Spacehawk - hawkism

Spacehawk

Hawkism
self-released; 2014

3.4 out of 5

By Ted Rogen

Spacehawk is the musical collaboration of Noel Graham and Andy Gray. On their recent eight-song album entitled Hawkism they bring us a guitar album, which combines garage rock and psychedelia and that tips its hat to many of the bands that formed in the ‘60s and early ‘70s. The album is a complete DIY effort and although it lacks some of the professional sheen you would hear if it were recorded in a studio the quality isn't bad and it works with the gritty aesthetics you come to expect from a garage band.

The songs on Hawkism aren't particularly innovative or push any boundaries but they are well written, visceral tunes that fall in line with the resurgence of the genre. What you hear is what you get as the album serves up a heavy dose of guitar rock.

The opener “Ecstasy” is one of the highlights of the album. This song is especially gritty with a thick veil of white noise and a steady, heavy drum beat. When the chorus hits the vocalist sings “Ecstasy, now baby” and sounds eerily close to “in a gadda da vida.”

The next song “Jupiter landings” lays on the heavy veil of distortion in favor of reverb and a more dance worthy riff reminiscent of something you would hear from Joy Division. Even the vocals sound a bit like Ian Curtis. Speaking of the vocals they get too buried in the song when the lead guitar enters.

“Her magpie song” is fast paced, adrenaline filled rock that would be perfect in a biker bar while “Speedway” is a blues-inspired rock song that borrows riff from rock 101.

Spacehawk stills seems to be struggling to define their sound but overall their debut displays their chemistry and innate ability to write a catchy tune. There is room for improvement but it is certainly an inspired first attempt.

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