Customer Reviews

Matching Mole

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

After the Soft Machine experience ended with the beautiful Third and Fourth albums (the rest is mere exercise) and after the incredible sounds of "The end of an ear", Wyatt gets his acts together and leads Matching Mole into its wonderful two album experience: Matching Mole and Little Red Record. Matching Mole is the first one and everything is already there. Caroline is a beautiful love song which echoes 'A certain kind' of a few years before. The rest is almost all instrumental and very innovative. Everything flows freely and smoothly and Wyatt is again in charge. The political engagement will come out with the following 'Little Red Record', another masterpiece. But Matching Mole is fresh and delicate, yet intriguing and sophisticated with the voice used as an ironicinstrument, not much to say really:'This is the second verse... and this is the chorus.. or perhaps it's a bridge or just another key change, never mind, it doesn't hurt it only means that I have lost faith in this song coz it won't help me reach you'. An album not to be missed for those who love Wyatt. Together with first three of Soft Machine and Rock Bottom, Matching Mole is the highest expression Wyatt has ever reached.

I can't stand that such bad reviews were given for this. Stop comaring to soft machine like they are the end all gurus(they are great). Matching Mole is amazing. Wyatt is a truly inspired person, and what comes out of his mind is immense and needed another outlet that soft machine. drop your fear of the unusual, sit back relax, listen, and you will be taken on a amazing trip. The 2nd Matching Mole is amazing also, and there is a newly released live performance with lots of jam. Also be sure to check out "the end of an ear", "rock bottom", " ruth is stranger than richard". Dont miss this because of bad reviews, if you like trips in music you'll love this.

Influential Album!
Artist Dimthingshineon recently did a cover of Matching Mole song: "O Caroline" on his latest 4 CD project called "Nostalgia" released in 2009. Check out http://www.myspace.com/dimthingshineon
or http://www.geocities.com/dimthingshineon

Matching Mole (the French translation of Soft Machine matching molle)is Robert Wyatt's attempt to re-create that band as his own vehicle. On Fourth , his final album with the Softs, he drummed, but didn't sing or write. On Third, his 'Moon In June'composition was nearly vetoed from the record by his bandmates who were going strictly in an instrumental jazz direction. At first this record seems like a return to the earlier, more vocal song direction of Soft Machine. 'O' Caroline' is a beautiful tune that begins the album. The record gets a little more spacey and directionless as it moves on. Side two is all instrumental and a little too noodly for my taste. Matching Mole is not altogether bad, but Wyatt has made better records since, and Soft Machine still made great records after his departure, albeit in a different direction than the one they started in with Wyatt on board. He needed to do his thing and they needed to do theirs, both with great results.

I got this album being a fan of the canterbury scene as well as much various prog rock of course. When i bought this album I bought it over VDGG's pawn hearts at the time because i liked the cover of this one(very british). After numerous listens this album doesnt really amount to much, atleast for me. It starts out with O Caroline the best track on the album IMO though a bit corny. The 2nd track is Wyatt doing his vocal acrobatics and really i find it quite pointless as it goes nowhere and really isnt that fascinating to begin with. The 3rd song with him singing about the song hes singing(heh)is just plain stupid. Yes maybe a message can be derrived from it but after 2 good listens of that song i really dont care to hear it again. The rest of the album is instrumental, with some high points, and some low, mostly directionless jams and pastoural sounds. Overall I feel this is one of Wyatts more disapointing albums and doesnt rank amoung my better canterbury albums nor come close like i was told it would. I hear the secound album is better, i may pursue it.

missing in the Matching Mole music when compared with the Soft Machine, namely that natural charm that so distinctly highlights and compliments the sheer brilliance of the first three albums of the latter. O Caroline is in fact quite weak. 2.5 stars