Rubber Riff [Import]

Soft Machine | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 26, 1997)
• Original Release Date: 1976
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Blueprint UK
• ASIN: B000007S0K
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #810,373 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Crunch

2. Pavan

3. Jombles

4. A Little Floating Music

5. Hi-Power

6. Little Miss B

7. Splot

8. Rubber Riff

9. Sam's Short Shuffle

10. Melina

11. City Steps

12. Gentle Turn

13. Porky

14. Travelogue

Editorial Reviews

2010 archive collection from the British Art Rock/Jazz/Prog legends. The recordings from this session were used on several TV and Radio shows in the late 70's, but were never made commercially available. So, here for the first time and taken directly from the original master tapes, you can hear Karl Jenkins, John Etheridge, Roy Babbington, John Marshall and Carol Barratt go through their paces. Voiceprint. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pure Jenkins, March 2, 2007

By 

Robert Carlberg (Seattle) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Rubber Riff (Audio CD)

"They have their nerve calling this Soft Machine"? Well in point of fact it was originally released as "Library Music" under Karl Jenkins' name, never called, or intended to be called a Soft Machine album. Get your facts straight. This re-issue may be a little disingenuous but that's Voiceprint's fault, not the band's.

Actually, for those of us who think Karl's long convoluted melody lines which weave through ostinato backdrops with serpentine fluidity are the height of late Softs, this album is the bee's knees. Elton's endless wheedling solos and Ratledge's cascades of spastic notes have their place, and it's not here! If unusual chord progressions, unlikely turns of phrase and masterful composing are more to your liking, this LP showed where Jenkins would soon take the Ship of Softs. This is Bundles, Softs and Alive & Well boiled down to their essential nature, in 3-minute songs without any of the self-indulgent rockstar pretensions.

In fact, I'd go so far as to say this is one of my favourite instrumental rock albums, on par with the rehearsal-intensive music of National Health, Turning Point or Gilgamesh. The bum rap it gets from SM purists is entirely undeserved, IMO.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Don't Bother, August 23, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Rubber Riff (Audio CD)

This is mostly jingles they hoped to sell - really has nothing to do with the Soft Machine... There is even a bit that that sounds incredibly similar to the theme song to the Mary Tyler Moore show...

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not that much of a trainweck., July 11, 2005

By 

R.Cittern "Down the Road" (Springfield) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Rubber Riff (Audio CD)

This album is a big lackluster and features fluffy easy going musical wallpaper compositions. But actually this album isn't that bad depending on taste of music, but tracks like Melinda and Little Miss B makes you want to say "Can it get any worse?". This album also shows Karl Jenkins stance as a flute player which is impressive on Travelogue. This album features John Etheridge as permanent replacement,but don't look for his intensifying solos here. If you're really interested on 1970's jingles for radio and tv, this is a jewel. Whether or not any of these songs got used for these purposes, I can not say, but its still of some interest. Highlights are Jombles,A Little Foating Music and Sam's Short Shuffle. Two and a half stars really.