Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Nektar's Remember the Future in my past, present, and future, September 30, 2002
I was 13 or 14 and buying music I heard on the radio including Elp, Kansas, Zep, Genesis and hard rock and especially progressive rock. I don't what made me buy this album but I found it interesting in the cover department. When I played it and noticed there were 2 tracks, one on each side, I was a little put off. Well I put on side one and wow!... I was hearing something that I knew was special and listened to it in it's entirity.
The start of RTF part 1 starts off with some wah guitar and soft keys, not overdone, but wonderful. Take a trip, back in time, I heard the vocals and the rest of side 1 went and it seemed like 2 minutes but the side one is about 18 minutes. This is somewhere between Progressive and Psychedelic, and something I can't explain. Side two has Floydian moments and is just as good as side 1. Each side features several parts and the sound is original and not like Yes, Genesis, or ELP, Nektar has their own progressive rock sound. This is a concept album based on bluebird who is looking for himself and although sounds goofy, is amazing!... Roye's guitar playing is marvelous and the Rickenbacker bass of Mo is just great and the voice of Roye's is great and full of feeling. I have had this album for twenty five years and played it at least once -twice per month. When the cd came out a few years ago, I noticed that it sounded much different and when compared with the album, noticed the guitar was not raised in the cd. This has been fixed and the new remaster is wonderful. Nektar is progressive rock in a league by themselves. This album will take you to another place, a classic, a masterpiece, an emotional journey of life. Also pick up Recycle!...
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28 of 34 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
For Spacey Prog Rock Epics, This Is, August 19, 2002
Basically, I'm in agreement with the two previous reviewers for this remastered version of "Remember The Future" - this is the crisp CD version we were SORELY lacking. Finally the superb guitar work has been brought back to the forefront (I was mortified by the passages buried under mounds of heavy organ sounds on the last remaster...but that comment isn't breaking any new ground, so...), where it belongs - in my opinion it was always the highpoint of this classic disc. All in all, this album was a template for many of the other "prog" bands of the era that tried their hand at concept albums - but this is an example of what it was like when it actually WORKED. I also think one of the things that sets Nektar apart is that while they were playing epic progressive music, their approach was more raw and stripped down - this album sounds like it could actually SOUND LIKE THIS if these four guys were standing on the stage in front of you - so it stands the test of time better than other nuggets from the genre that in retrospect can sound pompous and overdone - there's an honesty and a willingness to let some flaws slide by (for instance, some of the vocal harmonies are a bit on the rough side...) that gives this album a more "human" feel, which is ultimately very refreshing and endearing. And heck, you've always got the weird concept album characters to deal with, but I'll take "Bluebird" (in this case) over all of that wacky stuff on albums like Grobschnitt's "Rockpommel's Land" any day. For the curious - the new tracks are actually edited segments from "Remember The Future Parts 1 & 2" that were put together for radio play. This isn't a dig, because they're very tastefully done and a nice sampler if you haven't got the time to sit down and listen to the whole album in its entirety, which is certainly the recommended approach. All in all, I'm psyched they came out with this new remaster, but ticked that they didn't get it right the first time...I mean, how many bands are we going to have to go back and repurchase their entire catalog, for the SECOND time on CD, because these albums are ONLY NOW getting due treatment? Can I get an AMEN? As much as I want to resist that, the shiny lure of new bonus tracks and packaging often proves too much to resist... BTW though, most of the other Nektar albums sound pretty true to the original mixes found on the vinyl, so we'll see... You're wondering why four stars? Well, this IS best in class - but four stars because prog rock concept albums all just have an inherent tinge of goofiness, and c'mon folks, if we're honest there's a few tee-hees to be had here as well. Ha ha...
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Big Improvement on original CD release, October 1, 2002
By A Customer
I never heard the vinyl, just the first release of this CD. I read the many complaints of the guitars being buried in the mix and have been waiting for this remaster for a long time. Finally, I get to hear what everybody was talking about. I still enjoyed the first release of this CD because I didn't know any better and this album is that good. But this mix just KILLS the other one. The guitar is right up in front and sounds great.
Side one of this album is one of the best progrock album sides of all time. It jams!!! The groove on this tune just makes you want to melt into it. As far as I'm concerned, side one is SO good, side two could contain fingernails scratching chalkboards and I'd still buy it.
As for side two, it isn't quite as good, but decent.
If you like Yes and Pink Floyd, you will love this album.
For me, this is truly one of the great tripping albums of the 70s. Not that I'm into that sort of thing, but if I was...It makes you feel really, really good.
Also check out Recycled...in a way that album was better than this one. More consistent all the way through. A much bigger production on that one...I'm waiting for the remaster on that too!!
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