Hawkwind – Psychedelic Selection
As the title of the legendary Lords of space rock’s latest album summates, the fifteen tracks on offer are not just psychedelic in nature (a defining Hawkwind trait), but a curated selection that takes a glimpse into the band’s past, present and, indeed, future.
Psychedelic Selection collects and presents previously unreleased material, newly reworked classics and a batch of new songs that point to where the current line-up of ever present and seemingly ageless Dave Brock (vocals, guitar, keys), four-decade Hawkwind stalwart Richard Chadwick (drums, vocals), Magnus Martin (guitars, vocals, keys), synth player Thighpaulsandra (aka experimental musician Timothy Lewis) and bassist Doug MacKinnon may be headed.
The album opens with two new songs, 'Four Legs Good, Two Legs Bad' (a short narrative lamenting the bipeds of the planet - that’ll be us, then) and the summery, psychedelic wooziness of 'There Are Fairies In The Garden.'
Both act as tasters and shapers of a forthcoming, possibly spoken word/ narrative Hawkwind project.
Other new tracks include the insanely quirky Arabia meets space rock 'n' roll of 'The Judge And The Fisherman' and the more traditional Hawkwind space rock of instrumental 'Goonhilly Downs.'
Older, classic Hawkwind material given a current line-up makeover include spacey ballad 'The Demented Man' (here across a bluesier seven-and-a-half minutes) and a lengthier, slow lament reworking of 'Those (previously 'The') Days Of The Underground,' which sits as a highlight of the album.
Additionally, the Hawklords new wave styled 'Psi Power' and 'Traveller Of (Time &) Space' from 2024’s Stories From Time And Space get live-in-the-studio airings.
Thers’s also room for more experimental, off-shoot project music in the sonic shape of Dave Brock’s unreleased Dance & Trance material (the space-dance rock of 'Land Of Min,' the Trancier 'Out Of Luck') and Magnus Martin’s percussive meets ambient instrumental 'Ocean’s Spiral.'
Each adds further colour to the band’s psychedelic-hued spectrum.
While there’s certainly plenty here for Hawkwind fans to get their teeth into, there is no question the majority of ‘Hawk aficionados will covet the version of one of the band’s most famous and earliest songs, the psychedelic meets folk-blues romp that is 'Hurry On Sundown.'
This particular version is the final recording by the late and valued ex-Hawkwind member/ contributor Huw Lloyd-Langton (featuring here on guitar).
Psychedelic Selection does exactly what it says on the past, present and potential future tin, from a band who continue to defy time, while playing in sonic space.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
Psychedelic Selection collects and presents previously unreleased material, newly reworked classics and a batch of new songs that point to where the current line-up of ever present and seemingly ageless Dave Brock (vocals, guitar, keys), four-decade Hawkwind stalwart Richard Chadwick (drums, vocals), Magnus Martin (guitars, vocals, keys), synth player Thighpaulsandra (aka experimental musician Timothy Lewis) and bassist Doug MacKinnon may be headed.
The album opens with two new songs, 'Four Legs Good, Two Legs Bad' (a short narrative lamenting the bipeds of the planet - that’ll be us, then) and the summery, psychedelic wooziness of 'There Are Fairies In The Garden.'
Both act as tasters and shapers of a forthcoming, possibly spoken word/ narrative Hawkwind project.
Other new tracks include the insanely quirky Arabia meets space rock 'n' roll of 'The Judge And The Fisherman' and the more traditional Hawkwind space rock of instrumental 'Goonhilly Downs.'
Older, classic Hawkwind material given a current line-up makeover include spacey ballad 'The Demented Man' (here across a bluesier seven-and-a-half minutes) and a lengthier, slow lament reworking of 'Those (previously 'The') Days Of The Underground,' which sits as a highlight of the album.
Additionally, the Hawklords new wave styled 'Psi Power' and 'Traveller Of (Time &) Space' from 2024’s Stories From Time And Space get live-in-the-studio airings.
Thers’s also room for more experimental, off-shoot project music in the sonic shape of Dave Brock’s unreleased Dance & Trance material (the space-dance rock of 'Land Of Min,' the Trancier 'Out Of Luck') and Magnus Martin’s percussive meets ambient instrumental 'Ocean’s Spiral.'
Each adds further colour to the band’s psychedelic-hued spectrum.
While there’s certainly plenty here for Hawkwind fans to get their teeth into, there is no question the majority of ‘Hawk aficionados will covet the version of one of the band’s most famous and earliest songs, the psychedelic meets folk-blues romp that is 'Hurry On Sundown.'
This particular version is the final recording by the late and valued ex-Hawkwind member/ contributor Huw Lloyd-Langton (featuring here on guitar).
Psychedelic Selection does exactly what it says on the past, present and potential future tin, from a band who continue to defy time, while playing in sonic space.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