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Amazing Grace is far from a bad album, but it's not an especially compelling one, either.
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At its best, Amazing Grace® finds Pierce and his many supporting players piecing their disparate moods and sounds into moments of catharsis only Spiritualized could create. But too often, those ingredients are doled out separately, as the album jerks through jarringly integrated fragments that should have run together seamlessly.
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It may still sound beautiful, but too often Amazing Grace comes off as mere formula.
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Much of 'Amazing Grace' is the tired evidence of a man rehashing the same ideas - rather than sounds and movements - like a robotic, assembly line Andy Warhol.
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Pierce seems to have lost the magic that he once seemed in total command of.
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A return to form, though, doesn't imply a return to greatness.
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The elements of free-jazz, mopey techno, and hypnotic riff rock find familiar combinations as Pierce's peace, love, and drugs philosophy takes on a perfunctory turn.
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The Bible talk and the vintage-guitar distortion sound so rote it's hard to imagine Pierce is baring his soul rather than just plumbing the depths of his record collection.
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BlenderThe mood is too inconsistent to connect. [Oct 2003, p.127]
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Q MagazineAn orgy of harmonica, squalling guitar, plodding ballads and ill-fitting minimalist trousers. What on earth is going on? [Oct 2003, p.113]
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 18 out of 23
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Mixed: 2 out of 23
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Negative: 3 out of 23
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Apr 30, 2012
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Mar 19, 2011
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WillieLAug 12, 2006