Nektar was a ’70s progressive rock band that never quite achieved the success it so rightly deserved. While bands like Yes, Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Genesis and even groups that weren’t strictly Prog, like Jethro Tull and the Moody Blues had enormous success, Nektar never really had that one breakthrough song or album.
Also, it was a UK group who was based in Germany, but who had a sizeable following in the US. The group went through many lineup changes and never really had the chance to galvanize its following with a consistent sound. Regardless, two recent fulsome box set reissues of perhaps the group’s two most popular albums make the case that this is a band destined for a reevaluation.
Remember the Future, the group’s fourth album and second to be released in 1973 was its most popular and most well-conceived album. It should easily be included on any list of the best Prog albums of the ’70s. It’s a conceptual work, but one that is not bogged down in ponderous thematic narratives or over-wrought musical noodling. It’s a concise work with lovely vocals, shimmering guitar, atmospheric, yet forceful keyboards, and a tight rhythm section. This foursome wrings a lot of musical depth out of a fairly stripped-down musical setup. There are echoes of Pink Floyd at the beginning, the warmth and autumnal shadings of the Strawbs, and some of the jagged intricacies of Yes.
The box is a beautiful package with a striking and sturdy slipcase. There are four CDs and one Blu-ray. CD one is a 2023 remaster of the album, that also includes a live bonus track. CD two includes a 2023 stereo remix of the album and two bonus single releases. CD three and CD four are of a concert at the Stadthalle in Muenster, Germany from January 1974. The entire concert was previously unreleased.
The Blu-ray disc includes the album in 5.1, Quad and the new stereo and remix versions. Along with these four different versions are a promotional film of the band doing the title cut, one that is a conceptual video of “Wings,” and the group performing “Desolation Valley” on The Old Grey Whistle Test UK music television program. There is also a 68-page booklet and a beautiful large poster of the iconic album cover.
The other recent Nektar box reissue is of the Recycled album. Recycled was the group’s sixth release (Down to Earth came out after Remember the Future in 1974). It is even more of a cohesive concept album than Remember the Future and is about the environment. This is an album that is thematically far ahead of its time and resonates now more than ever.
Unfortunately, as good an album as it is, it is no way anywhere near as iconic and likeable as Remember the Future. The music here is a bit more bombastic and at times reflects some of the traits that were endemic at the time of a musical style (Prog) that was losing its luster and was an easy target for the emerging punk music anarchists.
Prog was becoming bloated and self-important, and although the subject matter was forward thinking, the music lacked the grace, intricacies, and accessibility of previous efforts. Thankfully, the more heavy-handed side of the album was mostly in the beginning, and as the album moves along the music improves greatly. This is an album where the group was aided by some heavyweight musical studio talent, including Larry Fast of Synergy on synthesizer and engineer Bill Price. The influences here lean more toward the heavier side of Pink Floyd and Genesis, with touches of the harder side of Bowie and even Gentle Giant.
The box is not as elaborate as the RTF box, but is a beautiful package nonetheless. The clamshell box includes five CDs. CD one includes a remastered disc of the album, plus two bonus singles. CD two includes the original Geoff Emerick mix remastered. CD three is a May concert from Massey Hall in Toronto, Canada from July 1976. CD’s four and five are from a May concert at the Calderone Concert Hall from July 1976. The venue was a legendary suburban New York concert hall. The area boasted a large Nektar fan base and it’s great to have this entire concert over two discs in print. There is also a 40-page booklet included.
These are wonderful reissues and make an important addition to the serious Prog library.
GRADED ON A CURVE:
Remember the Future
A
Recycled
B
