Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Nektar
Label: Bellaphon
Released: 1973
Rating: 4/5
At over 70 minutes, “Sounds Like This,” which originally came out as a double album long before CDs showed up, is completely unique and easily the most controversial record in the whole Nektar discography. That cuts both ways: in a good way for fans of technical instrumental chops and long improvised jams, and in a slightly less cheerful way for those who like songs with a beginning, an end and some kind of connecting melody. It’s got no equal in the band’s history in terms of how it was recorded and played, which was totally live and almost completely spontaneous. Plenty of the improvised ideas even turned out great, which is no surprise with musicians as outstanding as the members of Nektar, led by charismatic singer and guitar oddball Roye Albrighton, who left some of his best guitar playing here, maybe even the best in the band’s story. His guitar, teamed up with Allan “Taff” Freeman’s keyboards, gives the album that mysterious, slightly psychedelic sound they’re known for, with broad melancholic swells mixed with energetic passages and razor-sharp riffing. Add the incredible rhythm work of drummer Ron Howden, who doesn’t skimp on wild transitions and shows a rarely seen rhythmic fluidity, plus the all-round contribution of bassist Derek “Mo” Moore, and even the most complex improvisation or solo spot on the album turns out to be a total triumph of prog rock unpredictability and unbridled hunger for instrumental adventure.
Anyone who expected Nektar to follow the masterful “A Tab In The Ocean” (1972) with more of their own brand of space rock, built on a mix of esoteric symphonics, psychedelic instrumental freak-outs and heavy-rock guitar and organ blasts, got a cold shower with this one, because it’s hard to imagine a more radical stylistic break. Instead of deepening the symphonic prog side and the esoterica and making yet another concept album, they decided to put that tradition on hold for a while and record “Sounds Like This” entirely live (in the studio, of course), in one go, with no studio fixes and not much prep. That was a seriously bold move and it brought mixed results, but most of them came off, and the album holds some of the strangest and most experimental things in their career, a real challenge for every progressive rock ear that demands total openness to stylistic and genre variety.
Most of the tracks move through heavy-rock waters far more than classic symphonic prog, and inside their fragmented structures they pack longer improvised jams in the style of the live orgies of popular 70s heavy rock bands like Deep Purple or Led Zeppelin. In the structure of its individual arrangements, “Sounds Like This” more than obviously flirts with the heavier sounds and tradition of bands led by Deep Purple and (maybe even more obviously) Uriah Heep, especially in the vocal approach and expressive drama. That’s especially true when the long, complex Hammond organ solos kick in, paired with razor-sharp, witty guitar riffs that are often backed by some special effects. On a few tracks they even catch a whiff of funk rhythms and straight-up blues boogie. So fans of long jams, their heavy rock side and technical wizardry got their money’s worth, while among followers of softer melodies and esoteric swells it’s still not very popular today. The incredibly live sound of the raw production is obvious all the way through, which goes a long way toward making it feel like the whole album was recorded at some gig.
But at the very start of the album it seems like the direction from “A Tab In The Ocean” is going to continue. The opener, the very solid, melody-driven “Good Day,” shares quite a few traits with “Waves” from the previous album. It opens with Albrighton’s gentle guitar accompaniment and soulful vocal, then rumbling drums carry it into an energetic section with sweeping organ passages and punchy riffs. Roye’s melodramatic singing and a really lovely central guitar riff lead into a melodic chorus. Two excellent back-to-back guitar solos follow, and then a very good instrumental finish. The album stays on a high level with the very good “New Day Dawning,” which opens as a gentle folk ballad with a vocal loaded with serious pathos and melancholic passages on guitar and keyboards. Again, no shortage of a really nice melodic chorus. After that comes a complex instrumental section with an extremely witty guitar solo. Suddenly a reworked motif from The Beatles classic “Norwegian Wood” gets cheekily woven in, and then a guitar solo takes over. A few more excellent passages on organ and bass follow, and an elegant instrumental ending.
