DOREMI FASOL LATIDO

The early era of British cosmic rockers Hawkwind, including this third album from them `Doremi Fasol Latido' from 1972 is full of plodding, monotonous, repetitive, crushing and insane punky spacerock, but don't think for a second any of that is meant as a criticism! Those are all classic Hawkwind trademarks fans love, and they set the standard for so many bands to come.

Nik Turner's vocals are a little cartoonish and hideously dated on opener `Brainstorm', but the lengthy instrumental passages full of pummelling bass and distorted chugging guitars, mindless filtered saxophone and warped electronic effects are really exhilarating and frequently overwhelming. Much of this track really sets in stone a sound that most people identify this band with. Although `Space Is Deep' is driven by a very folky and acoustic guitar backing, it's swamped in swirling electronic effects and before long it's deeply lost in space. The first section has very acid-drenched imagery in the lyrics, while the second half when the bass and drums kicks in has a confident stomp to it. Side one closer `One Change' is then (surprisingly for Hawkwind!) a very low-key, subtle beautiful piano and bass piece - shame it only lasts for less than a minute!

Monstrous punishing bass, rattling drums and an unhinged vocal from Dave Brock barking out rambling lines means `Lord Of Lights' destroys all in its path. Bassist Lemmy powers through this track, very loose and groove-filled, helping make it another long and trippy track, full of typical Hawkwind characteristics. Some folky flavours on the intro to a track like `Down Through The Night' still sounds very alien and other-wordly, the phasing effects behind the guitar constantly enhances this feeling, and a strong vocal from Brock again lifts it even higher, with his voice especially confident on the acoustic tracks on this album like here.

More dirty stomping bass fades in for `Time We Left...', with waffling treated sax flying in and around Brock's inane lyrics. The guitar playing about 1:40 seems really off and unpleasant before deteriorating into a seriously loopy and maddening chanted mess that reminds a little of Gong! Unpleasantly groovy, Lemmy's bass the final few minutes is seriously bent! `The Watcher' is then an unsettling acoustic come-down, severely wasted and featuring a suitably stoned lead vocal from Lemmy. No drums or percussion at all, and only a few spacey effects near the very end, it somehow reminds of early Black Sabbath and Ozzy! `This is the end now...' is suitably apocalyptic to wrap the album up on...and if he hadn't ending up playing on their next album, you might have been convinced that Lemmy really did keel over after that long drawn out final note on the lyric!

`Doremi' is a knockout spacerock album, powerful and noisy, with a great variety between longer menacing spacey rockers and psychedelic folky ballads. Improved and tighter production still highlights their improvisational trademarks while keeping things relatively lo-fi, and the acoustic guitar playing is played with real belief and purpose. The band also make even the most incoherent lyrics sound grand and filled with purpose, and the blur of electronics, warped sax playing, crumbling bass and fuzzed out guitars make for a truly disorientating and fascinating experience.

Four stars - Into the blackness we drown!