OTHER DOORS

It's got a little more going for it than its predecessor, but not much. There's very little spark in these performances and no sense of adventure or refreshment in these compositions. The title track at least boasts a catchy theme and "Fell To Earth" has a pretty cool walking bass section (courtesy of new bass player Fred Baker who along with John Etheridge seems to be either the only one who gives a hoot or the only one who manages to transmit this band's still amazing live energy onto tape) but the general tendency of songs on this album is to just sort of plod along until they don't anymore. The loungy, sanitized rearrangement of "Joy Of A Toy" and the pointless, scholastic rerecording of "Penny Hitch" don't help. There's undoubtedly more embarrassing ways to spend the tail end of your career but it's still a little disappointing to see what was once one of Britain's most boundary-pushing jazz/rock bands reduced to putting out sickeningly safe middle-of-the-road albums like this every couple of years.

4.5 stars. After hearing of John Marshall's passing I ordered this record just to have the last studio album that John played on. Is it sad that he passed after announcing his retirement after this record? He got to do what he loved right to the end which I think is pretty cool. Loved him when he was with NUCLEUS and it was 1972 when he joined SOFT MACHINE and I really feel he is the king of drum solos. His rhythm partner of late Roy Babbington retired after the previous studio album "Hidden Details" but returns to play bass on "Penny Hitch" which he did originally on "Seven" plus he plays a duet you could say with the new bass player Fred Baker on "Now! Is The Time". Fred by the way has played in the past on solo albums by Pip Pyle, Phil Miller and Dave Sinclair so very much qualified to be here.

The only thing keeping me from giving this 5 stars is that 3 of 4 song section beginning with "Joy Of A Toy" from the debut and included "Whisper Back" and "The Stars Apart" which are all fine just not in the same league as the rest of the album in my opinion. The rest of the album is subtle and chilled. Feels like some improvizing is going on at times with the drums, bass and whoever else isn't the soloist during these passages. Surprisingly trippy and atmospheric and Theo Travis helps with this adding electronics throughout the album. Attention to detail and I love Marshall on here, he seems like he's playing random stuff a lot but man with the Fender Rhodes, those guitar expressions, electronics and flute I just love the mood. It really was when I sat down and really listened to this album that it clicked big time.

The spirit of "Softs" is very much a part of this record in fact this would have been a great followup to it. This is headphone music, just so much going on and yet it is a reflective recording as well. I am blown away by most of these tracks but I think my favourite is "Fell To Earth" where we get some grit in that guitar and the opening sax could be Mel Collins from his "Island" performance. Some experimental stuff going on here, I mean check it out 2 minutes in. The closer "Back In Season" is a highlight with the electric piano in fact "Softs" really comes to mind here. Love the flute too.

Again the flute and Fender Rhodes are incredible on the opener "Careless Eyes", some soaring guitar leads too. Love "Penny Hitch" from one of my favourite SOFT MACHINE albums "Seven" and "Crooked Usage" the longest piece on here at 8 1/2 minutes. This song encapsulates what this album is about with the improv sounding bits with no melody, the flute and electric piano all shine and it's experimental late. "The Visitor At The Window" reminds me of the covid situation where many meeting apparently were done this way. I like it but I like "Maybe Never" even better. It's so chilled with the fluttering flute and guitar expressions along with the electronics, bass and drums.

With Marshall and Babbington out of the picture I was thinking it might be time to put SOFT MACHINE to bed and then I heard this album. Keep them coming boys!

Fred Baker steps in on bass here to replace Roy Babbington - who guests on a couple of tracks but has otherwise retired from active duty - and the Soft Machine rumbles onwards in this latest studio album. Following on from Hidden Details this offers impeccably produced Canterbury jazz-rock with more of a pinch of psychedelia to it - there's even a revisit to Joy of a Toy, a track from the time when Kevin Ayers was still in the band. As with Hidden Details, it's not the sort of thing which anyone would expect to change the world, but it finds the group still keeping their craft sharp.

In many ways this is the closing of a chapter in that drummer John Marshall announced his retirement after the recordings of this album before passing away at the age of 82 (this never sounds like the work of an octogenarian). Bassist Roy Babbington announced his retirement after the previous album, 2018's 'Hidden Details', but returned here to guest on a couple of tracks, including a duet with his replacement Fred Thelonious Baker. Theo Travis (tenor & soprano saxophones, flutes, Fender Rhodes piano, electronics) and John Etheridge (guitars) complete the line-up, which has since been augmented by the addition of the extraordinary drummer Asaf Sirkis.

Marshall is to date the longest serving member of Soft Machine in terms of years served, and it is interesting to note that they have included some old numbers on here, possibly in deference to his forthcoming retirement. What is somewhat strange is that while both Marshall and Babbington played on the original recording of "Penny Hitch" (from 'Seven'), neither of them were involved when Soft Machine released their first single in America, "Joy of a Toy" which featured Mike Ratledge, Robert Wyatt and Kevin Ayers. It is somewhat strange to hear this again as it has been some time since I last played it, and while I am sure there will be plenty of hardcore fans who will believe this is nothing short of sacrilege, I must confess I enjoyed it. At times they are reflective, at others more dynamic and in your face, but always striving to find the perfect combinations of note and tones to make us think and take us on a journey.

Soft Machine have continually reinvented themselves over the years, both musically and in personnel, but at no time have they ever sat back and just played it safe but instead have kept challenging themselves and still tour frequently where their improvisational skills are challenged every night. That they continue to release intriguing and interesting material so far into their career is nothing short of remarkable, and one can only hope that there are many more to come in the future. The Canterbury scene is alive and well in the hands of bands like these, and long may it continue.