Masters Of The Universe

Though little more than a year had elapsed since Hawkwind bade farewell to United Artists with the peerless Road Hawks compilation, still the label could not resist leaping back into the vault to create a new collection geared more toward the mainstream fan than the die-hard collectors who would have drooled over the earlier set. To that end, only one true "rarity" crept onboard, the live version of "It's So Easy" that backed 1974's "Psychedelic Warlords" single, and only one surprise, the amphetamine nightmare "Lost Johnny," which departed bassist Lemmy wrote with journalist Mick Farren, and which had already been revamped by both of its authors in the meantime. The remainder of the album, then, drew from the In Search of Space/Do Re Mi/Space Ritual period, restaging such epic favorites as "Orgone Accumulator," "Brainstorm," and, of course, the title track, plus the doomsday delight of "Sonic Attack" -- a Michael Moorcock poem that was on its way to becoming one of Hawkwind's best-loved and longest-lived performances ever. As an introduction to Hawkwind or a reminder of the marvels that they once portended, Masters of the Universe's only real downfall is its brevity -- a compilation with only six songs, after all, feels lightweight no matter who the band is. Once the needle hits the vinyl, however, all such objections fly out of the window. ~ Dave Thompson|