SEVEN

After 2 waves of awesome Soft Machine albums, the experimental but creepy and cool 5 and the joyful jazzy Six, I wanted more Soft Machine. I was digging the band and so I wanted more. So what better way than move up a digit. The album Seven. The cover kinda surprised me a bit, I first thought it was an 80s album at first with the digital and grid design of the album. I won't lie, it sorta worried me a bit?which sadly those worries were true.

The album starts off with Nettle Bed. It is a pretty cool song, very good drumming work and synth work, however the synth kinda made me worry a bit for this leading down. After that we have Carol Ann, a minimalistic track on the album. Unlike the minimalistic tracks on Six or 5, this is sorta lacking in ways. It does not feel like anything more than a E Piano being played, no jazziness or creepiness found within. Kinda of a let down. Now we return to form with Day's Eye, a return to form for Soft Machine. At that moment I thought that maybe my worries were just me overreacting and I should cool down since this song is a good song, sounds like something you'd hear in their early days with Third or Fourth. I liked it. I was starting to feel hopeful for the album especially with Bone Fire + Tarabos. Two interlinked but very well made songs that are very groovy, especially with that cool sounding electric piano. I was starting to hope for the best. Maybe the album wasn't so bad after all. And than DIS and Snodland played. Now look, I am totally fine, 100% fine, heck I encourage bands to go for more experimental routes. I really do. But this feels like a weird step back in terms of how Soft Machine does their experimental and minimalistic songs. Instead of these weird, beautiful, and sometimes creepy harmonies, we have these boring and lackluster ones instead. These two songs kinda ruined the album for me. However we got 3 cool songs too at least make up for the failing grades. Penny Hitch is a very cool and slow piece that I wouldn't mind hearing on a jukebox, Block is a very fun and groovy little tune, and Down The Road is super cool and crisp, like the best combination of this record's good elements and the previous two's best elements too create this cool jazzy tune. However if the record stopped there, I'd be a bit more forgiving on this LP, but than we got the Lessons. These 2 songs are more minimalistic lack lusters. Strange how these 2 1 minute songs have the power to make a man be mixed on one record.

So yeah I am very mixed with this record. When the songs are good, they are really good, but a lot of the songs are minimalistic and experimental but without the fun substance that make them good in the first place and right now, this might be my least favorite Soft Machine record because of these facts. Hope the next one will be at least good.