HW: The Quest for Levitation

[Stephen Swann]

Alex S. Garcia writes:
>
> Okay you all, I've just made my first HW buy. But first, let me tell you a
> little story :-)
> So I left home about 4 hours ago, with my mind set on finding and purchasing
> the HW "Levitation" album. I visited the 5 most important record shops in
> town (if *they* don't carry HW, no one does !). One had never even heard of
> them (!)

Well, you missed the Bad Old Days of USA Hawkwind fandom, when I spent
4 years (casually, I'll admit) looking for Hawkwind records without
seeing ONE.  :-) The first time I ever saw a Hawkwind album was when I
went to college in Boston.

> So what do I think ? Well... pretty good. I wasn't amazed, but I liked it.
> To reassure you fans, I didn't really find the songs bland (though one of
> them, the first I think, did sound a bit repetitive on some sections).

Try listening to that one with the headphones on.  It has multitudes of
sound layers that kind of get lost in the mix unless you have really
great speakers.

> fact, I even rather liked the long instrumental at the end of side A. I had
> closed my eyes while listening to it and - lo and behold - the magic
> operated : I was *there* - floating among the stars. Heck ! you don't need
> to take drugs to space out with a piece like that one ! *LOL* That song was
> really cool and I thought that yeah, I could buy it.

That song would be "World of Tiers".  On side 2, I find that "5th Second
of Forever" has something of the same effect.

> though, but one album did catch my eye. First, because of its cover, second
> because of its title, and third because of the story it told : "The
> Chronicle of the Black Sword".
 [...]
> What can I say ? Well, for the moment I like it. A lot. Even more than the
> little I've heard from "Levitation". Weird though when you're used to seeing
> Elric in music through "Black blade". Oooooohhh... A new song has just
> started and it gives me shivers up my spine... Wait... "Zarozinia" is the
> title ! Wow, that one's struck something in me there... Anyway, I digress
> (ohboyohboyohboy... I like this... :-)

Well, I guess I can't claim prophetic powers, here, :-) but _Live
Chronicles_ (my other recommendation to you) is the live album from
the _Chronicle of of the Black Sword_ tour.  It has practically all
the songs from _CotBS_, plus lots of other Hawkwind classics reworked
to fit the Elric story.  You'll be astounded at how well it all comes
together in concert.

If you like _CotBS_, you'll almost certainly love _Live Chronicles_.

Steve
swann at panix.com