Remember the Future (Purple Pyramid Records CLP 0274, 2013)
This version of the classic Nektar album Remember the Future (originally released in 2013) is a lavishly packaged double CD 40th Anniversary set that contains the original album along with a bonus disc. The second CD features radio edits and an album titled The 1970 Boston Tapes.
Nektar is a British band that is frequently labeled as a progressive rock act. The music on their early 1970s albums had progressive rock elements, including some engaging guitar and organ passages and their attention-grabbing colorful artwork. While the essential prog bands of the 1970s incorporated classical, jazz, folk and other elements, 1970s Nektar was characterized by blues rock, sometimes with a hard edge, and psychedelia.
The original album, on disc 1, is where you will find the most interesting material. Disc 1 is basically two long pieces, Remember the future Part I and Remember the Future Part II. The second part is where the progressive rock-oriented material appears, with tasty guitar solos by Roye Albrighton that recall the work of Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour, which create great interactions with Allan “Taff” Freeman’s electric organ.
The 1970 Boston Tapes is a collection of early Nektar material, where the band played shorter songs in blues and hard rock vein.
The lineup at the time included Allan “Taff” Freeman on keyboards, backing vocals; Roye Albrighton on guitars, lead vocals; Derek “Mo” Moore on bass guitar, backing vocals; and Ron Howden on drums, percussion, backing vocals
The liner notes by journalist Dave Thompson provide interesting details about the band’s history.