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| | Volume Two | | | Music Artist : | | Soft Machine | | Music Style : | | Psychedelic Rock | | Record Label : | | EMI Europe Generic | | Release Date : | | 2009-07-28 | | Store Price : | | $14.98 | | Artistopia's Price: $14.98 | | Usually ships in 24 hours | | |
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Customer Reviews of This Album/CD |
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 Classic
Submitted on: 2009-10-05 |
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True genius is rare in rock, even in the endless treasure trove that was rock in 1969. Combign that with razor intellegance--there is a difference- and true origionality, and you get music that is transendant.
Soft Machine Volume Two contains this. The album is organized into two side long suites. The band take song parts, weld them together, and over them Robert Wyatt scatts about, well, let's see here: the seasons, the alphabet, opening for Hendrix, Naked Lunch, the underground English music scene, geophysics, and anything else that comes to his uniquely fertile mind.
I have no doubt that if made today, this would be one CD long suite, but of course in 1969, you had to get from side one to side two.
And there is a difference between the two suites in nuance if not structue. Side one is complete wimsey, played over cheerful jazz confections. The music is litterally some of the unquallifiedly happiest I have ever listened to, and for an art rock album, this is REALLY saying a lot. It would be my pleasure to entertain a music professor OR a three year old with side one.
Side two is slighly more omminous, containing free form noise, more contemplative accoustic work, and harher, blusey textures. This is not the dark blues of Black Sabbath, but it does contain more couterpoint, avant guarde classical shaddings and free jazz than side one.
The fuzz bass on this record is a big trait--and it gives off a wonderfully fat sound. But it does raise an important question. In 1969, synthasizers were just developing, and, obviously, a band had far fewer options than today. I wonder if the bass being the textural cornorstone of the album would occour if this were a modern record.
On the other hand, who cares. The important thing is we have a treasure we are not even worthy of in Soft Machine Two.
GET THIS NOW. IF YOU DON'T HAVE IT, YOU DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT MUSIC!
it is that simple. |
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