Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Hawkwind
Label: Cherry Red Records
Release: 2016
Length: 58:30
Rating: 4.5/5
»The Machine Stops«, the twenty-sixth studio album from English space rock veterans Hawkwind, is a conceptual triumph, this time inspired by E.M. Forster’s visionary sci-fi classic of the same name. A story so visionary it’s almost prophetic, written back in 1909, it foretells a dystopian future where humanity is locked away in underground cells and communicates only through screens, personal displays. Their every need is controlled and met by an omnipresent artificial intelligence in the shape of a giant machine that ties all the screens into one colossal conglomerate, but eventually it starts to fail, and general panic takes over. Already at the start of the twentieth century, Forster’s masterpiece was warning, visionary as ever, about the dangers of isolation, excessive reliance on computer technology and its ruinous effects on humanity. This concept album kicks off deep underground, where a handful of people try to break through to the surface at all costs after realizing that the machine (and with it the whole system) has failed, which raises the essential question: will they find utopia up top, or just one more dystopia?
Hawkwind, who already have a ton of experience with similar sci-fi projects from the ‘golden’ days, when they worked with cult writer Michael Moorcock (his ‘Eternal Champion’ and the Elric saga are sci-fi classics) and singer/poet Robert Calvert, have managed, with minor departures like the psychedelic-quirky »Yum-Yum«, to tie the individual songs and lyrics together into a successful »The Machine Stops« concept. Stylistically, the whole album recalls quite a bit of their mid-seventies work, meaning the classic Hawkwind sound, with its slew of obscure electronic effects, bluesy/hard-rock guitar passages, proto-punk rhythmic touches and psychedelic vocal approaches, is practically everywhere. This time, though, they’ve skipped the more avant-garde improvisations, which means you don’t have to be a space rock scientist for the album to get under the skin of any fan of experimental music or prog rock on the very first listen.
Since the last studio album »Onward« (2012), the Hawkwind space crew has gone through two important changes. Longtime keyboardist Tim Blake, well known to all Gong fans too, has left. Dead Fred stepped into his place, though most of the keyboards on »The Machine Stops« were played by none other than the captain of the Hawkwind spaceship himself, Dave Brock. Haz Wheaton became the new, additional bassist, while from the ‘old guard’ besides Brock, drummer Richard Chadwick, bassist/keyboardist Niall Hone and singer Mr. Dibs remain. The latter sounds at times like a reincarnation of the late Robert Calvert, which is one of the main reasons the album has no shortage of retro flavor. »The Machine Stops« opens with a classic Hawkwind recital, »All Hail The Machine«, followed by the space rock cataclysm »The Machine«, which will instantly thrill longtime followers. One of the really interesting experiments is the psychedelic »Hexagone«, sung and played by new keyboardist Dead Fred. His vocals are a bit reminiscent of the late Richard Wright, and the whole thing strongly recalls early Pink Floyd, who were Hawkwind’s, or rather Brock’s, main role models in the late sixties.
»Living On Earth«, where the trio of Brock, Chadwick and Honne shines once again, sounds on the other hand like some forgotten seventies classic, even despite a short, fun country interlude that soon makes way for obscure electronic textures and furrowed guitar variations. No doubt this superb track will make the list of future live performances. The instrumental »The Harmonic Hall«, played entirely by bassist Honne, with its oriental ambient built on Arabic scales, strongly recalls some similar achievements from the Calvert era (the classic »Assassins of Allah (Hassan I Sahba«)) comes to mind). »A Solitary Man« also came out as a single, which is no surprise, since it’s the most commercial-sounding track on the album, with an unusually melodic chorus. It’s not on the level of evergreens like the immortal »Silver Machine«, but it’s a reminder that the Hawkwind ‘spacemen’ can still write a song that would suit the family car radio just fine.
Hawkwind’s space crew, led by the indestructible captain Dave Brock, has made one of its best albums since the end of the classic era (the seventies) with »The Machine Stops«. All longtime followers and space rock gourmands will love it, and it’s a real pleasure to find that these hardy veterans can still pull off an album that’s sure to be among the top contenders for prog rock achievement of 2016. And those of you who dig deep into lyrics as well as music will surely take a moment while listening to »The Machine Stops« to wonder whether it might be smarter to save your money for a Hawkwind gig in London than to blow it on the latest ‘smart’ phone.
Line-up
Dave Brock – vocals, guitar, synthesizer
Richard Chadwick – drums
Mr Dibs – vocals, bass guitar
Niall Hone – bass guitar, synthesizer
Dead Fred – keyboards
Haz Wheaton – bass guitar
Production
Hawkwind
Track list
1. All Hail The Machine (3:23)
2. The Machine (4:38)
3. Katie (0:55)
4. King Of The World (2:51)
5. In My Room (3:42)
6. Thursday (4:09)
7. Synchronised Blue (5:24)
8. Hexagone (4:51)
9. Living On Earth (6:27)
10. The Harmonic Hall (4:55)
11. Yum Yum (1:03)
12. A Solitary Man (5:03)
13. Tube (4:28)
14. Lost In Science (6:32)
