''Recurring'' is the fourth and final

Spacemen 3 Spacemen 3 were an English rock band, formed in 1982 in Rugby, Warwickshire, by Peter Kember and Jason Pierce, known respectively under their pseudonyms Sonic Boom and J Spaceman. Their music is known for its brand of "trance-like neo-psyched ...

studio album, released in early 1991 on Fire Records. The band had broken up prior to the release of the album. During the recording, the relations between band members had soured to the extent that the record is in two parts – the first side by

Peter Kember Peter Kember (born 19 November 1965), also known by his stage name Sonic Boom, is an English singer-songwriter, composer and record producer. He was a founding member, vocalist, guitarist and keyboardist of neo-psychedelic band Spacemen 3, las ...

, and the second by

Jason Pierce 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 19 ...

. The album includes "

Hypnotized Hypnosis is a human condition involving focused attention (the selective attention/selective inattention hypothesis, SASI), reduced peripheral awareness, and an enhanced capacity to respond to suggestion.In 2015, the American Psychological ...

", a Pierce composition that was released as a single in the UK in 1989. ''Recurring'' peaked at No. 46 on the UK Albums Chart.

Versions

The original UK vinyl pressing had only ten tracks, with shorter edits of two tracks. " Big City" was cut in half and "Billy Whizz" faded out before its "Blue 1" crescendo. The cassette release contained the same track listing but with full versions of all tracks. "Just to See You Smile" originally appeared on the B-side of "Hypnotized", in an alternate mix listed as "Just to See You Smile (Honey Pt. 2)", owning up to the track's melodic affinity to the earlier

tune "Honey". Elsewhere, "Why Couldn't I See" is another song whose main guitar riff is largely derived from the 45-minute improvisation ''Dreamweapon'' (the others were "Honey" and "How Does It Feel"); and "I Love You" features an uncredited sample of a

Jan and Dean Jan and Dean were an American rock music, rock duo consisting of William Jan Berry (April 3, 1941 – March 26, 2004) and Dean Ormsby Torrence (born March 10, 1940). In the early 1960s, they were pioneers of the California Sound and vocal surf m ...

radio jingle for

Coca-Cola Coca-Cola, or Coke, is a cola soft drink manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company. In 2013, Coke products were sold in over 200 countries and territories worldwide, with consumers drinking more than 1.8 billion company beverage servings ...

(possibly written or cowritten by

Brian Wilson Brian Douglas Wilson (June 20, 1942 – June 11, 2025) was an American musician, songwriter, singer and record producer who co-founded the Beach Boys. Often Brian Wilson is a genius, called a genius for his novel approaches to pop compositio ...

, from 1963.)

When Tomorrow Hits

The only track on which both Pierce and Kember appear is "When Tomorrow Hits", a cover of a

Mudhoney Mudhoney is an American rock music, rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, on January 1, 1988, following the demise of Green River (band), Green River. Its members are singer and rhythm guitarist Mark Arm, lead guitarist Steve Turner (guitari ...

song. It was originally intended for a double A-side split single, with Mudhoney covering "Revolution" from ''Playing With Fire''. This release was scotched when Kember caught wind of the fact that Mudhoney had fitted "Revolution" with somewhat irreverent lyrics about methadone suppositories. The Mudhoney recording eventually surfaced as a b-side.

Critical reception

Trouser Press ''Trouser Press'' was a rock and roll magazine started in New York in 1974 as a mimeographed fanzine by editor/publisher Ira Robbins, fellow fan of the Who, Dave Schulps, and Karen Rose under the name "Trans-Oceanic Trouser Press" (a reference ...

'' called ''Recurring'' an "undated adaptation of ’60s folky acid-rock with elements of the Beatles, Stones and others" and a "lullingly pleasant album." ''

The New Rolling Stone Album Guide ''The Rolling Stone Album Guide'', previously known as ''The Rolling Stone Record Guide'', is a book that contains professional music reviews written and edited by staff members from ''Rolling Stone'' magazine. Its first edition was published in 1 ...

'' called the album "bad imitation acid house." Peter Kane in Q Magazine called highlighted the rave-inspired "Big City" and described the rest of the album as "wispy voices atmospherically draped over guitars that sparkle lightly".

Track listing

;Original vinyl release (Fire FIRELP23) ;Original cassette release (FIRE MC23) ;Original CD release (FIRE CD23)

Personnel

;Spacemen 3 * Sonic Boom (

) – vocals, Vox Starstreamer,

Burns Burns may refer to: Astronomy * 2708 Burns, an asteroid * Burns (crater), on Mercury People * Burns (surname), list of people and characters named Burns ** Burns (musician), Scottish record producer Places in the United States * Burns, ...

Jazz guitar, Vox Super Continental, Vox Conqueror, acoustic 12-string guitar, synthesizer, samples, feedback, tremeloes, drones * Jason (

) – vocals,

Fender Telecaster The Fender Telecaster, colloquially known as the Tele (), is an electric guitar produced by Fender (company), Fender. Together with its sister model the Fender Esquire, Esquire, it was the world's first mass-produced, commercially successfulLes ...

guitar, acoustic guitars, autoharp, blues harp, piano and keyboards *

Will Carruthers Will Carruthers (born 9 November 1967, in Chesterfield, England) is a musician, best known for playing bass in the influential alternative rock bands Spacemen 3 and Spiritualized. Biography Early life Carruthers moved to Rugby in 1977, and ...

– bass vibrations * Mark Refoy – Fender Telecaster guitar, acoustic guitars *

Jon Mattock Jonny Mattock is an English drummer and percussionist from Northampton, England, who was a member of, or played with, Massive Attack, Spacemen 3, Spiritualized, The Perfect Disaster, Slipstream, Lupine Howl, Cranes, Baxter Dury, The Breeders, ...

– percussion ;Additional musicians * Richard Formby – lead and rhythm guitars * Pat Fish – flute * Owen John – violins * Alex Green – saxophones ;Production * Sonic Boom and J. Spaceman (Jason Pierce) – producers * Paul Adkins – engineer * Anjali Dutt – remix engineer (tracks 9, 11–15) * Sarah Bedingham – remix engineer (tracks 9, 11–15) * Mr. Ugly (Natty Brooker) – original artwork

References

{{Authority control Spacemen 3 albums 1991 albums Shoegaze albums by English artists Fire Records (UK) albums RCA Records albums Dedicated Records albums