Dr. Hasbeen - ' Signs' 2-CD
(Black Widow) Catalog no: BWR104
From Aural Innovations May 2009 update
Another band out of the UK on the scene that draws plenty of their influence
from Hawkwind. As it turns out, Dr. Hasbeen does have several CD releases available.
I, for one got plenty out of this Italian import title. Total of twenty-three
top quality tracks of well-played space rock - just the way so many of us old
school fans like it. Disc one is made up of various studio cuts, liked the total
galactic opener title track "Signs", "The Seers Song", "Why
Syb" (sounds a lot like a Harvey Bainbridge composition), the atmospheric
"Looking Glass - End Of Days" and the adventurous "Lifers".
Disc two is an hour long compilation of live songs performed between 2000 -
2003. I may actually like the second CD a bit better - as I was impressed with
the fantastic "Countdown, The Final Flight", the wailing "World
Of Dreams", "Apollo 13" as well as their Hawkwind covers - "Psi
Power", "Golden Void", "Silver Machine", "Sonic
Attack" and "Master Of The Universe" with "Welcome To The
Future" tagged on at the end. Current line-up: Martyn Has Been - guitar,
synthesizer, keyboards & vocals, Daz Fletcher - lead guitar, Phat Jason
- bass & vocals and Stuart Dilkes - drums. Comes housed in a three fold-out
digipack with booklet. Be sure to visit their My Space page. Highly recommended
for fans of Liquid Sound Company, Architectural Metaphor, Farflung, Spacehead
and Mr. Quimby's Beard.
Check out the band web site at: http://www.myspace.com/drhasbeen
Check out the Black Widow Record Label web site at: http://www.blackwidow.it
Reviewed by Mike Reed