NEKTAR – Time Machine (2013)

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NEKTAR is one of the foundational bands of UK Prog starting in 1973 with their celebrated on-acid-psychedelic opus Remember The Future. The group is still alive and kicking after forty years including original members Roye Albrighton (vocals, guitars) and drummer Ron Howden.
“Time Machine” is their first album of new material in four years, but also a marks a new direction for Nektar, as Billy Sherwood (ex-Yes) is involved not only playing bass but producing as well.

Gone are the psych and the ‘trippy’ moments, “Time Machine” is a commercial melodic prog album with a really accessible sound, catchy arrangements and a lush production akin eighties Yes and Asia.
This is not to say that their Prog have lost any intrigue. But, while there is some liveliness and complexity to many songs like “If Only I Could”, “A Better Way” or “Diamond Eyes”, the band seems more focused using the foundation of agreeable melodic rock to pull you in. The title track is a good example.
Perhaps the poppy “Set Me Free, Amigo” is a bit weak, but numbers like the luxury ballad “Mocking the Moon”, the breezy “Talk To Me” with a nearly eighties Gilmour-like solo or the commercial rock groove of “Tranquility” (sounding a lot like Camel) are really melodious.
My favorite is opener “A Better Way”, an epic, light-sympho, rocking Nektar at their very best, complete with Albrighton’s wailing guitar and loads of vintage sounding keyboards, while the lush acoustic guitar & keyboards of the dreamy “Destiny” shows a different side to Nektar, but a totally intoxicating one, with hooks that grab you instantly.

Upbeat prog-rocker “If Only I Could” reminds a little of late ’70s Genesis with Albrighton’s vocals even hinting at Phil Collins a tad, and the wonderful title track “Time Machine” combines dreamy musical soundscapes with an ultra contagious chorus.
The very fine “Juggernaut” is a killer instrumental that has fusion touches but always melodic and rhythmically intense, with Howden & Sherwood completely locked in underneath some sizzling electric piano & synths from the very good keyboadist Klaus Henatsch and Albrighton’s melodic guitar lines.
The longest track on the album, the aforementioned “Diamond Eyes”, also closes things out, and in excellent prog fashion I might add, complete with mysterious lyrics, a catchy chorus and elastic arrangements (love the Hammond organ), this is another strong cut on a very solid album.

Perhaps rabid Prog fans would find “Time Machine” too much commercial, but we’re in the 2000’s and this is a great melodic progressive recording with something for everyone.
There’s classic Prog cuts with light symphonic passages (really melodious) blended with proggy melodic rock (some really catchy and moving) with an almost punchy delivery, all wrapped by a fantastic, modern crisp production.
So “Time Machine” is not only recommended for progsters, melodic rock aficionados must check this one as well, you’ll be pleasantly engaged by superb melodies and dynamics in the vein of Asia, ’80s Camel and the Trevor Rabin-Yes era.
Very, very good Prog/Melodic Rock marriage.
Recommended.

01 – A Better Way
02 – Set Me Free, Amigo
03 – Destiny
04 – If Only I Could
05 – Time Machine
06 – Tranquility
07 – Mocking the Moon
08 – Talk to Me
09 – Juggernaut
10 – Diamond Eyes

Roye Albrighton – guitars, lead vocals
Klaus Henatsch – keyboards
Billy Sherwood – bass
Ron Howden – drums, backing vocals

BUY IT !
www.amazon.co.uk/Time-Machine-Nektar/dp/B00CGUSM16
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