INTO THE WOODS

Over three months when this excellent album was released and no reviews? Hawkwind-fans, where are you? I am not a huge Hawkwind-fan, but I really love Hawkwind albums made 1970-75 (Lemmy in four of them). Their later outputs I have heard only Levitation, which I also love and the Xenon Codex, which I think is ok album, but too cold & modern sounding to me. Naturally I hadn´t got any expectations when started listening this new one, but they fulfilled wholly! Just like predecessor album "the Machine Stops" this is at least in some parts based on E.M. Fosters book. After this album I listened also that album, but I have to say this new one is just so much better! In this album Hawkwind has gone into very organic soundworld that reminds a lot their great seventies albums.

Tittle song opens the album with a short piano overture, but soon you are into very rough, psychedelic Hawkwind- boogie. Brock sings through some effect and sounds very much Nik Turner. Psychedelic atmosphere continues in next "Cottage in the Woods", but more peaceful way. "Have You Seen Them" is very melodic piece and has hit potential. Cosmic "Ascent" is one of my favourites in this album. "Space Ship Blues" is updated "Silver Machine" with more country atmosphere. Big Bill Barry is playing fiddle in the very same way as Simon House. "Vegan Lunch" is again boogie with melodic parts. "Dark Land" is also one of my favourites reminding "Hall Of Mountain Grill´s" "Wind of Change". There are also few sound collages with spoken words that make album just even more interesting. The ending instrumental jam "Magic Mushroom" is good finish into this great album, it reminds a little bit "Levitation"- song.

I am not a space rock fan at all except Hawkwind. I am glad my needs of spacerock seem to fullfill complitely, if Hawkwind continues to make as qualified albums as often. One of my great moments were, when Hawkwind and Motörhead played in the same festival. In Hawkwind´s encore there were two basses and Lemmy singing "Silver Machine". It was over 10 years ago, there are no Lemmy anymore, but I will be glad if I will see this old classic band on the stage once more.