Road to Utopia (album)

Road to Utopia is the thirty-first album by space rock band Hawkwind, released in 2018. It features new acoustic versions of the band's 1970s' repertoire with two new compositions.

Road to Utopia
Studio album by
Hawkwind
Released2018
GenreSpace rock
LabelCherry Red
Producer
Hawkwind chronology
Into the Woods
(2017)		 Road to Utopia
(2018)		 All Aboard the Skylark
(2020)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Classic Rock[1]
Mojo[2]
Uncut[3]
The Wire[4]

The group's line-up had stabilised for some time with guitarist/singer Dave Brock, drummer Richard Chadwick, singer Mr Dibs and bassist Niall Hone being joined by bassist Haz Wheaton and guitarist Magnus Martin .

They had toured Britain in March through May 2017 in support of their Into the Woods album,[5] which featured an opening set performed acoustically. The Roundhouse main show from 26 May was issued as Hawkwind At The Roundhouse as a 2CD/DVD boxed-set on 8 December,[6] and the group made a promotional appearance playing an acoustic version of "Ascent" on Matthew Wright's Channel 5 daily morning television programme The Wright Stuff on 1 December.

The band started work recording this acoustic set in the studio when Brock had a chance meeting with Mike Batt at the US Embassy while both were applying for a travel visa.[7] Batt joined the project adding string and horn arrangements. Eric Clapton, who had been a teenage friend of Brock's prior to his rise in fame, contributed to the session. Road to Utopia was released on 14 September 2018.[8]

A one-off concert at the London Palladium on 4 November billed as In Search of Utopia – Infinity and Beyond with Batt conducting Docklands Sinfonia was scheduled, but demand lead to an extended UK tour in October and November with a guest appearance from Arthur Brown and support from The Blackheart Orchestra.

Track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Quark Strangeness & Charm"
4:32
2."The Watcher"Ian Kilmister5:05
3."We Took the Wrong Step Years Ago"Brock4:56
4."Flying Doctor"
  • Brock
  • Calvert
5:51
5."Psychic Power"
  • Brock
  • Calvert
5:19
6."Hymn to the Sun"Magnus Martin2:51
7."The Age of the Micro Man"
  • Brock
  • Calvert
5:31
8."Intro the Night"Martin2:11
9."Down Through the Night"Brock7:11

Personnel

Hawkwind

  • Dave Brock – vocals, guitar, keyboards, synthesiser, harmonica
  • Magnus Martin – vocals, guitar, keyboards, viola
  • Niall Hone – bass guitar
  • Richard Chadwick – drums, percussion, vocals
  • Haz Wheaton – bass guitar
  • Mr Dibs (Jonathan Darbyshire) – vocals

Additional musicians

  • Mike Batt – piano on "The Watcher", orchestral arrangements
  • Eric Clapton – guitar on "The Watcher"
  • Jez Huggett – saxophone on "The Age of the Micro Man"

References
  1. Fortnam, Ian (September 2018). "Hawkwind – Road To Utopia album review". Classic Rock. p. 91.
  2. "Hawkwind – Road To Utopia". Mojo. October 2018. p. 93.
  3. "Hawkwind – Road To Utopia". Uncut. November 2018. p. 30.
  4. "Hawkwind – Road To Utopia". The Wire. September 2018. p. 59.
  5. "Into The Woods: Deluxe CD Edition". Cherry Red Records. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
  6. "Hawkwind At The Roundhouse: 2CD/1DVD Boxset". Cherry Red Records. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
  7. "Road To Utopia Press Release". Cherry Red Records. 6 July 2018. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
  8. "Hawkwind: Road To Utopia". Cherry Red Records. Retrieved 8 July 2022.


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