FLOATING WORLD LIVE (BREMEN 1975)

OK, OK...I understand why people like this record. Especially fans of the Holdsworth era of the Softs...or just Holdsworth fans in general. Personally, I found it difficult to get through the entire record. I can't say that it's bad...musically, it's quite good! The sound quality is pretty nice too, except for the drums, which have no presence at all apart from the cymbals. Mr. Marshall's just banging away at the kit and all you hear is this weak smack that's supposed to be a snare drum. The big downside I've always found in Soft Machine music (and believe me, I love them very much despite this) is their tendecies toward self-indulgence....I mean, were audiences REALLY wowed by Roy Babbington's six minute messing around with effects pedals that is Ealing Comedy? Perhaps if had been in the room at the time I wouldn't have found it quite as boring, but in this age of CD, I found myself reaching for the skip button. The other thing is that I'm not a huge fan of hearing Allan Holdsworth go nuts for three hundred years while the rest of the ensemble comp behind him. The man is an amazing talent, one of the best, without a doubt....but he really does go overboard quite often on this disc.

The negatives out of the way, I must say that when the ensemble play together, I mean really play meaningful music, it's beautiful. I love to hear tight groups like this that really sound like a well-oiled, er, Soft, machine. On those moments alone, and the chance to hear this music after all these years, I give this disc three stars.