Riffing off a line in the Robert Calvert penned lyrics of 1977’s ‘Quark, Strangeness and Charm’, Hawklords deliver their eleventh album and third of the trilogy Time, Space and Relativity on October 25th.
Hawklords evolved out of an ad hoc assembly of musicians who came together for a tribute concert for Robert Calvert in 2008, this group of musicians included three of the members of the original 1978 Hawklords, the last iteration of Hawkwind that Calvert toured with before going on to other things. After a similar group came together for the Barney Bubbles memorial gig in 2009 it was decided to put together a band for a tour of Europe (1).
After the tour a slimmed down version of the band consisting of Jerry Richards, Dave Pearce and Harvey Bainbridge recorded an album of new material, 2012’s We Are One. Members have come and gone over the intervening years but the core of Jerry Richards and Dave Pearce is still there with ex Hawkwind bassist Mr Dibs joining in 2021 for the Time tour and staying (1).
OK, so now you’re up to speed, what about their new album Relativity? In their press release the band describes the work as ‘An exploration of perspectives as experienced within the human context of reality and through the prism of the ever-evolving and ‘all-seeing’ AI’. Considering the band’s roots in a memorial gig for Robert Calvert it is great to see them engaging with themes that Calvert explored in his work including the magnificent ‘Robot’ on PXR5 and ‘Thanks to the Scientists’ on Test Tube Conceived. AI was a subject that in the 70s and 80s still seemed quite sci-fi but is now extremely pertinent with the advent of human/AI relationships and wider use of AI at work and in the arts.
The album kicks off with the track ‘AI’. More sinister industrial sound sculpture than conventional song, the poem confronts the listener with Marx’ warning of the dangers of power transfer latent within human-technology relations. The track depicts AI as assuming a full spectrum dominance replacing the myriad of differing relationships the individual previously had with other humans, nature, the divine, technology, time and reality. Be warned.
‘Odyssey’ takes us into an exploration of outer space and time; “We’ll reach the times, we’ll reach the stars, travel outwards, travel far. Reaching outward from cradle earth to find the secrets of our birth“. Great slab of classic space rock driven along by Pearce.
Up next is ‘Speed of Light’ which due to ‘Dead’ Fred Reeves’ piano sounds like it should be happening in a scuzzy pub somewhere on a far away planet! Think Mott the Hoople meets Star Wars! Good stuff.
Title track ‘Relativity’ picks up the pace and feels like the album has warmed up and has now really got into its stride, recorded voices deep in the mix, mixed vocal styles, superb guitar breaks. If the album was a gig this is where the crowd first goes nuts. Excellent. “Across the universe, to the elemental mind, to the very end of time“. Again great guitar work over a rhythm section that really propels things forward.
‘Rock Star’ struts on stage next, the verses a satirical take on the promises, delusions and corrosions of the pursuit of rock stardom with the chorus’ counter argument that contrary to all that delusional crap “Space rock, rock and roll, space rock is good for your soul. Space rock, rock and roll, space rock will save your soul“. The second line is obviously hyperbolic but you get the point!
Brilliantly positioned at the mid point of the album is ‘Machine’. A reprise of the subject matter of the opening track this ROCKS! Opening with an automated voice advising “Caution, Caution” followed by industrial noises the track bursts in taking no prisoners, an attitude at odds with the approach of the invasive/debilitating AI depicted here that seems more than happy to take us all prisoners, while claiming “I set you free“. Alexa play ‘Machine’ again…”I remember so that you don’t have to..”
The track ‘Kinematic Eye’ had me wondering as I’m sure you are, so…’Kinematics is a subfield of physics and mathematics developed in classical mechanics that describes the motion of points, bodies (objects), and systems of bodies (groups of objects) without considering the forces that cause them to move. Kinematics, as a field of study, is often referred to as the “geometry of motion” and is occasionally seen as a branch of both applied and pure mathematics since it can be studied without considering the mass of a body or the forces acting upon it’ (2). So now you know. The track carries on the intensity of ‘Machine’ and according to the Hawklords’ press release ‘seeks to examine those instances of creation which are otherwise inexplicable by all other means’. Another foot to the floor rocker with soaring guitar work; excellent!
In a return to the art installation sound sculpture vibe of ‘AI’ the penultimate track ‘The Raven’ is a gothy poem reflecting on life and the need to look beyond our immediate technological environment, the poem embedded in a foreboding soundscape. Very evocative. Made me think of Nordic Noir landscapes or Lord of the Rings where the hobbits look up, beyond the darkness and devastation around them, beyond the clouds to the wider cosmos.
My annoying laptop failed to play ‘Floating in Space’ but Hawklords describe it as ‘gently bring(ing) the listener back to a state of grace and tranquility, to touch down once again from this truly immersive sound space’.
If it was a football team this album would be described as having a real sense of identity, despite song writing credits being spread throughout the trio there is a real sense of cohesion, it is an art piece, a body of work not just a collection of songs. Superbly paced, Hawklords plus collaborators ‘Dead’ Fred Reeves and Paul Sampson have produced a classic space rock album.
Feeling really excited about the 100 Club gig in November!
Relativity can be pre ordered here Hawklords – Relativity (orcd.co)
Referenced.
(1) Hawklords (2000s band) – Wikipedia
Hawklords Relativity press release.
