Matching Mole [Import]

Matching Mole | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 15, 2004)
• Original Release Date: 2004
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Sony/Columbia
• ASIN: B00005UDOD
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #204,794 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. O Caroline

2. Instant Pussy

3. Signed Curtain

4. Part of the Dance

5. Instant Kitten

6. Dedicated to Hugh, But You Weren't Listening

7. Beer as in Braindeer

8. Immediate Curtain

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars my god ....no other reviews?....I'm the 1st?, February 28, 2005

By 

grimner (DeKalb, Illinois USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Matching Mole (Audio CD)

well, it's uneven as so much of Wyatt's work is, but "O Caroline" is one of the most beautiful love songs ever written & well worth the price of the CD. plus you have "Immediate Curtain" a Wyatt spacy Mellotron (strings) solo, very, very nice. & remember, Wyatt is never boring....

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars a lost classic, January 19, 2006

By 

Grant Miller (San Francisco) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Matching Mole (Audio CD)

i'd be a little more generous than the previous reviewer in saying that, while this might not be as epic as Wyatt's absolutely essential Rock Bottom, this is still a great record and not uneven to my ears, though certain highlights ("O Caroline" for sure) do stand out!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Extremely loose Canterbury rock with a lot of charm, February 11, 2007

By 

Jeffrey J.Park (Massachusetts, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Matching Mole (Audio CD)

I only just recently listened to this 1972 album in spite of my long-standing familiarity with the band members from their work with the great Canterbury bands (e.g. National Health, Caravan, Quiet Sun, Hatfield and the North, Soft Machine etc.). Given the lineup, and the high quality of their work in the other groups mentioned, I expected great things from Matching Mole. Unfortunately, this record seems a bit on the "haphazardly slapped together" side of things; notwithstanding, this debut has a great deal of charm and the Canterbury wit (both endearing qualities in my book).

The players on this album include Robert Wyatt (mellotron; piano; drums; percussion; and lead vocals); David Sinclair (Piano; organ); Phil Miller (electric guitar); and Bill MacCormick (electric bass guitar). The guest musician includes Dave McRae (electric piano). Overall, the playing is OK, with Robert Wyatt shining on the mellotron dominated O Caroline and especially the drums - he is really an excellent drummer.

The eight pieces on the album more or less flow together into one large "meta-composition" and are dominated by Robert Wyatt tracks with a single lengthy instrumental jam written by Phil Miller (Part of the Dance). In large part, the album consists of a few shorter vocal pieces and instrumental jams that revolve around a few pre-composed themes - the instrumental passages get very spacey at times. The vocal pieces contain lyrics on the order of "this is the first verse, and this is the chorus (or perhaps it's a bridge), or just another part of the song I am singing". The instrumental sections exhibit the same level of detail and at times sound no more involved than the jam sessions that you could have held with your friends in the basement.

I know that all of this sounds like I am complaining; to their credit however, the "loosey-goosey" approach to composition seems to hold together somewhat and there are a few pieces that work very well. For example, O Caroline is a very nice Robert Wyatt piece, along with his Instant Kitten and Dedicated to Hugh, but you weren't Listening, both of which feature spacey sections and a few loose riffs.

This 2001 remaster by Columbia is not too bad and has pretty good sound quality, but does not feature any liner notes or other extras.

All in all, I would recommend this album to Canterbury "completists" and hardcore proggers (like me). For those folks that are new to the Canterbury scene, I would personally recommend the following Canterbury albums before exploring Matching Mole: In the Land of Grey and Pink (Caravan, 1971); Hatfield and the North (eponymous 1973 debut and The Rotters Club, 1975); Robert Wyatt (Rock Bottom, 1974); and National Health (eponymous 1977 debut).