Journey to the Centre of the Eye
Journey to the Centre of the Eye | ||||
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Studio album by Nektar | ||||
Released | November 1971 | |||
Recorded | June – August 1971 | |||
Studio | Dierks Studios in Köln-Stommeln, West Germany | |||
Genre |
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Length | 42:02 | |||
Label | Bacillus | |||
Producer | Dieter Dierks, Peter Hauke, Nektar | |||
Nektar chronology | ||||
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Journey to the Centre of the Eye is the debut album from English progressive rock band Nektar which came out in November 1971. Though formally divided into 13 tracks, the entire album consists of a single continuous piece of music, with some musical themes being repeated throughout the work. Because of its narrative nature, it has been called a rock opera and/or dense concept album. The story follows an astronaut who, while on a voyage to Saturn, encounters aliens who take him to their galaxy, where he is suffused with knowledge and wisdom. It is usually interpreted as a commentary on the nuclear arms race.[3]
Reception
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Allmusic | [1] |
Allmusic's retrospective review was positive. Stating that "throughout Journey's 13 cuts, Nektar introduced their own sort of instrumental surrealism that radiated from both the vocals and from the intermingling of the haphazard drum and string work." They praised the compositions and the performances of each of the individual members.[1]
Track listing
All songs written and arranged by Nektar.
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Prelude" | 1:25 |
2. | "Astronaut's Nightmare" | 6:27 |
3. | "Countenance" | 3:33 |
4. | "The Nine Lifeless Daughters of The Sun" | 2:55 |
5. | "Warp Oversight" | 4:10 |
6. | "The Dream Nebula I" | 2:14 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
7. | "The Dream Nebula II" | 2:26 |
8. | "It's All in The Mind" | 3:22 |
9. | "Burn Out My Eyes" | 7:50 |
10. | "Void of Vision" | 2:02 |
11. | "Pupil of The Eye" | 2:47 |
12. | "Look Inside Yourself" | 0:54 |
13. | "Death of The Mind" | 1:57 |
2013 reissue
A double CD reissue of Journey to the Centre of the Eye was released in 2013 on Purple Pyramid Records. The first CD is the original album. The second CD two includes part of a live 1971 show from Germany, where the band played the entire title song. (During later tours, exemplified by the 1973 show that appears on the 2021 live album Sounds Like Swiss, Nektar played a heavily abbreviated rendition of the song which ends with the "Dream Nebula" movement.) Additional songs from this "Official Bootleg" show are included on the 2013 reissues of A Tab in the Ocean and ...Sounds Like This.
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Prelude" | 2:03 |
2. | "Astronaut's Nightmare" | 6:51 |
3. | "Countenance" | 3:36 |
4. | "The Nine Lifeless Daughters of The Sun" | 3:31 |
5. | "Warp Oversight" | 4:26 |
6. | "The Dream Nebula I" | 2:24 |
7. | "The Dream Nebula II" | 2:35 |
8. | "It's All in the Mind" | 3:39 |
9. | "Burn out My Eyes" | 7:24 |
10. | "Void of Vision" | 1:56 |
11. | "Pupil of The Eye" | 2:08 |
12. | "Look Inside Yourself" | 0:46 |
13. | "Death of The Mind" | 5:05 |
Personnel
- Roye Albrighton - guitars, vocals
- Mick Brockett - liquid lights
- Allan "Taff" Freeman - Mellotron, pianos, organ, vocals
- Ron Howden - drums, percussion
- Derek "Mo" Moore - Mellotron, bass, vocals
- Keith Walters - static slides
- Additional personnel
- Dieter Dierks - additional piano
- Production
- Produced by Nektar, Dieter Dierks & Peter Hauke
- Engineered by Dieter Dierks
References
External links
- Journey to the Centre of the Eye at TheNektarProject.com
- v
- t
- e
- Ron Howden
- Derek "Mo" Moore
- Randy Dembo
- Ryche Chlanda
- Kendall Scott
- Mick Brockett
- Roye Albrighton
- Mick Brockett
- Allan "Taff" Freeman
- Keith Walters
- Dave Nelson
- Dave Prater
- Carmine Rojas
- Ray Hardwick
- Larry Fast
- Tom Hughes
- Steve Adams
- Desha Dunnahoe
- Steve Mattern
- Peter Pichl
- Billy Sherwood
- Journey to the Centre of the Eye
- A Tab in the Ocean
- ...Sounds Like This
- Remember the Future
- Down to Earth
- Recycled
- Magic Is a Child
- Man in the Moon
- The Prodigal Son
- Evolution
- Book of Days
- A Spoonful of Time
- Time Machine
- The Other Side
- Sunday Night at London Roundhouse
- Live in New York
- More Live Nektar in New York
- Unidentified Flying Abstract - Live At Chipping Norton 1974
- Nearfest 2002 (Studio M Recording)
- Greatest Hits Live
- 2004 Tour Live
- Live in Germany 2005
- Door to the Future - The Lightshow Tapes, Vol. 1
- Fortyfied
- Live in Bremen
- Live Anthology 1974 - 1976
- Space Rock Invasion
- ...Sounds Like Swiss
- Nektar
- Thru the Ears
- Best of Nektar
- Highlights - The Best of Nektar
- The Dream Nebula: The Best of 1971-1975
- Retrospektive 1969 - 1980
- Live
- Pure: Live in Germany 2005