Hawkwind – Somnia

Yeah, a real shame the LP and CD versions don't match. The Cherry Red website states that: "The CD and vinyl releases have been tailored to provide singular sonic experiences." What a cop out.

It's "alright".....production is much better than some recent Hawkwind albums although the material is all a bit ho-hum, nothing particularly stand-out or innovative. It feels more muzak than Space Rock and is perhaps Hawkwind's equivalent of Pink Floyd's The Endless River when excitement and purchase and subsequent play results in an underwhelming experience. I don't want the current Hawklords to be carrying the Hawkwind flag better than Hawkwind themselves but that's the way it's heading judging on this last offering.

its not hawkwind anymore such a shame play the old stuff keep the happy memory s

I think the standard of Hawkwind releases since 2016 has been very high, and this is the icing on the cake, an evocative, densely layered album of psychedelic krautrockery. I also think that the three tracks left off the vinyl ("China Blues", "Barkus" and "Cave Of Phantom Dreams") are three of the best tracks, making the vinyl version something of a failure. Shame on you Cherry Red!

Breaks my heart to say it, but this is the weakest Hawks studio album ever. The power is fading. All Aboard The Skylark was an excellent album. Lockdown seems to have diluted the chemistry. Unsomnia is ok in its ambition and the latter part is quite pretty, but for me its the best track only by dint of not feeling quite so out of sorts as the other ones. Listened to it a few times and it's still not growing on me, unlike the latest Gong offerings which have a quirk all of their own.
I appreciate most other reviewers love the album, or feel obliged to say so out of loyalty, but it just doesn't do it for me. Maybe its down to lack of the chemistry you get when playing in the same studio, but it doesn't gel into something imbued with the essence of Hawk life, maybe I've been following Hawkwind too long and my expectations are too high, maybe they need Arthur Brown back for an extra octane kick. Seems all bit too mainstream & I think I prefer the Hawkwind wind to be above the jetstream in the spacestream. Fingers crossed the next one gets back up there...

Well, as long as the Space Captain is on this realm and creates new songs, I’ll be on board. Got to have this both on vinyl and cd. Great memories of this band during 40 years experience.

Rare glimpses of the Hawkwind we know and love but this release requires a little more depth
C’mon Dave dig deep for extra musicians!

Another great release from the lockdown Mothership :) Gutted the tour is postponed, was supposed to be having it large in Leamington this weekend...

Got this in post today. Cant buying it. It's on the revolver now and sounds great.

I want it, you can listen at utube to the full album, the cd seems to have 3 bonus tracks... :(