Review
The true manna of the German-based, English-born Nektar is the music from their 1973 prog opus Remember the Future. Remember the Future had all the trappings of the progressive rock of the day, yet it told its story with a psychedelic attitude of an outsider. This made it attractively unique among a genre in fashion.
2013′s Time Machine, unfortunately, won’t take you to that place. Quite the reverse. Original members Roye Albrighton (vocals.guitars) and Ron Howden (drums) deliver the listener to the pleasant-enough land of Prog, but with no real challenges or surprises. The air is crisp and clean but the storm clouds bring true masterpieces. Albrighton, by the way, thinks Time Machine is the band’s best-ever. An interesting side note.
The best-ever on Time Machine is “If Only I Could,” where the chorus is as cathartic as Roger Waters at a good therapy session. The worst is when Nektar gets overly sentimental about North America in “Set Me Free, Amigo.” Even at its worst, however, Time Machine is gifted with well-done guitar solos and highly competent musicianship.
Time Machine means well. But it falls short of Nektar-type perfection.
