''Let It Come Down'' is the fourth

studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early ...

by the

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

band Spiritualized, released in 2001. It was recorded and produced at Abbey Road and AIR Studios. It took Jason Pierce, Spiritualized's lead singer, guitarist and sole constant member, four years to write, perform, produce and release. The album utilises 115 session musicians, including orchestra and

London Community Gospel Choir The London Community Gospel Choir is Britain's first renowned contemporary "performance touring, inspirational gospel choir band", fusing gospel with multi-genres of music, including pop, soul, jazz, R&B, and classical. It was founded in 198 ...

. The wall of sound technique (most notably used by 1960s record producer Phil Spector) is evident on this album, especially on such tracks as "Do It All Over Again", "Stop Your Crying", "The Straight and the Narrow" and "Out of Sight".

Music

The album's sound is described as

art rock Art rock is a subgenre of rock music that generally reflects a challenging or avant-garde approach to rock, or which makes use of modernist, experimental, or unconventional elements. Art rock aspires to elevate rock from entertainment to an art ...

, symphonic rock, and space rock.

Album cover

The album was released in two different sleeves – one in a standard jewel case, the other in a much bulkier one-piece box, with the cover image (the wife of the artist) debossed in the case material.

Track listing

All songs written by

J Spaceman Jason Andrew Pierce (born 19 November 1965 in Rugby) is an English musician. Currently the frontman and sole permanent member of the band Spiritualized, he previously co-fronted the alternative rock band Spacemen 3 with Peter Kember from 1982 ...

Reception

'' Q'' listed ''Let It Come Down'' as one of the best 50 albums of 2001.

Commercial performance

''Let It Come Down'' is the band's most successful album on the UK Albums Chart, where it peaked at number three. As of 2005 it has sold 55,000 copies in United States, and as of 2003 it has shipped 250,000 units across Europe.

Personnel

Spiritualized * Spaceman – Fender Thinline,

Fender Jaguar The Fender Jaguar is an electric guitar by Fender Musical Instruments characterized by an offset-waist body, a relatively unusual switching system with two separate circuits for lead and rhythm, and a short-scale 24" neck. Owing some roots to th ...

, Epiphone Olympic, Vox Starstreamer XII, Martin acoustic, banjo, Vox Continental, Farfisa Compact, piano, harmonica, vocals * Thighpaulsandra –

Hammond C3 The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond and John M. Hanert and first manufactured in 1935. Multiple models have been produced, most of which use sliding #Drawbars, drawbars to vary sounds. Until 1975, Hammond organs ...

, Vox Continental, Farfisa Compact, VK7, Kurzweil K2000,

Minimoog The Minimoog is an analog synthesizer first manufactured by Moog Music between 1970 and 1981. Designed as a more affordable, portable version of the modular Moog synthesizer, it was the first synthesizer sold in retail stores. It was first popul ...

Fender Rhodes The Rhodes piano (also known as the Fender Rhodes piano) is an electric piano invented by Harold Rhodes, which became popular in the 1970s. Like a conventional piano, the Rhodes generates sound with keys and hammers, but instead of strings, th ...

, piano *

Doggen Spiritualized (stylised as Spiritualized®) are an English rock band formed in 1990 in Rugby, Warwickshire, by Jason Pierce (often known as J. Spaceman), formerly of Spacemen 3. After several line up-changes, in 1999, the band centered on Pier ...

Foster –

Gibson Les Paul The Gibson Les Paul is a solid body electric guitar that was first sold by the Gibson Guitar Corporation in 1952. The guitar was designed by factory manager John Huis and his team with input from and endorsement by guitarist Les Paul. Its typi ...

Gold Top, Gibson Les Paul Custom, Fender Telecaster, Vox Bulldog, Martin acoustic, harmonica * John Coxon – Fender Telecaster, Fender Jaguar, Gibson Firebird, Vox Continental, Farfisa Compact, piano, Juno 106, Martin acoustic * Martin Schellard –

Fender Jazz Bass The Fender Jazz Bass (often shortened to ''J-Bass'') is the second model of Bass guitar, electric bass created by Leo Fender. It is distinct from the Fender Precision Bass, Precision Bass in that its tone is brighter and richer in the midrange a ...

Fender Musicmaster The Fender Musicmaster is a solid body electric guitar produced by Fender. It was the first 3/4 scale student-model guitar Fender produced. A Musicmaster Bass model was also put on the market. Musicians such as David Byrne and Liz Phair used ...

, Fender Bass VI, Burns Bass, Fender Telecaster, banjo, piano * Tom Edwards – vibraphone, marimba, timpani, tubular bells, percussion * Kevin Bales – Gretsch drum kit * Raymond Dickaty – soprano and baritone saxophone Additional musicians * Pete Whyman – saxophones, clarinet * Mimi Parker – vocals * Chris Clark – piano * David O'Carroll – tuba * Ben Edwards – trumpet * Nick Smart – trumpet * James Adams – trombone * Tamar Osborn – saxophone, clarinet * David Temple – saxophone, clarinet * First Violins: Edmund Coxon (leader), Cathy Thompson, Jackie Shave, Everton Nelson, Patrick Kiernan, Steve Morris, Ian Humphries, Christina Emanuel, Laura Malhuish * Second Violins: Jonathan Rees, Dai Emanuel, Sonia Slaney, Perry Montague-Mason, Miffy Hirsch, Jeremy Morris, Ann Morfee * Viola: Roger Chase, Philip Dukes, Bruce White, Kate Musker * Cello: David Daniels, Tony Pleeth, Cathy Giles, Jonathan Tunnell * Double Bass: Mary Scully, Diane Clarke * Cor Anglais: Jane Marshall * Bassoon: Gavin McNaughton, Celia Birkenshaw * French Horn: Hugh Seenan, Richard Bissel, Nigel Black, Paul Gardham, Dave Lee, Martin Owen, Richard Ashton, Michaela Betts * Trumpet: Andy Crowley, Ian Balmain, Bob Farley, Paul Archibald, Paul Beniston * Trombone: Graham Lee, Colin Sheen, Peter Davies, Mike Hext, Roger Brenner * Bass Trombone: David Stewart, Roger Argente, Andy Waddicor * Flute/Alto flute and Bass flute: Dave Health, Andy Findon * Contra-bass flute: Andy Findon * Oboe: Chris Cowie, Margaret Tindal * Clarinet: Anthony Pike, Richard Addison * Bass Clarinet: David Fuest * Harp: Helen Tunstall Additional vocals * Nigel Short – counter tenor * Emer McParland – alto * Sarah Eyden – soprano * Simon Grant – bass * Andrew Busher – tenor * Michael Dore – bass * Heather Cairncross – alto * Andrew Gray – tenor * Jacqueline Barron – soprano * Rachel Weston – alto * Gerard O'Beirne – tenor * London Community Gospel Choir: Wendi Rose, Wayne Hernandez, Jenny Graham, Donovan Keith Lawrence, Vernetta Meade, Jenny La Touche, Aaron Paul Sokell, Travis Jae Cole, Vimbai Shire, Samantha Smith, Irene Forrester, Carmen Smart, Michelle John-Douglas, Jasette Barratt * Choir Director: Daniel Thomas

References

{{Authority control 2001 albums Spiritualized albums Arista Records albums Art rock albums by English artists Symphonic rock albums