The Albums of 1973: Hawkwind: Space Ritual

 

Release Date: May 11, 1973

Members: Dave Brock (guitar); Nik Turner (saxophone, flute); Lemmy (bass, vocals); Dik Mik (electronics); Del Dettmar (synthesizer); Simon King (drums); Bob Calvert (vocals); Stacia (dancer and visual artist)

Produced by Hawkwind

Side One: Earth Calling; Born to Go; Down Through the Night; The Awakening

Side Two: Lord of Light; Black Corridor; Space is Deep; Electronic No. 1

Side Three: Orgone; Upside Down; 10 Seconds to Forever; Brainstorm

Side Four: Seven by Seven; Sonic Attack; Time We Left This World Today; Master of the Universe; Welcome to the Future

Hawkwind stood out as a unique voice in British rock during the 1970s incorporating elements of psychedelia, progressive rock, science fiction, and proto-punk.  Throw all these elements together and one gets "Space Rock." Sci-Fi writer Michael Moorcock often contributed lyrics for Hawkwind; their live performances were improvisational blending technology with poetry. They've built a daunting catalog over the decades (35 albums) with a rotating group of members. 

Hawkwind already released three studio albums prior to their genre defining 1973 live album Space Ritual taken from two concerts performed in December of 1972. The album begins with "Earth Calling," an aural track of spaceship sounds setting up the listener for what's to come. Then the hypnotic and sonic attack of "Born to Go," lyrically about escaping to space as a place to break boundaries, counterculture meets Sci-Fi:

We're breaking out of the shell

We're breaking free

We're hatching our dreams into reality

"Down Through the Night" continues with infectious bass riffs, imagining a space bound crew of immortals in a state of hypersleep. Another poem, "The Awakening" muses on the state of hypersleep and the new form humanity might take, "a clear century of space/away from earth." 

"Lord of Light" has Utopian visions of "from the realms beyond the sun," bass driven with a long saxophone solo. "Black Corridor" is another spaced themed poem, possibly inspired by 2001: A Space Odyssey. "Space is Deep" combines electric guitar, synth, and more space age poetics, "Electronic No. 1" serves as a synth interlude. 

"Orgone Simulator" borders on industrial-psychedelia rock, the lyrics muse on a futuristic technology (virtual reality) that gives one a sense of omnipotence. "Upside Down" explores the disorienting haze of space travel, all distortion and ennui. Another spoken word track, "10 Seconds of Forever" imagines a space traveler looking back at their life.

"Brainstorm" is evocative of a paranoid astronaut with brooding lyrics about fears of being turned into a machine and losing one's humanity. Musically it's a rush of muscular electronic noise and ethereal landscapes with relentless powder keg drumming.

"Seven by Seven" is Wagnerian in scope and theme. Moorcock contributed verse for "Sonic Attack" a dark vision of space travel and potential future incarnations of humanity. A war song for the space age, "Time We Left This World Today" breaks into chants amidst an electric fog. Nietzsche type lyrics on "Master of the Universe" point the way towards a modern metal sound. "Welcome to the Future" was the final track on the 1973 release (reissues added more tracks) serves as a benediction of sorts from the future.

Space Ritual is a unique experience for those open to it. Hawkwind's aggressive and occasional melodic sound offers a splintered vision of the future. Galactic travel serves as both a means of escape and freedom but could also spell doom for humanity where it will lose itself in technology and repeat the mistakes of the past on a cosmic scale. 

 

The Albums of 1971: Gentle Giant: Acquiring the Taste

Release Date: July 16, 1971

Active Members: Gary Green, Kerry Minnear, Derek Schulman, Phil Schulman, Ray Schulman, Martin Smith

Produced by Tony Visconti

Track List: Pantagruel's Nativity; Edge of Twilight; The House, the Street, the Room; Acquiring the Taste; Wreck; The Moon is Down; Black Cat; Plain Truth

Composed of all multi-instrumentalists Gentle Giant is often categorized as Prog Rock but in many ways their music defies easy categorization. Formed in 1970, at the core of the band were three brothers: Derek, Phil, and Ray Schulman. They came up in the mid 60s, fronting many soul bands most notably Simon Dupree and the Big Sound. Recording as The Moles in 1968, the single "We Are the Moles Parts 1 and 2" led many to believe they were The Beatles recording under a different name (with Ringo on lead vocals!). Frustrated with being pressured to follow pop music trends, the Schulman Brothers formed Gentle Giant as a means to defy commercial expectations and to follow their own muse. 

Gentle Giant's music became known for shifting into different styles often within tracks between blues, classical, jazz, rock, and soul. Their self titled debut was experimental in that style, but the follow up Acquiring the Taste became their manifesto. On the album sleeve the band included a statement, "It is our goal to expand the frontiers of contemporary popular music at the risk of being very unpopular." While mainstream success would elude Gentle Giant, they would find a loyal fan base who admired their unique sound.

"Pantagruel's Nativity" opens the album, setting the tone with its forays into jazzy interludes with a xylophone at the forefront, monk chants, and melodic guitar solos thrown in for good measure. The influence of Sci-Fi concepts on Prog Rock (or Space Rock) would meld perfectly in the 1970s, and this track could be theme for an imaginary Science Fiction film of the era. "Edge of Twilight" is a multi - layered lullaby. "The House, the Room, the Street" fuses rock with medieval folk coming in at the end, the blend of electronic and earth bound effects creating a disorienting effect. "Acquiring the Taste" is an instrumental on the mini moog synthesizer, sounding similar to the work of Wendy Carlos featured in A Clockwork Orange that same year. 

"Wreck" is meditation on a long forgotten shipwreck that incorporates rock and roll with hints of a Sea Shanty in the chorus. "The Moon is Down" alternates between folk and classical, while "Black Cat" is the most sensuous song with its gothic undercurrent. The track "Plain Truth" utilizes tape loops, string concertos, bluesy lyrics, and jazzy piano flourishes.

Appropriately titled, Acquired Taste will either be a feast or famine for the ears depending on the listener. After recording "Revolution No.9" John Lennon allegedly said "this will be the music of the future." A collage of different sounds and styles was the equivalent of abstract art coming from a soundboard, and that's the the vibe one gets from this record. It sounds both dated and new, in other words a niche record in the best possible sense.