Nektar – Journey to the Centre of the Eye
Cleopatra Records
www.cleopatrarecords.com

Rating: B

Nektar is a UK progressive rock powerhouse and while they never made much of a splash in the USA, their debut album came closest to breaking them on this side of the big drink.

Journey to the Centre of the Eye is considered one of their finest releases.  The music features some of the best Mellotron playing by Allan Freeman that one will ever hear.  Roye Albrighton’s guitar playing is wistful and at times spacey, yet he makes every note count.  These two really augment the sound the band was after; the result is just what they had hoped for. 

To make this collector reissue special, Cleopatra Records found a 1971 live bootleg of the entire album being performed live.  There are also liner notes by rock journo Dave Thompson and, of course, the original album, remastered.  This will be the first in an extensive reissue campaign from Cleopatra Records and Nektar.  There is even a new studio album from the old prog masters coming in the summer of 2013, as well.

I can think of no better way, while we wait to see what the band will sound like in 2013, then to send us back in time to relive their debut album. 

CD Track Listing

1. Prelude
2. Astronaut s Nightmare
3. Countenance
4. The Nine Lifeless Daughters Of The Sun
5. Warp Oversight
6. The Dream Nebula Part One
7. The Dream Nebula Part Two
8. It s All In The Mind
9. Burn Out My Eyes
10. Void Of Vision
11. Pupil Of The Eye
12. Look Inside Yourself
13. Death Of The Mind

BONUS DISC: OFFICIAL BOOTLEG
Recorded live November 13, 1971 at Bessunger Turnhalle in Darmstadt, Germany

By Jeb Wright