HAWKESTREL: SPACEXMAS

Here is another which arrived too late for me to write about before Christmas and is the latest in a host of recordings which have been released by ex-Hawkwind bassist Alan Davey over the last couple of years. I have no real idea of the line-up, but apparently includes performances by Glenn Hughes, Rick Wakeman, Robby Krieger as well as Hawkwind alums Huw Lloyd-Langton, Nik Turner and others. There are a couple of issues with this, the first being that this sounds far more like a project than an album and is musically all over the place, and secondly while this may have seemed a good idea when everyone was drunk, they should have just walked away when they were sober. They take themselves way too seriously, and the result is something which falls between the camps of fun and missing the point altogether.

By far the best song is the last, and if they had performed the whole album like this, then it would have been a different story altogether. "Twelve Daze of Drinxmas" may be completely tongue in cheek and seen as a humorous ending, but at least here they are performing in traditional space rock style and it comes over incredibly well indeed! If they had bitten the bullet and performed "Hallelujah" like this as opposed to the manner in which they attempted it, I am sure I would have enjoyed it far more. This really is for fans only.

HAWKESTREL extension of the HAWKWIND group; he has provided a good dozen albums in heterogeneous spatial orientations; this album explores the themes of the end-of-year holidays, there is no doubt that this pandemic has boosted the creative desires of this outstanding bassist and dabbler in all things musical.

Revamped songs like "We Three Kings", "O Come All Ye Faithful", "Little Drummer Boy", "Silent Night", "Oh Holy Night", "Jingle Bells" or "Hallelujah" for the pleasure of finding the original tune. Slightly crazy original compositions, Christmas spirit, such as "Twelve Daze Of Drinxmas" for the sylvan space rock side, without the obvious, slightly annoying kitsch side of the originals. A calm sound, titles without pretension other than having fun with rock-pop-folk; a sound that revisits that of HAWKWIND's original and its Germanic folk sounds on "it's A Wonderful (Funny Old) Life" or "Für Kirsty". Childish tunes with a POPOL VUH space sauce like on "Seasons"; a KRAFTWERK-style tune on "Ein Weihnachliches Lustobjekt"; a nervous, crazy, avant-garde sound like BOWIE on "Twelve Daze Of Drinxmas" and this fabulous cover by Léonard COHEN make this album the album to listen to during these holidays as jamming to any radio or television source.

Album composed during the summer months in the middle of the desert, this latest HAWKESTREL is a pure festive gem for ambient music.(2.5)