EVOLUTION

Now this was a surprise! The style of music involved here is not quite what I would have expected from this band (but then again I have not heard their previous two albums). I think I expected something a bit more electronic and 'spacy', but this is not. On the contrary, the material here is very melodic and rocks quite hard at times. But it can also be very mellow and reflective. Perhaps the most surprising element is that there is an acoustic nature to several parts with grand piano and acoustic guitars having a central place in the sound. This is more Symphonic Prog than it is Psychedelic/Space Rock. The band has indeed evolved a lot since their early days but you clearly recognize them still - this feels like classic Nektar while at the same time as being something new. I certainly prefer this over the earliest Nektar albums!

Songs like Camouflage To White and The Debate has a slight funky groove that sometimes remind of Remember The Future in style. The harmony vocals are lovely and the electric guitars are very well played and have a powerful sound. The album is also very well produced and the sound is crystal clear.

The lyrics are mostly good and reflective, but some blatant environmentalist save-the-earth-themes does tend to become a bit silly at times. But that is also part of the charm in a way.

The balance between the up-tempo, heavy songs and the softer ballad-type songs is very well struck, creating a varied yet coherent set. This is excellent music and one of Nektar's best albums ever.

Highly recommended!

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