ASTOUNDING SOUNDS, AMAZING MUSIC

An awkward transitional album, Astonishing Sounds Amazing Music finds Hawkwind struggling to adapt to a couple of major lineup changes - firstly, the loss of Lemmy, and with him the heavy, sludgy basslines which had been integral to their sound for the last few years, and secondly the return to the fold of poet-vocalist Robert Calvert, who had taken a leave of absence following the storm of controversy surrounding his misjudged (but really rather fun) Urban Guerilla single.

First the positives: Calvert taking over lyrical and vocal duties really enhances some of the songs; the two really astonishing or amazing tunes on the album, Reefer Madness and Steppenwolf, are steeped in Calvert's unique poetic outlook on life and sense of humour. However, much of the rest of the album consists of various instrumentals which devotees of the earlier bass-driven monstrosities of Lemmy-era Hawkwind will take a while to warm to - if, indeed, they ever do. On balance, Astonishing Sounds Amazing Music starts strong, and the instrumental workouts are decent, but it isn't quite on the level that the previous incarnation of the band hit - or that the Charisma-era band would grow to.