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Topic ClosedBest 3 Soft Machine Studio Albums?
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Poll Question: Jet Propelled Photographs
Poll Choice Votes Poll Statistics
9 [8.26%]
16 [14.68%]
28 [25.69%]
6 [5.50%]
1 [0.92%]
15 [13.76%]
12 [11.01%]
12 [11.01%]
5 [4.59%]
1 [0.92%]
4 [3.67%]
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AZF View Drop Down
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Points: 1079 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Best 3 Soft Machine Studio Albums?
    Posted: November 21 2015 at 08:18
Which 3 Soft Machine studio albums of the 10 you've heard do you love?

Volume 2
Third
Six
(Bubbling under "The Peel Sessions", "The Soft Machine" and "Fourth")

I have more time for "Softs" than "Bundles".
"Land of Cockayne", although nowhere near as strong as their previous, it wasn't the deal breaking atrocity I was expecting. It was better played and recorded than the "Jet Propelled Photographs" (usually re-issued as "Shooting At The Moon"), but it doesn't have the joy of existing or has as memorable tunes as the Giorgio Gomelsky "produced" album that wasn't released until 1971, but deserves to be the first option due to the chronology of the band.

The more I think about Soft Machine, the more I feel they really deserve a BBC documentary or even Docudrama about the beginnings and gradual musical entrapment of Mike Ratledge!
I'm not including Soft Works and Soft Machine Legacy. Although gutted I never got a chance to see the latter given how much I love the music.
And although The BBC Sessions with "The Soft Machine Turns On" cover art might be classes as a live album, I've gone with the fact it was recorded in a studio.
As opposed to "Alive & Well: Recorded In Paris". (Which to be fair, might have had some studio trickery involved, but have no evidence for such outrageous claims!)

So which 3 studio Soft Machine albums get your vote?
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Points: 8068 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 21 2015 at 08:36
Fifth, Seven, and Bundles get my vote, with Seven being my all time favorite one.
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Points: 1399 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 21 2015 at 08:43
The earliest albums provide the toughest choices, due to the rapid evolution of the music.  It has to be Third...
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Points: 3659 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 21 2015 at 09:55
I've a soft spot (no pun intended) for Softs and Bundles. I'd go for Third after that.
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Points: 9319 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 21 2015 at 10:24
^ That's pretty close to my choices. I've always favored Softs and Bundles since John Etheridge and Allan Holdsworth are top JRF guitarists.
The last slot would be Third or Seven so I'll revisit those and vote later today.
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Points: 6446 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 21 2015 at 10:44
2


3

6
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Points: 9319 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 21 2015 at 11:19
Originally posted by TeleStrat TeleStrat wrote:

^ That's pretty close to my choices. I've always favored Softs and Bundles since John Etheridge and Allan Holdsworth are top JRF guitarists.
The last slot would be Third or Seven so I'll revisit those and vote later today.

A decision has been made and voted on.

1. Softs
2. Bundles
3. Seven
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Points: 19597 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 21 2015 at 11:53
6 & Seven (both with the same line-up, which is the only time it happened)

Third is also my fave
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Points: 6446 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 21 2015 at 13:02
Originally posted by Sean Trane Sean Trane wrote:

6 & Seven (both with the same line-up, which is the only time it happened)
 


Different bassists. Third and Fourth have the same basic line-up, no?
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Points: 166178 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 21 2015 at 13:43
Third, Volume 2, Six
Dig me...But don't...Bury me
I'm running still, I shall until, one day, I hope that I'll arrive
Warning: Listening to jazz excessively can cause a laxative effect.
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Points: 1563 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 21 2015 at 14:58
1. The Soft Machine
2. Third
3. Seven/BBC Sessions
There is no dark side in the moon, really... Matter of fact, it's all dark...
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Points: 6673 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 21 2015 at 15:11
Originally posted by TeleStrat TeleStrat wrote:

Originally posted by TeleStrat TeleStrat wrote:

^ That's pretty close to my choices. I've always favored Softs and Bundles since John Etheridge and Allan Holdsworth are top JRF guitarists.
The last slot would be Third or Seven so I'll revisit those and vote later today.

A decision has been made and voted on.

1. Softs
2. Bundles
3. Seven



This exactly !
I never post anything anywhere without doing more than basic research, often in depth.
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Points: 20451 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 21 2015 at 16:18
2, 3, and a tie between 6 and Bundles.
One does nothing yet nothing is left undone.
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Points: 15916 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 21 2015 at 18:10
Always be 1,3 and 5. Even then, it's a toss-up between 3 & 5.
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Points: 16952 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 21 2015 at 18:16
Top 3 Soft Machine Albums:

Soft Machine (debut)
Third
Fourth
Crushed like a rose in the riverflow.
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Points: 15916 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 21 2015 at 18:42
SM 6 is my least fave, had it for decades and it still does very little for me (bar Chloe And The Pirates and 1983). The live half feels very 'sterile' to me. Even Alive And Well In Paris is more exciting for me.
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Points: 12919 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 21 2015 at 19:51
Third is one of those once in a lifetime recordings and my fav but after that I prefer the later period of Seven and Bundles. Being a huge Nucleus fan is part of the appeal of Seven through Softs when Jenkins arrived.
"The wind is slowly tearing her apart"

"Sad Rain" ANEKDOTEN
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Points: 8829 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 22 2015 at 08:24
123
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Points: 7251 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 22 2015 at 08:38
Number 2
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Points: 14980 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 22 2015 at 12:19
The poll only allows you to vote for one, so naturally I picked Bundles.
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