1. What were your VERY FIRST impressions on listening to the album, say from the first five minutes in?
Fluid bass, atonal tripped out vocals, a guitar line that spans the void and some free sax noodling: must be a classic Hawkwind record!
2. What did you think of the opening tracks?
Excellent of course. 'Psychedelic Warlords' through 'You'd Better Believe It' give Pink Floyd's
Dark Side Of The Moon and The Steve Miller Band's
Fly Like An Eagle a run for their money as the quintessential 70's space rock record.
3. What did you think of the later tracks?
Less interesting, yet perhaps more pop oriented than the first half of the record. 'It's So Easy' has a nice groove to it!
4. Did you like the vocalist? Hate him/her? Any impressions?
It's been noted that more vocal contributions from Lemmy would have perhaps made this a stronger record, but Brock is and always has been the band's singular voice: he's the king and Hawkwind his castle. Take that for what you will!
5. Did the music (only) generally appeal to you, or not?
Oh, I love space rock: always have, always will. Being that only perhaps the Ozric Tentacles in the early 90's managed to eclipse genre progenitors like Hawkwind in sheer trippiness, this record hits a sweet spot for its era in my listening queue.
6. Did the album get better or worse as you listened to it (first time)?
Stayed about the same really:
Hall Of The Mountain Grill is remarkably consistent from start to finish IMO.
7. What did you think of the lyrical content?
Quite interesting considering how punkish they are at times: despite the progginess present, these guys have had a monstrous influence on pretty much any group who claims to be punk or post-punk over the following decade, particularly
Killing Joke, and the lyrics are quite prophetic in that sense.
8. Did you like the instrumental parts?
You bet. I give them huge props for dat sax too!
9. What did you think of the production?
Raw yet nicely embellished and layered where it needed to be: this is one of those poster children records for those wanting an idea of how to retain the energy of a band's live performance in a studio setting.
10. How well do you already know the band/artist?
Intimately. I'm a huge fan of almost everything they've done since their inception as a band.
11. What sub-genre, if any, would you assign this music to?
Space Rock, Proto-punk and to a lesser degree progressive rock.
12. On repeated listens, did you find you liked the album more, or less?
More as the years have gone on, much like an astral fungus from good ol' Dantooine.
13. What would you class as your favourite track, if you have one?
'The Psychedelic Warlords (Disappear In Smoke)', for reasons already mentioned by the last few reviewers.
14. And the one you liked least?
Probably 'Goat Willow'. I'm not much of an interlude guy despite my love of the flute...
15. Did the fact that this album is a debut/sophomore/middle period or later period allow it, in your mind, any leeway, and if so, was that decision justified or vindicated?
Its one of those records almost universally regarded as a classic among its peers, so I'd say any praise is fairly easy to defend in regards to this particular entry.
16. Are you now looking forward to hearing other albums by the band/artist?
Heard them all already...but going into 2013, you bet your ass I am!
17. Did you get, thematically, the idea behind the album if there was one?
Space...and the rejection of authoritarian institutions. Good combination!
18. Did the album end well?
Yarp.
19. Do you see any way the album could have been improved?
More sax and flute. I love instrumental embellishments that add extra spice to an already groovetastic lineup of material!
20. Do you think the album hung together well, ie was a fully cohesive unit, or was it a bit hit-and-miss?
95% hit and 5% miss sounds about right to me.
Overall Album Rating: 8.5 out of 10 -- Funnily enough, I'm one of those guys who actually really loves Hawkwind's sound circa the late 80's and early 90's and ultimately prefers it over their golden years, but you can't go wrong with this classic LP on any occasion either!