Music Street Journal - Music News & Reviews

Progressive Rock CD Reviews

Nektar Recycled Review by Gary Hill Recycled is arguably the masterwork by this fairly obscure progressive rock band. Basically an epic piece divided into 11 movements, Recycled utilizes the tools of progressive rock (both unique and reminiscent of other bands) to create a very interesting piece of work. Focusing on recurring themes, the album creates a cohesive piece which has enough variety to avoid becoming boring, or even really slowing down at all. The whole piece flows very well, constantly evolving while feeling quite natural and coherent. For me, the weakest aspect of this album, and Nektar in general are the vocals. That said, the vocals really are not that bad, and at times are quite emotional and evocative. This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: The Early Years Volume 2 at garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-The-Early-Years .

Track by Track Review

Recycle Beginning much like a hybrid of Yes and Genesis, it eventually gives way to more wholly Yes type approach, though not really derivative.

Cybernetic Consumption Bringing to mind other progressive sounds, most notably ELP and Kansas, Cybernetic Consumption most reminds me of Drama era Yes, although it predates Drama by about 5 years.

Recycle Countdown This is essentially a reprise of Recycle.

Automation Horrorscope Starting in a poetic Moody Blues/Hawkwind type fashion, this song evolves into a more Yes style approach. This a very kinetic piece.

Recycling Beginning more laid back and balladlike, this is a very dramatic piece, and contains one very playful and fun section.

Flight to Reality This song contains a very dramatic build up leading into a recurrence of the opening theme.

Unendless Imaginations Containing some rather Steve Howeish guitar work and some nice choral vocals, this piece contains a bit more of the main theme, but in a more dramatic and symphonic treatment. Unendless Imaginations leads into a nice textural sort of section that carries into the next piece/movement.

Sao Paulo Sunrise Beginning with the same textural feel that the last song introduced, this one moves into new ground, while still evoking (to an extent) some of the earlier themes. Sao Paulo Sunrise contains a section which is one of the most mainstream and straight-forward portions of the album, while actually imparting an almost Zappaesque feel.

Costa Del Sol A rather playful progressive intro, including more choral vocals, leads into a somewhat jazzy/funky kind of groove. Definitely the most soulful part of the album, the bass and piano work really shine here. Eventually moving into some more conventional progressive territory, this piece covers a lot of musical ground.

Marvellous Moses Starting with another return to an earlier theme, this one quickly moves into the main body of the piece which is at one time both mainstream and quirky as hell. The bass work is prominent on this piece. At one point the song moves into a very dramatic instrumental break before returning to the main body of the movement. Eventually the music is brought down to prepare for the nice calm opening of the final portion of the album.

It`s All Over A very nice guitar ballad feel begins this one, becoming very emotional and richly arranged as the piece progresses. Some rather pretty piano/vocal work marks the ending of this album.

More CD Reviews

Metal/Prog Metal

Non-Prog

Progressive Rock

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.
© 2024 Music Street Journal Site design and programming by Studio Fyra, Inc./Beetcafe.com