Spiritualized – Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space (1997)
[Album 769/1001]
You put me to sleep.
Insult or compliment?
I used to think the former, as I pictured it being like a somewhat-less-than-glowing student review of one of my math lessons!
But with music, I’d say it’s an enormous compliment.
And one I’d like to give to the folks in Spiritualized.
.
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Much as I love reading, during the current pandemic, I’ve found I haven’t had the attention span for novels.
Instead, I’ve turned to music / vintage games when it’s time for sleep.
As a youngin’, I used to enjoy falling asleep listening to hockey games. I guess Joe Bowen’s Holy Mackinaw cries aren’t exactly Dan Gibson’s Solitudes, but it worked for me!
And recently, with the absence of current sporting events, it’s been fantastic hearing Bob Cole/Harry Neale & co. on the way to bed – I’m hopeful the Oilers can hang on to win the ’87 Stanley Cup!
However, on recent days when I’ve been fortunate enough to fit in an afternoon snooze, Spiritualized has been a nice sleep inducer.
.
.
I imagine for many, the thought of being doomed to float in space (à la George Clooney in Gravity) would be a horrifying, if somewhat irrational, fear.
But Spiritualized somehow makes it sound so soothing.
At a 70+ minute running time, I’m often only asleep for a portion of the album.
And as such, Spiritualized presents an interesting challenge to my self-imposed ‘2-listen minimum’ for each 1001 album.
I’ve now ‘heard’ the album several times – but I’m not sure if I’ve been awake ‘listening’ to the album for 2 uninterrupted spins.
Would forcing myself to stay awake make my appraisal more official? Would it ‘count’ more?
Then again, it’s currently my favourite new-to-me album from the ’90s that I’ve explored this year…could critically ‘listening’ possibly enhance the experience?
It makes me a bit tired just thinking about it.
Actually, I might know just the album to help with that…
…..
Verbalize the Positive
To quote/paraphrase Bob Cole, Oh Baby – this album’s a dandy!
1001albumsin10years 
Nice mix of hockey/books and music in this post Geoff.
I’ve been floating in space for a few decades now and I can tell you it’s all good from my perspective lol
Have a good day with the family
Hockey + books + music = a few of my favourite things!
And floating doesn’t sound so bad to me now either!
I once told my friend a Tim that James’s “Wah wah” was a great album to which to fall asleep. Then, one night while he was crashing over, I put it on and he agreed the first few tracks worked really well but then, things picked up substantially, getting loud and raucous, and he was awakened a few times while it played. I imagine “Ladies and gentlemen” would be similar (it’s one of my favourite albums ever BTW). Some great easy going and floating tracks and then some really droners.
I saw Spiritualized twice on the tour for this album and seeing them live was akin to a religious experience.
If I’m not mistaken, this one topped your 97 list!
It’s funny, even the noisier tunes like Come Together still didn’t seem to disrupt my relaxation.
This one is most definitely my favourite from 1997 but the top five was oh so close. It’s one of my favourite years for music.
I’m completely unreasonable about the whole 92-97 window of brilliance, myself!
Haha. I think you have good reason to see the brilliance in those years. But I would also include 1991.
I haven’t heard this for years – or heard any Spacemen3 stuff or other Spiritualized albums either.
I’ve now heard 2 Spiritualized (Laser guided melodies is also on the list) – and Spacemen3 have another that I haven’t got to yet, so hopefully at some point in the next year or two!
I’ve only “discovered” Spiritualized this year but I haven’t listened to this album yet. “Songs in A and E” and “And Nothing Hurt” are very enjoyable so I shall try this one next. Thanks and congratulations on your brilliant achievement with this project.
Much appreciated, wilfulsprinter.
They were new to me as of a couple of years ago, I’m pleased the 1001 list led me to them!