Nektar - Live In New York (1977, SACD 2004)⭐

Artist: Nektar
Title Of Album: Live In New York
Year Of Release: 2004
Label: SACD
Country: UK
Genre: Hard driving prog rock
Audio codec: FLAC (*.flac)
Rip type: tracks+.cue

The fact that this was Nektar's first tour of the USA, and that this show was broadcast over the radio thanks to New York's WNEW (then THE radio station for rock music), helped make this show all the more memorable, but how about the music? Well, many of their early classics were played, and even some tunes from the just released Down to Earth album, and the soon to be released Recycled.

The first CD contains a scorching rendition of part one of "Remember the Future", perhaps the best ever live version available of this song, with Roye Allbrighton's guitar work really shining throughout, as well as Taff Freeman's keyboard playing. There's the bouncy and fun "Astral Man" from the Down to Earth album, as well as the proggy tunes "Marvellous Moses" and "It's All Over", both in their early incarnations before they made their album debuts the following year on Recycled. Fans of the hard rock sounds heard on ...Sounds Like This will enjoy the bombastic riffs of "Good Day" (aah, that classic guitar & organ combo) , powerfully performed here, and including an especially passionate vocal delivery from Allbrighton. This disc closes with two more numbers from the Down to Earth album, "That's Life" and "Show Me the Way", the former an aggressive rocker that is fueled by Allbrighton's insistant guitar riffs and the driving rhythm section of bassist Mo Moore and drummer Ron Howden, the latter a more melodic piece that uncovers many layers and styles of the band.

CD 2 kicks off with the heavy rock of "A Day in the Life of the Preacher", a song from the ...Sounds Like This album that hints at a slight nod to contemporaries like Deep Purple and Uriah Heep with its muscular guitar work, raging Hammond organ, and wailing vocals. A Tab in the Ocean's brilliant "Desolation Valley" follows, echoing all sorts of powerful and majestic nuances, only to segue into part two of "Remember the Future", with Freeman ripping into a nimble solo that starts on the Moog, and then moves to Hammond, while Allbrighton lays down some funky rhythm guitar licks. Closing out this disc is the mind-numbing "Crying in the Dark/King of Twilight", which kick off the encores that also include "Woman Trouble" and a 50's medley that also has Down to Earth's "Fidgety Queen" thrown in for good measure. It's an exhaustive and exhilarating experience, and with the exception of missing out on Mick Brockett's light show, you feel as if you were there in attendance back in 1974.

Quite simply, this is one of the best live albums you can get your hands on, and if you have a SACD Surround Sound player, I'm sure the experience can be even more fulfilling. A mandatory, must-have release for Nektar fans and lovers of hard-driving prog rock.

Tracks
Disc 1
1. Introduction / Astral Man - 4:01
2. Remember The Future (Part One) Start - 9:56
3. Remember The Future (Part One) Conclusion - 7:44
4. Marvelous Moses - 8:36
5. It's All Over - 5:26
6. Good Day - 6:47
7. That's Life - 6:30
8. Show Me The Way - 6:28

Disc 2
1. A Day in the Life of a Preacher - 15:42
2. Desolation Valley - 9:57
3. Remember The Future (Part Two) - 8:14
4. I Can See You - 7:43
5. King of Twilight - 10:01
6. What Ya Gonna Do? (Woman Trouble) - 4:06
7. Medley: Johnny B. Goode / Sweet Little Rock & Roller / Blue Suede Shoes / Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On (Chuck Berry / Carl Perkins / Dave Williams) - 6:54
8. Fidgety Queen - 5:49
Recorded live at The Academy of Music, New York City on September 28, 1974

Nektar
Roye Albrighton - Lead Vocals, Guitars
Alan Freeman - Keyboards, Backing Vocals
Ron Howden - Drums, Percussion
Derek Moore - Bass, Backing Vocals