NEKTAR - A Spoonful Of Time (2012)

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NEKTAR is probably the most German-like of the seventies British bands, a fame that owes a lot to the town in which this act was founded (Hamburg) and to their stylistic approach.
Their earliest works were hard rock that drew heavily from the space-rock and later the band definitely turned melodic Prog releasing some mindblowing epic albums.
Nektar is celebrating their 43rd Anniversary releasing an album covering classic songs of all time aptly entitled “A Spoonful Of Time”, featuring an all-star guest line up.

Amongst the contributors we have Rick Wakeman, Geoff Downes, Derek Sherinian, Billy Sheehan, Ian Paice, Steve Howe and many more luminaries.
Doing a covers album can be tricky business; you need the right songs, but more importantly the inspiration and enthusiasm to bring them to life by your own interpretation. In the case of “A Spoonful Of Time” the results are satisfactory for most of these classic tunes.
Nektar chose 14 popular, mostly rock, songs from the last 40 years or so. Most are well known like Rush's "Spirit of the Radio", Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here", The Doors's "Riders on the Storm" or Toto's "Africa".
Others, like Roxy Music's "Out of the Blue" and The Rolling Stone's "2000 Light Years from Home" may be a little more obscure for some.

On all covers, Nektar's interpretation basically stay faithful to the original melodies and arrangements of every song with, of course, some Prog variation.
I liked the majority, being Rush's "Spirit of the Radio", Toto's "Africa" (featuring Bobby Kimball on vocals), 10CC's "I'm Not In Love", the mellotron festival of "Blinded By The Light" and Door's "Riders On The Storm" with a long keyboard solo, the best of the bunch.
Steve Miller's "Fly Like an Eagle" and Blind Faith's "Can't Find My Way Home" are the only weak covers for me, a bit flat in their development.
On the other hand, in the obscure O' Jays song, "For the Love of Money" (that drops more into the Motown category) Nektar version is truly well done with Ian Paice hitting the skins effectively.

Nektar's “A Spoonful Of Time” was produced by the band and mixed by Prog icon Billy Sherwood, who also played bass on some of the tracks.
The CD is a good Classic Rock collection of tunes covered with a Prog touch performed by these seasoned musicians with ease. It's a pleasure listening Bobby Kimball singing again or Billy Sheehan and Ian Paice playing something different from what they do in their bands.
Nice.


1. Sirius
featuring Michael Pinnella (Symphony X)

2. Spirit Of The Radio
featuring Mark Kelly (Marillion)

3. Fly Like An Eagle
feat. Geoff Downes (Asia) • Joel Vandroogenbroeck (Brainticket)

4. Wish You Were Here
featuring Edgar Froese (Tangerine Dream)

5. For The Love Of Money
feat. Ian Paice (Deep Purple) • Nik Turner (Hawkwind)

6. Can't Find My Way Home
feat. Steve Howe (Yes) • Derek Sherinian (Dream Theater) • Mel Collins (King Crimson)

7. 2000 Light Years From Home
featuring Simon House (Hawkwind)

8. Riders On The Storm
feat. Billy Sheehan (Mr. Big) • Rod Argent (Argent)

9. Blinded By The Light
feat. Joakim Svalberg (Opeth) • Ginger Baker (Cream)

10. Out Of The Blue
featuring Simon House (Hawkwind)

11. Old Man featuring
David Cross (King Crimson)

12. Dream Weaver
featuring Jerry Goodman (Mahavishnu Orchestra)

13. I'm Not In Love
featuring Rick Wakeman (Yes)

14. Africa
featuring Bobby Kimball (Toto) • Patrick Moraz (The Moody Blues)


Roye Albrighton: Vocals, Guitar
Ron Howden: Drums, Vocals
Klaus Henatsch: Keyboards, Hammond, Mellotron, Vocals
Billy Sherwood, Peter Pichl: Bass




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TOTO - Tambu +1 [Japan Remaster SICP 3118] (2011)

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Tambu is the ninth studio album by TOTO released in May 1995, which went gold certified. It includes the single "I Will Remember", which failed to chart in the USA but was the band's first chart hit in the UK since 'I Won't Hold You Back' 12 years before.

The first thing that jumps out about "Tambu" is the rather original design of the CD sleeve, giving off the appearance of a classic dime store pulp novel.
But it's not just the design of the CD sleeve that makes the album pop. This album marks Toto's first studio effort following the death of founding member and drummer Jeff Porcaro.
Perhaps what is most admirable about Jeff's replacement is that Toto didn't try to replace Jeff. They chose the well-established Simon Phillips, a drummer with a style and sound all his own and struck out in a new musical direction than the previous album 'Kingdom of Desire'.

"Tambu" is a more polished and melancholy affair. It's a band saying goodbye and seeking closure after the death of Porcaro, a closure they needed to find before being able to continue in the music business.
This is probably the band's strongest album to date (at least in the lyrical sense). There's an emotional honesty to the lyrics, weaving seamlessly with David Paich's keyboard chops, Simon Phillips soothing beats and rhythms, and Steve Lukather's gravelly voice which had become a mainstay since the previous album.
There's also a natural progression to the songs as you hear the band dealing with crushing grief and a desire to move on with their lives and careers.

"Tambu" is a varied CD with stylized AOR numbers such as "Gift Of Faith", "Slipped Away", the ethereal "I Will Remember", the groovy "Time Is The Enemy", the rocking "Drag Him To The Roof" and a jazzy-hard rocker on "Dave's Gone Skiing".
Of course we have the ballads on "If You Belong To Me", "The Other End Of Time", and the wonderful "The Road Goes On," which has become a staple of Toto's live shows in recent years.


"Tambu" is one of the most inspired TOTO albums ever, both lyrically and musically.
The sound of the songs as a whole is mature, borrowing elements from different genres with the typical class of this incredible band.
The vocal melodies throughout almost the entire CD haven't been this strong since 'IV'. Lukather's chief lead vocals are in such quality that it was puzzling why he hadn't been given the role earlier. He sings here with a deep, melancholic undertone.
Now, that "Tambu" has been brilliantly remastered including a bonus track, don't miss the opportunity to discover this marvelous album pretty ignored when it was originally released.
Top Class.


01 - Gift Of Faith
02 - I Will Remember
03 - Slipped Away
04 - If You Belong To Me
05 - Baby He's Your Man
06 - The Other End Of Time
07 - The Turning Point
08 - Time Is The Enemy
09 - Drag Him To The Roof
10 - Just Can't Get To You
11 - Dave's Gone Skiing
12 - The Road Goes On
13 - Blackeye (bonus track)


Steve Lukather - lead and backing vocals, guitars, bass fills, synthesizer, piano
David Paich - lead and backing vocals, synthesizer, piano, Hammond organ, string arrangements
Simon Phillips - drums, keyboards on "The Turning Point", drum loops on "Baby He's Your Man", Roland TR-808
Mike Porcaro - bass, keyboards on "The Turning Point"

Guest musicians:
Lenny Castro - percussion on "Gift of Faith", "I Will Remember" and "The Other End of Time"
Michael Fisher - percussion on "If You Belong to Me"
Paulinho da Costa - percussion on "Baby He's Your Man", "The Turning Point" and "Time is the Enemy"
Jenny Douglas-McRae - backing vocals, lead vocals on "The Turning Point" and "Baby He's Your Man"
John James - backing vocals, lead vocal on "Drag Him to the Roof"
Phillip Ingram - backing vocals
Ricky Nelson - backing vocals on "Baby He's Your Man" and "The Turning Point"
Steve Porcaro - drum loops on "Baby He's Your Man"




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www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=SICP-3118

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