SPACE BANDITS

Yet another Hawkwind album in which the first track (in this case, Images) is pretty good, but the rest of the album took longer to grow on me. A fast-paced and energetic opener gives way to slower, dreamier material. Hawkwind had always been closely associated with the free festival movement in the UK, so it was inevitable that their musical craft would eventually nudge them in a more New Agey direction, but they retain just enough of an edge to avoid becoming entirely saccharine. (Call it "New Edge", perhaps.) It's hardly a masterpiece of rocking out, but as background music for contemplative moments it isn't half bad.