NEKTAR – DOWN TO EARTH (Cherry Red) (4 x CD clamshell box set) (1974/ 2025)

This newly remastered and expanded box set features 26 additional tracks consisting of alternate mixes, additional studio session and a previously unreleased live convert recorded in St. Louis in April, 1975 with the usual high-quality booklet and essay. Recorded at Chipping Norton Studios in England it was a concept album about a travelling circus and followed the highly acclaimed top 20 U.S. album “Remember the Future”. “Down to Earth” marked a more down- to -earth approach with a horn section and a guest appearance from singer P.P. Arnold.

‘Astral Man’, about a high wire man, is an infectious rocking opener. The humorous brass fuelled ‘Nelly the Elephant’ is not what you may think and ‘Early Morning Clown’ has some nice synth and acoustic guitars. ‘That's Life", the longest track at around 7 minutes, ends side one. Guitarist Roy Albrighton and Rickenbacker bassist Mo Moore shine on this one as the spirit of Yes is invoked. Adopting Germanic accents although they were English (a popular misconception – they were not a Krautrock band!) the frenetic, heavy riffing ‘Fidgety Queen’ opens side two with Albrighton playing a mean slide and unleashing a solo. ‘Oh Willy’ is another dynamic number with drummer Ron Howden showing what he’s made of before a quiet pastoral passage of play in the middle of the number with a brief keyboard break by ‘Taff’ Freeman when the high-octane riff returns. One of the younger members of the circus troupe, a ‘Little Boy’ is depicted in a reflective ballad. ‘Show Me the Way’ (not to be confused with the Peter Frampton song) starts with piano and slide guitar and is one of the longer numbers at around 6 minutes featuring an impassioned vocal by Albrighton and a synth/ piano led passage of play. ‘Finale’ revisits the ‘Nelly’ theme faded in.

Added to CD one are some remixes and Robert Calvert outtakes. Disc two is live at Chipping Norton studios on 27^th March, 1974 between the hours of 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. and, as such an important part of Nektar history with six outtakes. CDs three and four contain a previously unreleased live set from the Keil Auditorium, St. Louis on 2^nd April, 1975 with only ‘Astral Man’ from the studio album, the two part ‘Remember the Future’ being an obvious highlight.