In rock music there are roots, but when space is the place you have to evolve. By the time Hawkwind had reached this here fourth album, their lineup and equipment had gone through the changes necessary for interstellar travel.
“Hall of the Mountain Grill” follows the live album “Space Ritual,” and it’s around the time between that Hawkwind are usually considered to be at their prime. Essentially creators of the psychedelic niche known as space rock, these guys put together not-so-ambient pieces that do indeed appear as vast as space and placed them alongside some well-grounded-but-mind-bending rockers. Guitars drive forward in choppy rhythms and turn into sheets of plane engine rumble a few innovative steps post-Dick Dale (out with distortion, set phaser pedals from stun to kill).
Openers “The Psychedelic Warlords” and “Winds of Change” let you know that Hawkwind are all about having one boot grounded on Earth and another among the stars. They aren’t afraid to rock in a way that sounds recognizable, then leave you in a fog. On the flip side of this album you get similar treatment with “You’d Better Believe It” and title track “Hall of the Mountain Grill.” One of the best tracks “Lost Johnny” gives bass player Lemmy (of later Motörhead fame) some vocal duties and the magnificent closer “Paradox” eschews strings for future-forward synthesizers.
Vocals aren’t quite buried, but rather accompany the rock. Looking up the opening track lyrics show that Hawkwind were all about escaping from their environs, relating to their audience of the day whilst giving an awesome instrumental high. And we can still use that right about now!
Space is a big place. This is a great album to start exploring it with. -Wade
