OTHERWORLD

It was with eager anticipation that I bought it, having heard great things about it from others who were hailing it "as good as Hawkwind have ever been" and such like. Unfortunately, for my taste, this album of "space-rock" falls well short of anything that Hawkwind themselves have ever done.

Space Ritual are a band led by Nik Turner, an ex-Hawkwind icon, and made up of other ex-Hawkwind members, most notable in my memory is Del Dettmar who was in with the band in its 70s heyday.

Whilst it is peculiar to review an album by making constant comparisons to another band, in this particular instance it is probably justified, as many of the potential fans thinking of buying this will also be fans of Hawkwind.

So, space-rock it definitely is but, like I say, for me it falls well short of the Hawkwind standard. The least pleasing aspect of the album is the singing, or lack of it! Most of the lyrics are recited as poems, on some songs we get sing-speak and very rarely, perhaps on one song, is there what I would call "singing". I tired of this style. It is reminiscent stylistically of parts of one of Hawkwind's most celebrated albums, "Warrior on the Edge of Time" - in particular as some of the lyrics are written by Michael Moorcock himself - but on that brilliant album the recitation was interspersed with some glorious music which, alas, is lacking here.

"Otherworld" has none of the driving rhythm, beat and urgency which hallmarks much of Hawkwind's soundscape and that is the factor that ultimately makes the album such a disappointment for me.

The album is not totally without interest - Nik Turner's sax playing is enjoyable on a number of the songs but, unfortunately, isn't sufficient to raise the music overall to the highest levels.

Having said all that, given other Hawkwind fans' differing views, perhaps you'd better make up your own mind on this album's qualities!

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