Recycled - Expanded Box Set

While the instrumental alliances that take place throughout Recycled aren't nearly as solid as on Journey to the Center of the Eye or Remember the Future, the album still harbors some of Nektar's intergalactic progressive rock penchants, although a slight decline in the band's cohesion is apparent. Guitarist Roy Albrighton lacks his usual gusto on most of the tracks, but tends to show signs of earlier days on both "Flight to Reality" and "Automatic Horrorscope." What does hold strong is Nektar's ability to conjure up a science-fiction atmosphere through the unorthodox application of percussion, guitar, and keyboards. Tracks like "Unendless Imagination" and "Cybernetic Consumption" wallow in a futuristic amalgam of strings and synth, with Larry Fast working the keyboards this time around. Fast holds his end up for the most part, but at times his playing sounds manufactured and colorless, which in turn dampens the rest of the surrounding instruments. Some intriguing creativity arises near the end of the album with "Sao Paulo Sunrise" and "Marvellous Moses," which resembles some of Nektar's early-'70s material. Recycled isn't a total disappointment, but the frequency of solid instrumentation and ability to hold attention does seem to fluctuate from time to time. ~ Mike DeGagne