(4 / 5)
Atomhenge, the label home for the Hawkwind catalogue between 1975 and 1997, releases a triple CD set of all three of Hawkwind’s albums originally released by the GWR label between 1988 & 1991 – “The Xenon Codex”, “Space Bandits” and “Palace Springs”.
Alongside Hawkwind Captain Dave Brock and long-time member Harvey Bainbridge, “The Xenon Codex” would be the last album of the 1980s to feature Huw Lloyd Langton on guitar, while bass guitarist Alan Davey would come more to the fore within the band.
For “Space Bandits”, Richard Chadwick would join Hawkwind on drums (a role he continues to fulfil to this day), while former member Simon House would guest on the album, along with vocalist Bridget Wishart.
“Palace Springs” was Hawkwind’s final album for GWR Records and featured new tracks such as ‘Treadmill’ and ‘Back in the Box’, alongside some live recordings of classic Hawkwind tracks.
This official 3CD clamshell boxed set features each album in a replica card-sleeve wallet and includes an illustrated poster. A great reminder of a band that are perhaps not given the credit for the innovative work they did and how inspiring they were to other bands. The track listing:
THE XENON CODEX
1. THE WAR I SURVIVED
2. WASTELANDS OF SLEEP
3. NEON SKYLINE
4. LOST CHRONICLES
5. TIDES
6. HEADS
7. MUTATION ZONE
8. E.M.C.
9. SWORD OF THE EAST
10. GOOD EVENING
SPACE BANDITS
1. IMAGES
2. BLACK ELK SPEAKS
3. WINGS
4. OUT OF THE SHADOWS
5. REALMS 6. SHIP OF DREAMS
7. TV SUICIDE
PALACE SPRINGS
1. BACK IN THE BOX
2. TREADMILL
3. LIVES OF GREAT MEN
4. VOID OF GOLDEN LIGHT
5. TIME WE LEFT
6. HEADS
7. ACID TEST
8. DAMNATION ALLEY
By Sally Fox
(1 / 5) ‘Dull Zone’
(2 / 5) ‘OK Zone’
(3 / 5) ‘Decent Zone’ (4 / 5) ‘Super Zone’
(5 / 5) ‘Awesome Zone’
