Nektar: Journey to the Centre of the Eye

[zabble]

I got the new Nektar SACD in the mail on Saturday and I'm diggin' it. Nice job for having been recorded on only 8 tracks. "Remember the Future" comes out in May, and hopefully, more albums down the road will follow.

One caveat emptor: the two bonus tracks will only play in stereo mode on the Pioneer DV-563a. Maybe I'm missing something, but I can't seem to figure out a way to play these tracks in surround. @:

 

[sspsandy]

I received this disc in the mail last Wednesday, and after listening to it a number of times, I state that it is categorically excellent. This has always been one of my favorite records, one that never got the recognition it deserved. Fans of Hendrix, Pink Floyd, the Moody Blues, and King Crimson will acknowledge that this lp is right up there with the best of them. The SACD multichannel mix presents this recording the way it was intended to be heard, and gives more of a sense of how it was performed live. The composition was written as one long symphonic style piece that was designed for their lightshow, and had specific visual elements that went with it to tell the story. The mix is very discrete, and they remixed the original 8 track master tape in a way that brings out a lot of detail that is obscured in the stereo version. They used some tasteful effects with the mix, such as the sound swirling around through all five speakers as the album opens, where guitars are double tracked it is separate in the fronts speakers with the echoes coming from the rears, vocal harmonies are separated so you can distinctly pick out the different parts, voices all around you. Another part has the guitar and bass changing places up front with the keyboards moving left to right in the rears. All of it very balanced and not overdone. It is a distinct new mix compared to the old one, but preserves everything that was important, and enhances it in a way that is very pleasing. One more note, the 2 singles that are bonus tracks are only contained on the CD and 2 channel SACD layers. On my player when multichannel is selected, it only displays the 12 tracks of the main record .

 

[zabble]

Sandy, as someone who seems to be very familiar with this album, I'm glad the new mix meets your approval. This is the first time I've heard this Nektar album as I am only familiar with RTF and DTE. I must say, that I like "Journey to the Centre of the Eye" musically as a whole better than either of the two original quad titles. Now I wonder which other Nektar releases are similar to this. Any suggestions?

the 2 singles that are bonus tracks are only contained on the CD and 2 channel SACD layers. On my player when multichannel is selected, it only displays the 12 tracks of the main record .

According to the back cover, the bonus tracks should be available in both stereo AND multi-channel. Perhaps this is a misprint. It would be nice to know if anyone has heard these tracks in 5.1.

Mike

 

[sspsandy]

Mike, A Tab In The Ocean is closer musically to Journey than RTF or DTE, since Journey was the 1st lp, and Tab the 2nd. Personally, the double album Sounds Like This, which came out after Tab, is one of my favorites. It was recorded live in the studio. By the time RTF came out they were trying to create a more accessable sound, the earlier stuff being very experimental. Sounds has yet to be remastered, I think they're holding back on it to see if it could be done as an SACD as well. Live this band was always harder edged than in the studio, so the one remaster that they released last year, the double CD of Live At The London Roundhouse may also interest you.

 

[sspsandy]

I reread the CD package and booklet and what it lists is: The 2004 5.1 Surround Remix and SACD Layer. While confusing, it is correct insofar as there is a 5.1 SACD multichannel mix of the original album, as well as a 2 channel SACD stereo mix containing the 2 additional bonus tracks. The fact that SACD hybrids contain 3 separate layers on the same CD is a concept that still remains mysterious and elusive.

 

[timw]

Sandy / Zabble, Thx for your reviews/comments on this disc. I just picked it up at lunchtime today and have never heard it before either. It's nice that it's a hybrid..so I can check it out on my way home in the car and then hear the 5.1 mix at home! Let me know what you think of RTF if you get it next week.
Tim