Customer Reviews

Soft Machine

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This band toured with Jimi Hendrix around 1968, and I saw them in Muncie, Indiana, then went out and bought this album in vinyl. At the time, it was their first and only album. The killer was, the album's production mix was terrible (I can only speak for my copy, but still...). Here was a trio relying upon heavy-duty organ (!) and a super-solid bass bottom end well before anyone else was doing it (Todd Rundgren & others who used organ in place of lead guitar in a power trio came later). In live performance, Soft Machine was as powered up as any other trio of the time, from Hendrix to Cream. They were loud, yes, but their sound was classic power rock -- deep bass, rockin' drums, and those amazing, somewhat overdriven instrumental licks by the lead instrument, a well-amped Hammond B3 (I think).

They took the crowd totally by surprise. Their performance was wordless, and contained very little vocal. It was just great playing, with improvisation, and, I learned later, a close relative of jazz fusion. They were bathed in a psychedelic light show on an otherwise darkened stage, and they very simply knocked us over.

Then, as I said, I bought the album, and to my everlasting disappointment, the bottom end was entirely missing. What had been their gutsy and gutteral sound on stage became a narrow band of mid-range tootling. There was no way to play this for friends and have them see why I loved this band. I didn't have sufficient graphic equalization to try to "re-mix" the thing on my stereo, but even if I had, I have no doubt that the production values of that album helped to assure that Soft Machine would NOT be able to capitalize on their brilliant live shows in the hottest rock double-bill it has ever been my privilege to witness. They did not become another superstar power trio like Cream, Led Zeppelin or (you fill in the blank), though they should have. Their later albums got little popular press and frankly I didn't realize until lately that they produced several more albums after the first. I will be checking out this CD to see if they got the mix right later on, and will eventually buy II and III, at least, to see where they went in terms of jazz fusion. But I feel sorry that this band, which should have ridden Hendrix' coat tails to their own legitimate stardom in '68, misfired on their signature 33 1/3 LP.

Reading the other reviews, I see that others who saw this same tour in '68 became die-hard afficionados of this band too. I have saved and framed the flier from that concert all these years because it was pivotal for me in forming my own musical worldview for my keyboard performing. (Yes, I'm a rock/fusion musician myself). All I can say is, when you stop to think how hugely entertaining Hendrix had to have been on that tour with Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell, Soft Machine MUST have been phenomenal to have held their own and blown people's doors off. Yes, Soft Machine was THAT good, live.

I saw them open for Hendrix at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago with no knowledge whatsoever of who they were. They blew me away and I bought the album as soon as I had the money. I wore it out, bought it again, wore it out again, then recently bought the CD. It remains strong to this day. This was, in my opinion, their strongest line-up. Keith Emerson was getting the accolades back then, but Mike Ratledge has some truly viscious organ solos on this record. Wyatt plays some amazing drums, and his unique vocals run from goofy in songs like "Why Am I so Short" to touching in "A Certain Kind." Kevin Ayers puts his comic spin on much of the writing. This is truly inspired with little regard to convention, which is probably why it still sounds so darned great.

Soft machine is best regarded for their jazz/rock records 2 and 3 but in my personal opinion the First is their best. Robert Wyatt's original drumming is in apex and it's never found in all his subsequent works. The whole record is a connected piece with a serious of songs, with impressive melody and unpredictable treatment. It is a very raw yet brilliant record. For those interested in progressive/psychedelic you mustn't miss this one. ~~~by Fu Wai

Caught them as the warm-up band for Hendrix summer 68 at Merriwether Post Pavilion in Columbia, Md.

A religious experience.

A friend of mine who REALLY knew music (full ride scholarship to Peabody Institute) sat entranced - no recreational pharmaceuticals, just the music.

He said, "Remember this day. Men from the future have come to Earth."

This, from a man who believed music began with Bach, and ended with Beethoven.

Went out, bought their album, and ran the grooves down with all of the slugs used to hold the tone-arm down!

Used to listen to it all night...

What dreams!

No Complaints really. This is an excellent album, however, I had the same problem as some other people here, I only recieved a 9 track 30 minute album. Whatever though those are 9 very good tracks. But beware that can happen.

I really enjoyed The Soft Machine's 1968 debut after listening to it. I bought the CD reissue on One Way Records back in the early 90's after seeing an original 68' pressing. I liked the album cover with the movable die cut wheel. Being into Pink Floyd and The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown, I knew that this group also played the London Underground music scene back in the 60's. This was unlike anything I heard previously. Mike Ratledge's Lowry organ had a raw distinct sound different from the other combo organs which were widely used at the time. This shaped the Soft Machine's sound. Being that Robert Wyatt sang, played drums and also laid down the bass lines on this album, the music is quite tight and synchronized. The album is a unique brand of acid jazz/rock with experimentations in the studio. These guys had a lot to bring to the table of British prog rock. I know The Soft Machine had to influence 3 decades of musicians. As noted in the previous reviews, their first 3 LP's are fantastic and their best. There is a lot of energy coming from this band and I could only imagine what they were like in concert back in the 60's and 70's. If you can pick up an original pressing do so, but the sound quality on the CD reissue is actually superb and sounds much better than the original vinyl which lacks dynamic range and the highs are compressed. Usually it's the other way around for CD reissues. Pick this up!

This release (essentially their first) was a verbatum record of their live performances. This was the original trio format with Kevin Ayers as bassist. I saw this band perform as the opening act to Jimi Hendrix in Flint, Mi. in early 68 or 69. One of the earliest bands to use a double floor kick set-up. An original and outstanding recording of an avant-garde band at it's artistic finest. A true find for collectors is the original 33 with rotating cover insert (on ABC Records).

A must-have for jazz-rock fans

I am happy to review this album.In my own words I think that The Soft Machine is one of the most creative bands ever.Using electric bass rythems,funk,jazz and far out vocals it's easy to fall in love with them.I suggest you check this album out.{"We Did It Again " is a great song!}

Great album! IGNORE the two "reviewers" (kireviewer and R. Shouse) who complain of the wrong album. The listing illustration IS of the One Way Records release (MCAD 22064) of the first studio LP (now CD) by Soft Machine. The songs are exactly as listed - I have this CD in front of me! The sound is very good, not "dated", as one of these people suggests. Other reviews are informative; these two are irrelevant - don't be put off by them and their misleading complaints. There's nothing for Amazon to fix - except to delete these two "reviews".