Reviewed: 2018-09-24
Genre: General
FCCs: none
Review: The original Soft Machine came into being at the same time as Pink Floyd in the 60s. I saw them open for Hendrix. They have always straddled a line between prog rock & prog jazz. The current line-up manages to harness that ineffable SOFT MACHINE sound from the past and embark on a modern day fusionist journey that breathes new life into the progressive rock universe, all the while keeping it firmly grounded in the contemporary world that animates new creativity into a classic sound, all the while brandishing a slick modern production job. The secret sauce is in the veritable smorgasbord variety of the tracks which even include the unthinkable reworkings of "The Man Waved At Trains" (from "Bundles") and "Out Bloody Rageous" (from "Third) which prove that this current SOFT MACHINE lineup was quite confident with their abilities to carry the torch
If You Like: Robert Fripp, Steve Vai, Joe Zawinul, Mel Collins, Weather Report
Track Review (favorites denoted by *):
*1/ Hidden Details (7:36) – heavy drums> midtempo jam> wailing guitar solo> synth solo> crescendo end
2/ The Man Who Waved At Trains (5:00) – electronic keyboards start quiet & slow> builds to midtempo jam> flute solo> quick stop
3/ Ground Lift (5:21) – synth starts quiet & slow> slow space jam swings to midtempo> fade
4/ Heart Off Guard (2:30) – acoustic guitar starts> slow jam with pretty melody> quick stop
*5/ Broken Hill (3:49) - electric guitar starts. Slow jam> guitar solo> fade
*6/ Flight Of The Jett (2:12) – drums start> slow jam builds to midtempo electronic frenzy> guitar solo> midtempo jam> fade
*7/ One Glove (4:30) -slow synth start> slow jam builds in volume> uptempo jam> sax solo swings wild> uptempo jam> quick stop
8/ Out Bloody Intro (2:41) -slow electric guitar solo starts> slow jam builds in volume> quick stop
*9/ Out Bloody Rageous, Part 1 (4:56) – uptempo full band jam> sax solo> uptempo jam> quick stop
10/ Drifting White (1:48) – electric guitar solo> quick fade
*11/ Life On Bridges (8:05) – sax starts slow> slow heavy jam morphs into off-kilter frenetic anarchy> swells in volume and intensity> quick fade
12/ Fourteen Hour dream (6:24) – drums start> midtempo jam> flute solo swings uptempo> midtempo jam> soaring electric guitar solo slows to fade> pause> midtempo jam> fade
13/ Breathe (5:31) – synth starts with orchestral vibe & organ> slow jam with flute> slow fade
*14/ Night Sky (3:19) -synth starts slow & quiet> slow jam with flute> slow fade