It Took Seconds

Three minutes and fifty-four seconds: I’ve spent a lot of the last two days arguing or writing (more tangentially) about the new Arcade Fire record, which I don’t like very much. I initially painted my not liking it very much as not a huge surprise, as that kind of pained large scale alt-rock music isn’t exactly central to my tastes. But it wasn’t always that way - towards the end of the 90s I fell HARD for a couple of records which were probably the contemporary equivalent of The Suburbs: Mercury Rev’s Deserters Songs and Spiritualised’s Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space.

At the time I was in a tight spot: working in a barely-paying job, living in my parents’ boxroom, ekeing out what little social life I could afford with lengthy excursions onto USENET. Oh, and I was on anti-depressants too, the cotton wool in your brain kind. All of this probably made those records more attractive to me, and it’s probably also why I’m none to keen to revisit them. Rev’s “Holes”, and the “Elvis Mix” of the Spiritualised title track are the only things I’ve listened to with any regularity over the last few years. Some records you have to leave behind, used up and wounded.

From memory Jason Pierce sounds like a lost soul all through the Spiritualised album, horribly vulnerable, a man at a genuine emotional dead end. I remember from interviews that he was always prickly when someone pushed at the links between his art and his life so it’s quite possible he made this music when thoroughly jolly, and if so congratulations to him as it’s entirely convincing in the opposite direction. On the Elvis Mix he sounds no less blasted and numb than anywhere else, so what makes this track stand out for me is indeed the Elvis interpolations - diffuse gospelly backing vox singing “I Can’t Help Falling In Love With You” through the fog. There’s a kind of Singing Detective vibe to it - Pierce in his agony being seduced and distracted and finally taunted by this half-forgotten old pop song.

What would your 3’54” track be?