Hawks: Perfect World Radio

Hawks
Perfect World Radio
Not Lame Archives
2003-08-27

What if your allotted 15 minutes of fame came and went, but you still had several minutes left over, unused? That was the case with Iowa’s fine quintet, Hawks, who were dropped unceremoniously from their Columbia record deal when their two respectable releases (1981’s self-titled debut and 1982’s 30 Seconds over Otho) didn’t propel them far enough into the sales-equals-success limelight. Shortly after, the band split up.

As it turns out, there was a lot more material than ever made it onto vinyl. This does make sense, considering how four of the five group members were songwriters (keyboardist Dave Hearn, bassist Frank Wiewel, and guitarists Dave Steen and Kirk Kaufman — though not drummer Dolor Larry Adams), often battling to see whose songs would make the final cut for the finished studio releases.

Now, a full two decades later, Not Lame Recordings has come to the rescue, serving up Perfect World Radio, 16 tracks of previously unheard Hawks music (originally recorded at the time of those first two albums, but tracks that never saw their way to daylight). Some of these songs barely missed being on the debut album (and were deemed too “old” when it was time for the follow-up), some weren’t recorded until after the second album’s songs already were chosen, and some just didn’t strike the fancy of some powerful Columbia execs.

What’s most obvious about this excellent collection is that it doesn’t seem in any way a bunch of rejected cast-offs. Instead, you get a sense of the extreme care that went into creating the layered sounds, vocals, and instrumentations that comprised any Hawks song. These guys were perfectionists and, as a result, even their demos were of exceptionally high quality.

The CD starts off with a cover of the Hollies’ “I’m Alive”. The band is tight, the guitars, harmonies, and beats precise and practiced. In the end, Hawks makes it sound very much their own.

“Only Love Is Real” is a bouncy ditty that fits in well with the new wave songs of that era. What distinguishes it (aside from the nifty synth hand claps in the end section) is the complexity of the song. There’s a middle bridge, a solo bridge, a slower section, and a different closing section. Well-studied in songwriting craft, as well in as the pop-trade tricks of that time, Hawks were far from musical dilettantes.

Similar complexity is found on “The Show Is Over”, with tempo changes and more on what the band considers an under-worked, plain-jane demo. “You Can’t Do Any Better Than That” is another fairly complex winner.

“Laughing” is an older track by bassist Wiewel, featuring some nice 12-string Rickenbacker from Steen alongside pleasant harmonies. The band liner notes on “Goodbye California” tell it as well as I could: the song marries “Killer Queen” with “The Things We Do for Love”. It’s an infectious song, slick with strong vocals and full of guitars and organ riffs. The dulcet mid-tempo “Pretty Promises” recalls some of the more balladic later releases from bands like the Cars, with a nice slide-guitar bridge.

Remember that this is a group weaned from a time when popular music included the likes of Orleans, 10cc, and Little River Band, Hall and Oates and Billy Joel, too. So you hear a lot of slick, radio-type singles in what Hawks had to offer. “Roxanne” is a fine ’70s-style song along those historic lines, but it didn’t get the nod from Columbia folks, merely because some other band had recorded a song with the same title (I think it was a trio, if memory serves).

Hearing “Cold, Gray Part of the World” makes me think I’m watching some happy montage of people running, laughing, sharing emotional moments, etc. To my ears, this would be the perfect hit theme song to some ’80s television show (perhaps because something in the hook recalls Mary Tyler Moore’s theme). Another opportunity missed, except in my mind perhaps.

Starting almost like a surf-rock song, “Living Inside Your Love” turns into a very new wave, “skinny-tie” song with its stutter beat verses (very Glass Houses-era Billy Joel). Dolor Larry Adams does some fine drumming on “That’s Right”. His work, along with some fine guitar, elevates this competent “new wave” song into something far better. “Pride” shows off the harmonies of the band against just about every little sound accent imaginable (hey someone — answer that phone!).

Also included here are the three demos that landed the band its major label record deal (“Right Away”, “Need Your Love”, and “It’s All Right, It’s O.K.”). This was no small accomplishment for some kids out of Fort Dodge, Iowa.

“I Don’t Understand It” is catchy as heck, and makes one mutter the title when pondering why Hawks weren’t given more of a chance in the long haul. Seems like they just didn’t fit into any easy category of the times — a bit too eclectic for mainstream radio and far too slick for the college circuit.

However, these guys really did write some polished and complex songs. Perfect World Radio is a delightful showcase of their talents as pop songwriters, giving you more than enough evidence to make a strong case that the original two albums should be re-issued on CD for eagerly curious listeners these many years later.