Tom Lynch

One of the most powerful live bands you could ever absorb, Jason Pierce’s Spiritualized—famously built from the rubble of his Spacemen 3 all those years ago—have over the years perfected a blend of space-rock, shoegazer, noise-anthem freakout that’s, at its most sublime moments, anchored by bits of gospel. A hearty treat it is, and this year’s set at the Pitchfork Music Festival was so mind-jarring it was practically frightening. A religious experience? Who knows. But it sure was big and bold and beautiful. Spiritualized is the author of one of the great records of the 1990s, “Ladies and Gentleman We Are Floating in Space,” the opening title track of which still gives me goosebumps even after hundreds of listens over the last eleven years since its release. (This is the only band I’ve ever seen upstage Radiohead, as it did at the Rosemont Theatre in April of 1997.) The band’s new album, “Songs In A&E,” continues its journey to the outer realms. You’d be a fool to miss it.

Spiritualized plays September 8 at Metro, 3730 North Clark, (773)549-0203, at 8pm. $20.

(2008-09-02)

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