Remember that 13 minute version of the Gorillaz/Andre 3000/James Murphy super collab “DoYaThing”? Of course you do, because it was a most excellent song that will no doubt prove to be one of the most wildly entertaining delights of the year. However, do not let it overshadow the other lengthy gem that surfaced at nearly the same time. Clocking in at nearly nine minutes, “Hey Jane” is the first peek at what’s in store for Sweet Heart Sweet Light, Spiritualized’s long-awaited follow-up to 2008’s Songs in A&E.
Jason Pierce has previously stated that Sweet Heart Sweet Light would be their most pop-oriented release yet, and “Hey Jane” begins as a spirited delight of a pop-rocker before exploding in a crash of guitars crunched beyond recognition. It’s quite the climax, but the song still has over five minutes remaining. The melody gets twisted, giving us what’s a second like-minded piece of choral pop that builds to a woodwind-filled grand finale. Despite what the album cover art may indicate, “Hey Jane” should not be a source of befuddlement among any Spiritualized fan. “Hey Jane” is another sprawling epic that is classic Spiritualized.
