HAWKS - HAWKS (1980)
The name Hawks came as an acronym formed by the first letters of the last names of the band members: Dave Hearn, Larry Adams, Frank Wiewel, Kirk Kaufman, Dave Steen. Hawks was put together to play showcases for both Columbia and Capitol Records in the Studio. The band signed with Columbia in 1980.
The Midwest power pop/new wave scene thrust many bands into the limelight, none more deserving of success than this quintet. Four of the five members wrote and sang great pop tunes that could have had wider appeal if this album had just received some airplay. Tom Werman, producer of Cheap Trick, was enlisted to produce the first album "Hawks." The album is crisp and full, filled with harmonies, layered guitars, and, best of all, great tunes. Keyboardist Dave Hearn leads the pack with the most disc space (the perfect opener "It's Alright, It's OK" is one of his), but all the writers carry their own weight. Guitarist Dave Steen's "Right Away" sounds like Todd Rundgren with George Harrison. Second guitarist Kirk Kaufman's "Let Me In" is a beautifully haunting power ballad that could've fit on either of Badfinger's Warner Brothers albums. As is the case for many of the great lost '80s albums, promotion on this album was nonexistent and it failed to sell. They released a 1982 follow-up, "30 Seconds Over Otho", eventually fading into obscurity. In 2003, Not Lame created a third Hawks album of sorts, proving the band had much more up its sleeve. Compiled with the assistance of the band, "Perfect World Radio" features various demos and unreleased tracks.
Songs
It's All Right, It's O.K. / I Want You, I Need You / Right Away / Lonely Nights / Let Me In / Need Your Love / American Girls / The Admiral's Mutiny / Spend This Evening / Dancing In The Shadows