Search - Hawkwind :: Space Ritual Sundown (Dlx)

A Must-Own for Hawk Fans

Fritz Gerlich | admin@audioetc.info | 01/04/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"***************************Personnel

Robert Calvert - vocals

Dave Brock - guitar, vocals

Nik Turner - saxophone, flute, vocals

Lemmy (Ian Kilmister) - bass guitar, vocals

Dik Mik (Michael Davies) - Synthesizer

Del Dettmar - Synthesizer

Simon King - drums



*************************Technical Stuff

This box set release is fantastic. It has a metallic embossed box, a four panel fold out cardboard sleeve, a poster, a replica of the original concert programme, and a great booklet with an essay by Hawk's biographer Dave Thompson...absolutely outstanding packaging.



As far as I can tell there are four mastering available of this one. The 1985, the 1996, the 2002, and the 2008. This box set has the 2002 JBL mastering. As is to be expected, the '85 and '96 masters have the most dynamic range, but they are hampered by poor eq and sound quality, and the case of the '85 version primitive digital technology. The 2002 version has somewhat reduced dynamic range, but there is no clipping or mastering induced distortion. It also has excellent eq, and it comes on cd. The 2008 version only comes on vinyl from "Let them Eat Vinyl", and has less dynamics than the '96 & '85 versions, but more than the '02. The '08 also has excellent eq.

So my sound quality ordering would go (from best to worst): 2008 (vinyl) 2008 vinyl Sundown, Vol. 2-->2002 cd 2002 Boxed Sundown, Vol. 2-->1996 cd 1996 Sundown, Vol. 2-->1985 [no amazon link] cd.



I am sure you'll be very happy with the sound quality on either the '08 vinyl or the '02 masters. sound quality on either the '08 vinyl or the '02 masters.



Warning: There is a supposed 2-Disc set that is for sale 2 disc 2008 version. There are several versions of that one floating around, so just avoid any cd release in 2008 by "Abstract Sounds", "Demi Monde", or "Plastic Head Records". The second disc has nothing to do with The Space Ritual, and is an audience member recording (i.e. really really poor sound quality) of a so-so gig. A more complete version of that gig can be found: Text of Festival or Text of Festival if you really want to hear it. Also the mastering on disc 1, which is The Space Ritual material is absolutely abysmal on that 2 disc set: total loudness war victim, so avoid it.



*************************The Music

The original "The Space Ritual" album is rightly hailed as an absolute classic rock live album. That album was compiled from two Hawkwind dates, one at Liverpool Stadium on December 22, 1972 and one at Brixton Sundown on December 30, 1972. That album also had a fair amount of studio work done on it: guitar overdubs, redone vocals, etc. This album "Space Ritual Sundown V.2" presents the Brixton December 30th , 1972 Sundown gig, complete and untouched.



I've never liked it when bands take a live recording, and work on it in the studio. Redoing the vocals and adding overdubs kills the live element of the music for me. V.2 retains all of the intensity of the live moment, the mistakes, the extended trance inducing thrashing; in short everything that makes going to a gig worthwhile. The album is pretty much untouched in terms of studio mucking, with only one detectable edit between tracks 3 and 4. It is like hearing the live material for the first time, so dramatic is the improvement over "The Space Ritual". Of course, you should still get "The Space Ritual" because it has an entire second concert which V.2 lacks.



*********************Summary

This album kicks the snot out of the reworked tracks on "The Space Ritual". This one is a must have for newbies and hard-cores alike.

"

Space Ritual revisited!

ZO6 Hawkwind | San Jose, CA. United States | 06/15/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you liked the original Space Ritual you will like this one. What makes this a good purchase is the package. It has the reproduction poster that is so rare to find and very expensive when you do find it on ebay. You also get a cool Fasol Latido pin. A fine addition to my hawkwind stuff collection. Frame and display the poster and play it loud. There are better bands today but none sound like Hawkwind did in the 70's. Hope they tour again this side of the pond!"