Soft Machine

Just wondering...

Third

I do like 'Softs' a lot too.

Jaap wrote: I also think Third is my favorite album, but it's a difficult choice because it comes very close to their magnificent debut album. I prefer this one because of the diversity, it's a very exiting mixture between the psychedelia of their first albums and the experimental jazz of fourth (and fifth).

The Soft Machine and Third , both great and seminal albums, clearly differ considerably musically and with significant line-up changes, Wyatt and Ratledge being the only commonality. Volume 2 appeals to me more as the transitional album between those two, showing the band having with freedom to explore jazz and rock (they were leaving British psychedelia to Pink Floyd)- and Wyatt in particular having freedom (i.e. having matured somewhat from the first album, and wasn't under the increasing constraints of Third and 4th). I also love the very different take recorded live within 3 weeks of laying down Volume 2,  at Amsterdam's Paradiso, - with alternative arrangements,  new track order and Wyatt sounding the best ever as a drummer and vocalist. Volume 2 is an album of tunes that could take quite some changes and still sound great.

Syzygy wrote: Third is the obvious choice, but all the first six are essential IMO. Fifth is particularly underrated - the first three tracks are as good as British jazz fusion ever got, beautifully written and performed and wonderfully recorded.

I also think fifth is slightly underrated, there are some real good compositions on it, like Pigling Bland and All White, but it misses some power if you compare this one with the first four albums..