...SOUNDS LIKE THIS

Nektar's third album was a bold statement, being a double LP. It is however, the sound of a band letting their hair down, and having fun. Don't look for intricate structures here, the tracks may be reasonably long, but that is because they are extended jams based around straight forward themes. "Sounds like this" was recorded live in the studio over three days in February 1973. The psychedelic influences of the first two albums are gently but firmly pushed aside, to be replaced by a much harder Hammond organ driven edge, more in the vein of URIAH HEEP or DEEP PURPLE.

Take "What ya gonna do" for example. This basic rock and roll/blues number could have been recorded by any number of bands during some down time in the studio. It's great fun and will get your foot tapping without a doubt, but it is not Nektar as we know them. This fun is also apparent on "New day dawning" where, for no obvious reason, midway through the song we veer straight into the Beatles "Norwegian wood".

"1-2-3-4" is a rambling 13 minute jam which features extended organ and guitar improvisations. Likewise, "A day in the life of a preacher" starts out as a couple of simple verses, then quickly moves into a lengthy, undistinguished jam. The closing track "Odyssee" doesn't even bother with the vocal preamble, going straight into an organ based, funkier session.

More time has clearly been spent on some compositions that on others. Both "Do you believe in magic" and "Cast your fate" are lyrically mature, and feature more defined melodies. The brief "Wings" too is a soft ballad with pop sensibilities.

Nowadays, the album fits comfortably onto the single disc of a CD. When it was released though, a double LP usually indicated that a band had been working on a major project which could not be fully expressed within the confines of one LP. With "Sounds like this", that is clearly not the case and the band are simply indulging themselves. There's no denying that the music here is generally enjoyable and proficiently performed, but as a whole, the album falls short of the standards set by the band's other albums of the period.

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