“What Ya Goona Do?” is totally out of context, though: a boring blues boogie rocker that doesn’t stand out in any way from the whole crowd of similar stuff done by a legion of bands at the time. Freeman does pull off a great organ solo in the middle section, which he launches off the central riff on guitar and bass. Nektar allowed themselves a short bit of fun and a little silliness here, taking a quick trip to the cowboy saloon, but they could have survived without this bizarre experiment with no problem at all. Next comes another odd experiment, but this time a much more successful one, “1-2-3-4,” which opens with witty funky riffing on guitar and bass that fits the traditional Nektar sound way better than the blues does. Once again they serve up loads of outstanding passages on guitar and organ. A great rhythm section backs the funk guitar passages and the individual solos the whole way through. A long jam section follows, with extended solos on guitar and keyboards, running all the way to the end of the track. “Do You Believe in Magic?” has an excellent, slightly mystical intro built on a mighty guitar riff and booming organ. The individual verses and the chorus are sung brilliantly. Then come lots of exchanges of electrified riffs, wild organ passages and complex guitar solos. To top it off, Roye delivers one more solo, this one seasoned pretty heavily with psychedelia. Next up is the closing part of the album, which originally made up its second half.
The melancholic “Cast Your Fate” is another really beautiful piece, with gorgeous verses over Roye’s dramatic singing, a clever guitar riff and an incredibly full Hammond sound. The closing stretch gets noticeably punchier and brings mighty guitar riffing. “A Day In The Life Of a Preacher,” split into three sections (Preacher, Squeeze, Mr. H), is one of Nektar’s classics and a treat for everyone who loves technical chops and sprawling improvised jamming, since it’s bursting with all kinds of riffs and complex solos, especially on guitar and Hammond organ. The opening section, “Preacher,” has an almost southern-rock guitar riff and rhythm, then moments later shifts into punchier, more complex motifs. In the middle section, “Squeeze,” a huge instrumental jam breaks out with a heap of mouthwatering guitar and organ solos. The closing, somewhat calmer section, “Mr. H,” offers a few more superb instrumental bits and improvisations.
“Wings” is another great track, really a half-ballad that doesn’t hide its melancholic nature, with a heart-wrenching vocal performance from Roye and gorgeous arrangements on guitar and organ. It shows off their lighter side and at the same time cools down the seriously heated mood that the extended jamming had built up until then. The closing composition “Odyssee,” split into three parts (Rons On, Never, Never, Never and Da- Da- Dum), is the improvisational peak of the album, a huge jam with a proper psychedelic freak-out, where there’s no point analyzing the individual instrumental sections in detail, since you always find something new on every listen. It’s got everything a lover of improvisational wizardry could wish for: extended improvised riffing, varied solos on guitar and organ, complex rhythmic changes and experimental guitar sounds. The closing section, “Da- Da- Dum,” puts a phenomenal, extended Howden drum solo front and center, showing one of the most unique drummers of his time at work.
Even though it isn’t without flaws and some ideas didn’t quite land, especially when they felt like having a bit of relaxed “fun,” “Sounds Like This” is an excellent record that had the bad luck of coming out squeezed between the masterpieces “A Tab In The Ocean” and “Remember The Future” (1973), which played a big part in it being overlooked across the board. The album’s main strength is that live, unvarnished production approach, and with it the unpredictability and spontaneity of a live performance, with ideas coming together on the fly, which shows the incredible tightness and technical skill of the individuals in this remarkable lineup. This is an album with only two options: you either like it or you don’t, and there’s no middle ground. Anyone who can’t stand long, spontaneous improvised jams like the ones on live classics such as “Made In Japan” and “The Song Remains The Same” will get a turned stomach from “Sounds Like This,” while for fans of this kind of psychedelic/space rock/heavy rock instrumental adventure it’ll become an essential piece of the furniture. “Sounds Like This” breaks through many musical “taboos” and genres by forming a wonderful bridge between prog (space rock, to be precise) and heavy rock. That’s why it should definitely deserve at least a bit more respect and attention in the future from fans of both of those styles.
Lineup
Roye Albrighton – vocals, guitar
Derek “Mo” Moore – bass guitar, backing vocals
Allan “Taff” Freeman – keyboards, backing vocals
Ron Howden – drums, percussion
Mick Brockett – stage lighting
Production
Nektar and Peter Hauke
Track list
1. Good Day (6:45)
2. New Day Dawning (5:02)
3. What Ya Gonna Do? (5:24)
4. 1-2-3-4 (12:47)
5. Do You Believe In Magic? (7:17)
6. Cast Your Fate (5:44)
7. A Day In The Life Of A Preacher (Preacher, Squeeze, Mr H.) (13:01)
8. Wings (3:46)
9. Odyssee (Rons on, Never Never Never, Da-Da dum) (14:31)
Album length: 74:17
