The concepts of “time” and “space” seem to be relative in the world of Hawkwind. It was less than a year ago that we reviewed their last album, The Future Never Waits, and subsequently reviewed the master behind their celestial madness, Dave Brock. At the tail end of said interview, Brock teased a new Hawkwind album already in the works, likely to hit shelves (of the record stores that are left, that is) sooner than later. Sure enough, faster than I could blink, the undisputed space rock gods struck again, bestowing upon us their 36th studio album, Stories from Time and Space.
Whereas The Future Never Waits was a predominantly instrumental affair, laden with lengthy jams guaranteed to send your mind to another dimension, Stories is one part synth-heavy soundscapes, one part space ballads. Admittedly, one doesn’t usually associate Hawkwind with power ballads, and rightfully so. These are not songs to brainlessly wave your lighters to like a Bon Jovi concert circa ’89, but rather deeply introspective tales of life and love from the sharp as ever mind of Brock: A true icon who has only grown sharper with age.
The album opens with the chilling “Our Lives Can’t Last Forever”, which when sung from the lips of an octogenarian, seems prophetic. Its spellbinding synths and thought provoking lyricism set the stage for an album that can only be described as deep. Following in this ballad vein are the jazzy “Till I Found You”, acoustic “Frozen in Time”, and delicate title cut. Those who might be dismayed by the prospect of these “Urban Guerillas” pursuing ballads need not fear. At no point on these lighter moments does the band ever lose way of their spaced out roots.
Speaking of being “spaced out”, the triple threat of “The Starship (One Love One Life)”, “What Are We Going to Do While We’re Here”, and “The Tracker” at the album’s front half are glorious slabs of Hawkwind perfection. “Starship” is a lengthy jam with droning riffs and standout soloing, especially from keyboardist Thighpaulsandra. “What Are We Going to Do…” is a deceiving beast, spontaneously fusing martian jazz rock with full blown space metal, while “The Tracker” channels the intergalactic filth of the Lemmy era, its fuzzed out riffs and grooves blurring the line between metal and punk ever so brilliantly.
Like every Hawkwind album before it, going back nearly 55 years now, Stories is its own animal, one that’s bound to carve its way into the annals of Hawkwind history in due time. You can’t really say it’s better or worse than any past releases, because it is what it is, and that’s pure Hawkwind. With the recent announcement of the band’s retirement from the live music scene, perhaps this will give the already prolific Brock even more time to create new, trippy music. In this case, no human or alien will be safe! The Hawklords have spoken and demand you bow in reverence. I wouldn’t test their patience if I were you.
7 out of 10
Label: Cherry Red Records
Genre: Space Rock
For fans of: Ozric Tentacles, Voivod, Eloy
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