This came out in 2003 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
You can’t have good without evil. You can’t have salvation without sin. And if you wanna get to heaven, you gotta raise a little hell.
These are the problems that have preplexed heavily on singer-guitarist Jason (J Spaceman) Pierce for years. And on the fifth studio album from his post-Spaceman 3 outfit Spiritualized, he seems no closer to solving them. And that’s a good thing. Once again poised between heaven and hell, Amazing Grace® once again finds Pierce wrestling with his inner demons. And much of the time, it looks like Satan is getting the upper hand. On searing, Stooges-inspired garage-rawkers like This Little Life of Mine, Never Goin’ Back, Cheapster and She Kissed Me (And it Felt Like a Hit), Pierce gets down, cranks up and tears the roof off the sucker, doffing his holy-roller robes and re-embracing the devil’s music. But like a repentant sinner, Pierce always returns to the fold, bowing his head to deliver noise-rock hymnals like Hold On and Lord Let it Rain On Me, along with oddly orchestrated offerings like The Power And The Glory. But whether you’re a saint or a sinner, you’ll find plenty of sweet sounds to satisfy your soul on Amazing Grace®.
