Search - Spacemen 3 :: Forged Prescriptions

Completists rejoice, beginners beware

J. Rossi | Downers Grove, IL | 08/17/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"For starters, this is not the release to buy if you've never encountered S3 previously, and even if you have you would appreciate this more having heard one of the album-length Perfect Perscription relaeases.



The subtle (and some not-so-subtle) differences in the songs on the first disc hit harder after having listened to Perfect Prescription, proper. "Things'll Never be the Same" is without the signature cymbal crashes while the wah soloing is more prominent; "Walking With Jesus" is a gospel song fresh from the church basement with humming organ, hushed vocals, and plaintive guitar; "Come Down Easy" and its country/western crawl saunters in on horseback while a Farfisa drone arrives minutes later.



It's hard to envision disc one as the true Perfect Prescription, especially when listeners have become accustomed to the previous versions, but this is supposedly the mixes and track order the band wanted in the first place; in time this will be the definitve version of the album.



Disc two is more hit and miss. Different mixes of "Transparent Radiation" and "Come Down Easy" appear, but considering the versions of those songs on the first disc are already different from what one is used to, it seems a bit too much to have another alternative mix. However, the second version of "Walking With Jesus" is perhaps the best version the band ever committed to tape, with its background droning buzz dueling with the plucked guitar notes.



"We Sell Soul" is nearly unrecognizable as being S3, at least at the time of Perfect Prescription; it sounds like a Playing With Fire or Recurring outtake, or something from Sonic's solo excursions. The "Starship" demo is a muscular jam that predates "Revolution" and "Suicide"; the two previously unreleased tracks are interesting but not necessarily necessary (the "Velvets Jam" was at one time available on a version of Dreamweapon).



All that said, this version of Perfect Perscription is at the very least interesting, but more often than not it hits as hard as the original album did the first time you heard it."

Not a good value

Tome Raider | California, United States | 04/10/2004

(2 out of 5 stars)

"I have bought a lot of over-priced import recordings over the years and only regret a handful of them. This is one that I regret.Reason: This is larded up with alternative versions of the same songs. And the CD's are both less than an hour long.Yes, most of the music here is good, but it is redundant and short-lived, leaving me with the sense that I've been taken.Even the consumers of the avant garde appreciate a fair deal and have awareness when they haven't received one."

Incredible

Hippie Smell | Brooklyn | 07/20/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I started with this album...I think if you're into this band, then you are probably already hip to non commercial music, so I don't see why starting here would be an issue? I love the version of come down easy, and the 13th floor Elevators version of We Sell Soul is to die for. When they were recording Perfect Prescription Jason wanted to do a Pet Sounds type of thing. Therefore some of the songs on here are bigger productions with a fuller more lush sound. The Velvet Jam is a complete nod to the velvet undergrounds Booker T Jam with a lot of sick feed back. This album may annoy some because you get two versions of the same song on here twice, but when you're dealing with a band who's primary theme is repetition it shouldn't be an issue. Often both versions hold up on their own....overall an important document in one of the greatest experimental bands ever."