Band : The Lloyd Langton Group
Album Title : Night Air
Label : Atomhenge
Distributor : ?
Release Date : 2010
Review : CD

Huw Lloyd-Langton (born Richard Hugh Lloyd-Langton, 6 February 1951, at the Park Royal Hospital, Harlesden, North West London) is an English guitarist, famous as the guitarist for Hawkwind. He also has his own band, the Lloyd Langton Group with bass player Kenny Wilson and drummer John Clark (along Ultravox drummer Warren Cann), and is the session lead guitarist for UK band The Meads of Asphodel. As a member of Hawkwind he appeared on their first album, Hawkwind, before leaving the band. He rejoined the band in 1979, appearing on the Live Seventy Nine album release from that year and the subsequent Levitation album. He continued performing with Hawkwind until 1988. Since then he has made occasional guest appearances, rejoining for a brief spell in 2001/2002 until ill health, Legionnaires' disease, forced him to leave once more. (wikipedia)
Although Night Air is Huw Lloyd Langton first solo album, the UK guitarist is most widely known for his membership of Hawkwind . Even 25 years after its release, Night Air is an ok debut. Night Air opens very positive with the catchy rocking title track, which also is the best tune on the album. There are many points on this album that are good, but the album leaves some disappointing areas where it could obviously have been much better. Part of my problem with this album : Lloyd is not a great vocalist, and you are never confident he's going to nail every note: and no matter how well written these songs are (and they are), there's just no getting past that fatal flaw. The production of this re-release by Atomhenge is fair, although a bit on the tinny side and too eighties, the performances are good, but the album and unfortunately the guitarwork too lacks spark, hooks and imagination.
Still, for Hawkwind/Dire Straits cocktail aficionados, this will be a welcome addition to their collection, for others, file under 'approach with care'.

Peter Brems.