NOISETTE

Found this release accidentally but already well aware of the quality of the "Third" album which is my favourite because of the most typical Canterbury sound and very focused compositions. Apart from the band core, we can enjoy tenor and soprano saxophone, flute that sound jazziest of all instruments. Vocals are reduced to minimum, which does not hurt me at all. The sound is pretty good and reasonable to 1970's. Drums are clear, dynamic. In the first composition, the part with soloing organ and jamming bass is my favourite seconded by busy drums. "Mousetrap" is close to fusion as anything from 1969-70 can be. It has also some creepy, doomy slow riffs (with no guitar). "Backwards" is flute's showcase and the drummer has some time to breathe out but he'll catch up later on. The following long composition show the instrumental strength of the band. The last song is from the old times with Ayers and needn't have to be included, it sounds more like a bonus/encore track. Excellent live album.