HW In Your Area: Impressions

[William Duffy]

> "First Landing on Medusa" is basically Brock reading Calvert's "The
> Awakening" to some backing synths that don't really contribute all that
> much to the overall effect.  "The Nazca" is a one-minute atmosphere piece
> with a few spoken words--it's nice, but then again it's not a big deal at
> only one minute.  "Hippy" is a song that I'm not sure should be on a
> Hawkwind album....Brock wasn't involved with this one at all, and
> it shows.

Brock is on this track. the only track he is not on is "Prarie", which is
more like a Yes instrumental.

>  It sounds extremely un-Hawkwind like with its folky guitar trills.
> "Prairie"?  Did I miss something?  Another one of those newer Hawkwind
> instrumental pieces which sort of just sounds like noodling....not very
> exciting.  "Your Fantasy" is basically the music to "Heads" with Rizz
> adding some words.

There's some other tunes in there too, such as "Zarozinia".

  "Luxotica" and "Diana Park" are two more noodly
> instrumentals that sound like the sort of thing every amateur
> musician with
> a computer produces at home on the weekends....it's just not worthy of
> hawkwind....
>
> Sorry to sound so down on this release, but listening to it really bummed
> me out.  I don't think this album will be winning any new
> converts.  It may
> in fact turn quite a few off of the band.  Unquestionably the weakest
> Hawkwind release ever....and to think that this is an "official"
> album!

I disagree with that. This album, although no great classic, is far better
than most of their recent material, particularly their last one, which to me
sounded like an album of tracks that were never finished.
there is much more variety on this album, and I think it might open doors to
new fans. It has already made a new fan with a friend of mine!

William