ELECTRIC TEPEE

This "Hawkwind" album is not full of surprise. At this time of their career, it might be difficult for them to innovate but some good inspiration would have been welcome.

My preferred tracks are the quiet ones. The beautiful and ambient "Blue Shift" is fully aerial and melodic. At least, it is somewhat dreamy and transports the listener in a very pleasant world. To comfort the feeling, the next "Death Of War" can almost compete with.

In this respect "Space Dust" is respectable but sounds as an explosion of improvised sounds. Not really cohesive but OK if you appreciate their "cosmic" music.

But while you discover "LSD" as well as "The Secret Agent", the simple and hard-rockish structure has been heard tons of time already on previous albums. And this is a global feeling. No real highlights available on this work.

It was the first double studio album released by the band, and I have to say that to listen to it from start to finish is not an exalting experience. And it lasts for some seventy five minutes! Several painful tracks are spread all over it (the flat "Snake Dance" for instance or the repetitive and not inspired at all "Don't Understand" which is exactly my opinion).

The third long song "Mask Of The Morning" (almost nine minutes) is probably the best energetic song of this whole work. The beat is almost similar to a Maiden song: galloping bass, heavy sounds but mixed with some very good keyboard during a quieter middle section which brings some kind of a good interlude between two devastating parts. A good song from this "Electric Tepee".

Another one is the good old (hard) rocking "Sadness Runs Deep". An Oriental background for this upbeat song: original and somewhat captivating. At least, it is a good balanced song which keeps the album on an average track.

The traditional punkish one is also available under the form of "Right To Decide". Incredible that the band still plays this type of songs in 1992. Some synth are adding some special flavour to it and at the end of the day this is another good song. Just like the other ambient "Going To Hawai". The title and closing track is another filler and can easily be skipped.

This album ranges between the average and the good. Let's be positive and rate it with three stars.