Under the needle

Europeans zoom into the future

by Steve DelNero

Hawkwind-Sonic Attack

Hawkwind was one of the original psychedelic rock bands. Although they have kept a number of "space-cadet" fans over the years, they never became as popular as a group like Pink Floyd, whose mellowness after 1972 muffled any hint of heavy metal.

On Sonic Attack Hawkwind has taken its progressive, malevolent, underworld rock to new heights. Original members Dave Brock and Huw LloydLangton are here, but the "guest artists" from last year's Levitation LP, Ginger Baker and ex-Gong Tim Blake, are

gone.

It's Hawkwind's best album in years!

The title cut (re-done from 1973's live Space Ritual LP) is just about the best heavy metal

song this..year. Are you prepared for imminent sonic destruction? "Angels of Death" and "Streets of Fear," the other heavy metal tracks, will appease old Hawkwind metal fans, but "Psychosonia" and "Coded Languages" will have the space cadets bopping to the tape loops and cacophony.

"Virgin of the World" has an eerie chorus of "We are undead" and Heldon-like instrumentation. "Disintegration" sounds like Alex Harvey, believe it or not (remember him?)

Not only should every Hawkwind fan own this album, but also those of you like heavy metal space music and are sick of the same Van Halen and Blue Oyster Cult songs on the radio. Tangerine Dream-Exit

Tangerine Dream, founded in 1969 by guitarist Edgar Froese in Berlin, was a pioneer

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in electronic space music. Like Kraftwerk (different sides of the same coin), they have influenced dozens if European rock bands. Tangerine Dream has released more than its share of dull, turgid music over the years, but-WOW-have they released a great album this time!

I've never been a real fan of T. Dream's boring drone, so I'm especially excited about their new interest in disco. "Choronzon" and "Network 23" are the picks to click here. Although Tangerine Dream is primarily a synthesizer and guitar outfit, on these cuts they use a sythetic rhythm section with real percussion, and a. steady, pounding bass.

"Pilots of Purple Twilight" and "Exit" will be the favorites of old T. Dream fans, and "Remote Viewing" will remind you alternately of Brian Eno's Music for Films and Richard Pinhas' Chronolyse

The danceable "Kiew Mission" has vocals (a female singing names of different continents and such in, I believe, Russian), quite intriguing for a band which has released at least two dozen albums (including solos) of 100% instrumentals.

A far cry from the "lost in the ozone" music that Tangerine Dream is known for, Exit is probably the most commercial album they've ever released. It also ranks as one of the best progressive albums of the year. Tangerine Dream Fanatics (some of whom must be vegetables by this time!) will be amazed.

Any fans of Conrad Schnitzler (founding member of T. Dream and Kluster) are

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Yello-Claro Que Si

Claro Que Si comes to you from Yello, a trio of Swiss electronic rockers. Yello's debut album, Solid Pleasure, reminded me of Devo and Faust in their various antirock traditions. Claro Que Si is more commericial (disco), but continues this everything-isrock campaign. Taking the most commercial aspects of the German electronic rock scene and adding to it a dry sense of homor, Yello is emerging into one of the most interesting pop bands of the eighties.

The funniest cut is "The Evening's Young." In his best Humphrey Bogart imitation, Dieter Meier is stalking his prey, while the rest of the band is doing a Devo ("Red Eye Express") imitation. In "Pinball Cha Cha" he complains that "every ball is just another game" to pinball sound effects and a cha-cha beat.

My favorite cuts (again?) are the disco cuts, "The Lorry" and "Daily Disco." Dieter Meier's vocals are hoarsely and crudely shouted most of the time, and leader/electronical wizz Boris Blank's mixing doesn't help matters, but you'll be all over the dance floor! Bowie for Christmas

A good Christmas present for David Bowie fans will be his latest release, Changestwobowie. Its "rare" track is the disco "John, I'm Only Dancing Again" from 1975.

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