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The Soft Machine - Third CD (album) cover

THIRD

The Soft Machine

 

Canterbury Scene

4.19 | 1157 ratings

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Kazuhiro
Prog Reviewer
4 stars They continued and the history of Softs might not have continued if their debuts were not evaluated in the United States. Softs dares the tour in the United States and has chosen the road of dissolution at once. Probe Label that puts the debut album on the market takes out the story of the re-formation of the band to Wyatt. Kevin Ayers never returned though Wyatt that was the return to Britain was contacted to the member of the band. And, Softs newly produces "Volume2" on Hugh Hopper. And, after doing the recording session for On Air of BBC at the same time, they unite the tour in the home country. This flow becomes one step to this album.

The state is obviously revolutionized and has advanced for "Third" though tried the approach from psychedelic by Softs till then. The idea of the masterpiece of the tune and the advancement of the technology of the performance remarkably appear to it. And, the influence that the existence of Hugh Hopper had on the band is large and the composition and the arrangement of the tune cause the proceed of Jazz Rock. They are recording "Third" in the studio on January, 1970. Section of wind instrument of Lyn Dobson-Nick Evans-Jimmy Hastings in addition to member of main of Ratledge-Hopper-Wyatt-Dean. And, it is composed of eight person organization with Rad Spall of Violinist. The element of pop and psychedelic that they were doing obviously shifts to the element of Jazz. It was the first time that Vinyl was two classes for them. And, even guest's member was a measurable figure in Canterbury Scene.

The album starts from "Facelift" that Hugh Hopper composed. The sound that Ratledge begins to spin distorts and creates the world ..subtle and profound.. mysterious. The rhythm changes into the element with the complexity and the tohubohu it shifts gradually. And, the whole ascends to heaven in the fantasy by the flute of Jimmy. It recalls the feeling of Miles Davis a little. It faces the following tune as the tohubohu continues as it is.

"Slightly All The Time" has the melody to feel the frame of Softs really. The element of Jazz considerably has and the composition of the tune has strongly had the element connected with "Fifth" with "Fourth". The rhythm of Wyatt has the relations the melody and between of Dean in the very sensuality. Softs is really one of the most important bands in Canterbury. The arrangement of the wind instrument is also splendid each other. And, the melody of moving Ratledge will wrap the listener while keeping early Passage. The melody rushes into the climax. This melody appears in the last tune collected to album "For Girls Who Grow Plump In The Night" of Caravan. The name of Ratledge is done in tunes of the fact deflecting and credit is done.

The tune faces the third. "Moon In June" can been announced even by the session of BBC before this album is produced. It has a more mysterious element in this Version though live had a little rough element. Version announced in BBC is collected to "Triple Echo" back. The fast and slow of the melody and the rhythm has a sweet, painful flow. The song of Wyatt has the individuality thought only for him to be able to put. The organ of Ratledge promotes it to the melody before long chaotically. This tune was made and Softs never never made the tune to which lyrics adhered at the end. It might have been a result of the thought of Dada of Wyatt having the ditch a little with the band.

The tune that decorates the end of the album is "Out-Bloody-Rageous". A cool melody is performed from Intro with a similar element to "Facelift" in early Passage. The time that they had transfered the register to CBS was really time of the revolution for Softs. It is true that they were important people in Canterbury. Ad-Rib of cool Ratledge suddenly changes into inter play like Coltrane.

The performance and knowledge have greatly advanced to Softs by this album. However, it was time when it began to dye the band to the color of Hopper and the thought of Wyatt established the route besides Softs little by little. It is a very important work for ..some work since album.. Canterbury. Anyway, it is a progressive album.

Kazuhiro | 4/5 |

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