...SOUNDS LIKE THIS

Nektar

Psychedelic/Space Rock

3.35 | 263 ratings

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Nickmannion

This is of the 2 lp version, a staple on my playlist for over 45 years.

I never did/never have 'disliked' the usual choice/s people make as the best Nektar album but I always preferred the live/extended/guitar work out stuff. If I tell you one of my favourite post 2000 bands is Earthless then you probably get the picture... This little gem I bought on spec as it was a double at a single price and it is still in pristine condition and sounds (allowing for slightly wooly mid 70's production) amazing. The band seemed to be more popular in Europe than the UK and even had a foothold in the USA so they were never going to challenge the prog/crossover heavyweights although those 'in the know' always rated them....infact I believe there is a famous Joy Division photo/cover where Ian Curtis is wearing a Nektar t-shirt...which is some kudos.

Anyhow this is an album of two halves...but not as in disc 1 is better than disc 2. Some tracks are what people may think of as 'classic' Nektar, stuff that would have fit easily onto the previous (Tab) album and the following (Future) release....the first 3 tracks in particular. Then you have the jammed out extended tracks (bring em on!) 1234, Preacher, Odyssey that could blow a purple heep out of the building....but these seem to be the ones that polarise opinion. The keys were always subservient to the guitar so am unsure why folk are put off by Albrightons flights of fantasy...and btw he is a damned good guitarist too... I guess it ain't 'pure prog' .....a thing the purists turn their ears up at. Am never sure why the two, especially at the time, aren't a hand in glove thing...the balanced constructs and lyrical meanderings of 'classic' Nektar and the rock out freewheeling guitar led jams. Like I said, I can live with both but am probably a fan of the latter but would never mark an album down due to it not being 100% of the stuff I prefer.

All in all it is a balance and this one weighs pretty well even.

Nickmannion | 4/5 | 2024-8-4

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