Posts Tagged ‘hawkwind’

Album of the day: Hawkwind – Blood of the Earth

Posted on Friday, July 2nd, 2010

Lovingly pinched from The Obelisk: If I were to sit you down and tell you Hawkwind’s latest studio album, Blood of the Earth (Plastic Head) is an uncharted journey into synthed out psych-osis, would you be the least bit surprised? Not if you were aware that the Dave Brock-led band has been bringing listeners on similar journeys for over 40 years now, having started in 1969 and never looked back as they sped through the cosmos, endlessly trading in members, endlessly documenting their course through studio albums, live records and archival releases, resulting in a discography well past 75 entries and showing no signs of slowing and an influence nearly as far reaching as the Milky Way itself. To be blunt: if Zeus, God of Gods, were a band, he’d probably be Hawkwind.

Joining Brock who vocals, guitar and more on Hawkwind’s first studio album in half a decade is longtime drummer Richard Chadwick, bassist / vocalist Mr. Dibs, keyboardist / vocalist Tim Blake and guitarist / keyboardist Niall Hone. Dibs, Blake and Hone represent a newer contingent in Hawkwind, the latter two brought aboard in 2008 to help fill the void of Jason Stuart, who died that year following a brain hemorrhage but appears recorded on Blood of the Earth nonetheless.

The band sound dynamic and lively across the 10 tracks of the album, songs loaded with synth flourishes and psychedelia but still brought occasionally to earth with solid riffs and vocal structures, and though it’s clear Brock is leading the expedition, each member contributes ably to the material. As for what it sounds like, well, it’s Hawkwind, isn’t it?

Continue reading:  Hawkwind are Out for Blood and Don’t Care if They Have to Search the Whole Universe to Find It | The Obelisk.
(Special thanks to JJ Koczan for the very kind permission)

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Posted in 2010, Album of the Day, Roadburn Recommended | No Comments »

Album of the day: Harvestman / USX / Minsk – Hawkwind Triad

Posted on Sunday, May 16th, 2010

Praise for Harvestman / USX / Minsk’s Hawkwind Triad from San Francisco’s Aquarius Records:  It would be pretty much impossible to fuck this one up. Steve Von Till’s (of Neurosis) Harvestman, along with psych heavies U.S. Christmas, and sludgy metallic post rockers Minsk, all covering their favorite Hawkwind jams. Exactly. ...read more

Hawkwind: Lords Of Sword And Sorcery

Posted on Tuesday, December 8th, 2009

In Goldmine Magazine’s latest issue there is an article on Hawkwind, Lords of Sword and Sorcery: Of all the British festival circuit bands of the acid-drenched end of the ’60s, Group X — aka Hawkwind Zoo, aka Hawkwind as they finally christened themselves — seemed the least likely contenders for ...read more

White Hills breaks down Hawkwind in Goldmine Magazine

Posted on Tuesday, December 8th, 2009

The lovely people at Goldmine Magazine asked White Hills’ Dave W to contribute to an article on Hawkwind in their recent edition of the magazine: A perfect space-rock storm of drone, mind-melting psychedelia, overdriven guitars and heavy bass, White Hills is the rightful heir to Hawkwind’s massive legacy. One of ...read more

Album of the day: Quest For Fire – Quest For Fire

Posted on Monday, July 13th, 2009

Lovingly pinched from Slant Magazine: Look north, young hesher: Toronto’s Quest for Fire, comprised of former members of Deadly Snakes and Cursed, has emerged from that land of curling and universal healthcare with their muscular and assured debut, a smoldering oil spill of stoner-rock. Yes, there’s a surfeit of talented ...read more

Album of the day: La Ira De Dios – Cosmos Kaos Destruction (World In Sound 2008)

Posted on Sunday, May 31st, 2009

(From our archives): Imagine Jimi Hendrix playing with Space Ritual era Hawkwind and getting into the spirit of the thing. Add a healthy dose of psychedelic thrash and doom and you’ve got just the recipe for a band like La Ira de Dios. Cosmos Kaos Destruction is their latest, having ...read more

Album of the day: White Hills – Heads on Fire (Rocket Recordings 2007)

Posted on Saturday, May 23rd, 2009

White Hills were amongst the highlights of this year’s Roadburn Festival (the audio stream will follow soon). Their Heads on Fire ranks amongst the best heavy psych albums of 2007. Here’s what Jerry Kranitz had to say about White Hills’ psychedelic blend of deep space atmospherics: New York City based ...read more

Album of the day: Farflung – A Wound In Eternity (Meteor City 2008)

Posted on Wednesday, May 13th, 2009

Farflung were amongst the highlights of Roadburn 2009. The band’s latest album, entitled A Wound In Eternity easily ranks amongst the best heavy psych albums of 2008.  Roadburn’s guest contributer, Jerry Kranitz (main editor of Aural-Innovations, one of the leading recourses for Space Rock & beyond)  had this to say ...read more