Hawkwind are not a band you would associate with technological advancements, yet this album was the first full digital recording. I remember hearing it at the time and being wowed with how clear it was, and it still sounds great today. Also of note, the great Ginger Baker is on drums adding some groove to proceedings. This is my favourite Hawkwind album, I love every inch of this record. The stock space rock they earn their beans with has an added musicality to it this time around. This version, as well as the original album, has a bonus Live at Lewisham double album.
The lead off and title track is one of the best Hawkwind tracks imho with Bakers’ pounding groove, superb bass playing from Harvey Bainbridge, and coupled with Dave Brock’s superb lyrics…winner, winner chicken dinner! The secret weapon on this album is the guitar playing of Huw Lloyd Langton who adds some great leads to all tracks. World Of Tiers steals the Peter Green riff from Oh Well with added spacey keyboards. The very Pink Floyd sounding, Who’s Gonna Win The War, is the big anti war message for this album and it sounds great on the live album. It’s says on the cover “A Headphone Album” and indeed it sounds superb with all the electronic interludes and the instrumental Space Chase sounds superb. Dust Of Time closes out the main album, and like so many Hawkwind songs, it is such a simple arrangement but it’s all the layers that have been added that make this such a cool track.
The live album is from the Levitation tour which I attended, and is a great document for Live Hawkwind at this time. It might be hard to find this version, but just the Levitation album by itself should be easy to find.
9/10 from The Grooveman.
Great review of a fantastic album. I bought this on blue vinyl in 1980 aged 16 and was completely hooked. Is this the first ever digitally recorded album or just Hawkwinds first? I always thought the latter but would be grateful to know for sure. Huw Llöyd Langton (who I met briefly at Porchester Hall ) is absolutely legendary on lead guitar on this album. Hugely underrated and a really lovely kind man. Great review.
Hi Phil
Thanks for reading. I too had the original blue vinyl. Regarding the first full digitally recorded album this was a quote that I remember from an interview that Dave Brock did around the time of the release of the for Sounds magazine.
Ian