HW: Business Trip Review

[Rudich, Robert A]

Thought I'd try my hand at this review stuff.  I recently got _The Business
Trip_ and was quite impressed.  Naturally, this is my opinion only.

Rudy

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The BUSINESS TRIP (CD)

Three guys (Dave Brock, Alan Davy, & Richard Chadwick) are in a line of work
that takes them away from home from time to time.  The Electric Teepee was
touring the UK in Nov. of '93 and they decided to make a memento to the trip
to back up their travel expense vouchers.  These are 3 seasoned
professionals doing what they do best - Bringing a bit of space to your
place.

GENERAL IMPRESSIONS
The sound is really great.  Some of the clearest vocals of any Hawkwind
album.  The mix is mighty fine and brings forth some strong bass and drum
work that could have been buried.  There is a tightness to the music that I
like very much.

A lot of this probably has to do with the 3 man line up.  The sound is a tad
more spare than other live stuff, but all essential Hawkwind is there.
 (Compare "Void of Golden Light" on this and on _Palace Springs_ for a
specific example)  I'm amazed that just 3 guys crank out that much noise.
 That may account for the tight sound.   It must take a lot of concentration
to do these songs and every note/sound has to count.  In that sense, this is
a very business like album.  This is a business era of lean and mean and
Hawkwind has definitely captured the spirit.  There is no waste; what is
there works hard for maximum effect.

The leanness means that the vocals, bass lines, and drums have to carry
their weight, and they do.   There are marvelous little bass runs that pop
out and the drums just power along at key times.  Brock's guitar work is
masterful and the synths provide the backdrop and odd bits you would expect.
 For the most part, the music never stops and it's fun to see when the
audience, the CD player, and the listener think a song has ended.  They
don't always agree.

It is also a good mix of old and new material.   Calvert days to songs that
hint at _White Zone_ are all here.

SPECIFICS
Quark, Strangeness, and Charm - An old gem in a completely new setting.  The
lyrics are the same, but their delivery and everything else is new.  Not as
quirky as the original, but the strangeness and charm is still there.  If
you liked the original, you will like this one.  If you hated the original,
you will like this one.

The Day the Wall Fell Down - It's a clear, starry, moonless night on the
Veldt.  The tribe is gathered about the leaping bonfire and the shaman's
powders are beginning to bite home.  The drummers begin their hypno groove
and they are really on tonight.  Other musicians and sounds from beyond tug
at your being, but the drum beat (backed by synths) grabs your core.  You
have to join the ritual dance.  OR  This is Euro tekno pop at it's very
best.  Either way you can't sit still during this one.  My favorite track on
this album.

The Camera That Could Lie & Right to Decide - For those who need social
relevance in a good tune, you are covered.  The former is about video
surveillance that is being done in UK cities.  The latter is about political
freedom.  Both are from the Electric Teepee and well received by the
audiences.  "Right to Decide" has the only chat on the album.

Right Stuff - A snide swipe at those American icons, the early astronauts.
 Cut from the "Uncle Sams on Mars" cloth  (see PXR5 review) and about the
same era.   The boys even mimic their rawer sound from that time.  Sherman,
set the way back machine for Space Ritual.

There are some of the spacy songs and the mellow out tunes that are near
ambients here too.  Fortunately, they are pretty good and not too long.
 Biggest comment would be placement.  For example, the tempo downshifts much
too quickly after "The Day the Wall Fell Down" into a nice song.  I still
wanted to grind.

SUMMARY
Get this one!  If you like any Hawkwind, there is something for you here.
 Fortunately, they didn't have time or staff on stage to do the bad things
they could have.  Most impressive musical skills and lack of gimmicks.  As a
first ever listener, this would be good one to test your interest level.

Rudy