Fourth [IMPORT] [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED]

Soft Machine & Heavy Frinds, Soft Machine

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 5, 2007)
• Original Release Date: February 1971
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import, Original recording remastered
• Label: Sony Bmg Europe
• ASIN: B000H8RWFG
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #151,041 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Japanese remastered reissue packaged in a limited edition miniature LP sleeve. CBS/Sony. 2004. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars It's Jazz Man, February 4, 2001

By	JOHN SPOKUS (BALTIMORE, MARYLAND United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Fourth (Audio CD)

This was the second album I bought by the incredible Soft Machine (got Third first)and it's a great one. Although many American ensembles get all the credit for great jazz-rock fusion, Soft Machine, along with fellow countrymen Henry Cow deserve a nod as well. For some reason I find this to be a great night time driving album, and my cassette copy finds it's way into my car very often. I would actually recommend this as an intro to the band over the more highly regarded Third, mostly because the pieces are a little shorter and it's a single album.Soft Machine's music can be quite demanding of the listener and a shorter first dose may sit better with the uninitiated listener.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Madcaper's go Avant-Garde, February 4, 2009

By	Mr. Mcdooglefish "stonefan60" (Salt Lake City, Utah) - See all my reviews

Way back in 1970 when Weather Report was just a twinkle in Joe Zawinul's eye's, The Soft Machine were across the pond in England's Canterbury scene going forward with their own brand of jazz rock fusion. Their album Third marked the beginnig of their penchant for long jazz influenced pieces. On this their follow up album Fourth, we begin to hear a more free-floating abstract jazz style, somewhat reminiscent of very early Weather Report. Casual fans of jazz will probably not care much for this very challenging psychedelic jazz rock. Fans of early 1970's fusion avant-garde may enjoy this most stimulating music!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Nice mix of jazz, free jazz and aspects of minimalism, March 31, 2008

By	Jeffrey J.Park (Massachusetts, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Fourth (Audio CD)

Released in 1971, this is an excellent album from the Canterbury scene that boasts a thrilling mix of jazz, free-jazz, the avant-garde and aspects of minimalism. Of the Canterbury groups, I think that Soft Machine may have been the jazziest and this album certainly illustrates this.

The musicians are fantastic and comprise the classic lineup of Hugh Hopper (electric bass), Mike Ratledge (electric piano and (typically heavily distorted) organ), Robert Wyatt (drums) and Elton Dean (alto saxophone and saxello). The core group is augmented by Roy Babbington (acoustic bass) who would eventually join the group around the time of Seven (1973), Marc Charig (cornet), Nick Evans (trombone), Jimmy Hastings (alto flute and bass clarinet) and Alan Skidmore (tenor saxophone). All of the musicians are top shelf.

Although I loved the "straighter" jazz of tunes including Teeth (9:12) and Kings and Queens (5:02), I also liked the explosion of highly dissonant free jazz on Fletcher's Blemish (4:35) and the spacier sections of the lengthy (a little over 20:00) Virtually suite that feature the ostinati (repeated patterns) characteristic of minimalism. There are other neat techniques employed on this lengthy suite including electronic experimentation and tape loops etc. The arrangements for the brass and woodwind instruments are very interesting and at times are reminiscent of "big band" jazz.

This reissue by One-Way Records is OK and while the sound quality is excellent, the skimpy liner notes leave a lot to be desired. Then again, many of the One-Way releases are out of print and seem to be commanding fairly high prices.

All in all, this is a great album released at a time when the musical landscape (in rock) was wide open and essentially untamed. Fourth is very highly recommended to those folks that enjoy jazz and avant-garde styles just as much as rock. Other great albums include Third (1970), Six (1973) and Seven (1973).