five seconds, the other complete freak-out is 'Suicide.' An instrumental tribute to the New York synth pioneers, Spacemen 3 keep the minimalism and up the feedback with astonishing results. Initial re-pressings of the album in the mid-'90s included tracks from the 'Revolution' and 'Threebie' singles. [An elaborate reissue in 1999 included a full, extra disc of demos and rarities, including covers of the Perfect Disaster's 'Girl on Fire' and The Troggs' 'Anyway That You Want Me' — eventually Spiritualized's first single.] [Source: AMG]my 2 cents; being a long time devoted fan of both spacemen , spiritualized and some sonic boom, i would vote that for the 1st time listener, 'Playing With Fire' (original release or bonus tracks) is a great primer for the band.Next i would go to 'The Perfect Perscription'Track Listing: CD1-01. Honey (3:03)CD1-02. Come Down Softly To My Soul (3:46)CD1-03. How Does It Feel? (7:58)CD1-04. I Believe It (3:19)CD1-05. Revolution (5:57)CD1-06. Let Me Down Gently (4:29)CD1-07. So Hot (Wash Away All Of My Tears) (2:38)CD1-08. Suicide (11:03)CD1-09. Lord Can You Hear Me? (4:34)CD1-10. Suicide (Live) (12:24)CD1-11. Repeater (How Does It Feel?) (Live) (5:31)CD1-12. Che (4:31)CD1-13. May The Circle Be Unbroken (3:45)CD2-01. Honey (Demo) (3:24)CD2-02. Let Me Down Gently (Drum Mix) (4:50)CD2-03. How Does It Feel? (Alternate Version) (8:24)CD2-04. Suicide (Alternate Mix) (11:51)CD2-05. Lord Can You Hear Me? (Demo Vocal) (4:40)CD2-06. I Believe It (Alternate Mix) (3:20)CD2-07. Che (Maracas Mix) (4:37)CD2-08. Any Way That You Want Me (Demo) (3:21)CD2-09. Girl On Fire (Demo) (2:06)Spacemen 3 - Playing With Fire (1988) [1999 Reissue w/Bonus Disc] (Disc 1)Spacemen 3 - Playing With Fire (1988) [1999 Reissue w/Bonus Disc] (Disc 2)via