Third

Great album with a very varied soundscape. Can get pretty damn wacky at times, but you just gotta love it. Best: Slightly all the Time Worst: Moon in June

A breath of fresh air, this is what 1001 is all about for me. Among the hundreds of mid rock albums there are occasional gems like this. It's jazz with prog structures, it feels both carefully constructed and completely unhinged. Best song: Out-Bloody-Rageous Worst song: Facelift - Live Cover check: RDTHIRD

Yes My Dawg, Legendary. To the haters, you are wrong. One of the best of all time.

Wow, i hadn't heard this before, but it's certainly mind expanding music. It does get experimental at times, but i like that! The musicians are top notch. That bass player was fantastic! Liked Songs Added: Slightly All The Time Out-Bloody-Rageous

Wow at 2 hours in length with a very rough first few minutes, I thought I was in for some torture. I couldn't have been more wrong. This album had everything great about jazz in it. Plenty of grooves to go in and out of, plenty of experimentation with instruments and effects, just the right amount of vocals, and just the right amount of discordance. This one got interrupted a few times during work which more heavily effects an album like this compared to most other albums. Even with that, I am comfortable giving this a 5 with plans to come back to it uninterrupted.

Yes please and thank you

Great

Metto 5 stelle per meccanismo di ricordarmi di recuperare altra roba. Prog rog sperimentale con sfumature quasi jazz molto interessante. Brani lunghi a volte senza vocals, sensazioni oniriche

Hurjaa settiä mahtavaa!

Holy shit. How is this album 55 years old. How.

Soft Machine was a British band that made instrumental, jazz based rock, with extensive use of electronic instruments and effects. Their work is psychedelic and intricate, and near the origin of both progressive rock and acid jazz. These are fascinating, challenging compositions, which employ a range of instrumentation. All of the players incredibly skilled, allowing them to explore a range of sounds with technical prowess.

I really should buy this album. I have listened to it several times, usually as part of a 'project' like this 1001-thing, or doing a deep dive into Prog while reading along ('A New Day Yesterday' is a good history), and I have never failed to be rewarded. Third is Jazz-Rock, with heavy emphasis on the jazz. Four pieces taking up a side each of the original double vinyl. Apparently the band were at each other's throats and different lineups and guest players feature. Opening side, "Facelift" is recorded live although manipulated. There is a section in which recordings of two performances are played together, one backwards (!) There is a lot of avant-garde free jazz which reminds me of Coltrane's Ascension and, like that album, it is a challenging listen, but well worth it. "Slightly All The Time" is a gentler, meandering piece which, at times reminds me of Miles Davis '60s work, Jazz Messengers at others. It becomes more electronic and experimental as it progresses. "Moon In June", which appears to be largely a Robert Wyatt solo piece on which he plays all instruments and sings is the most recognisably '70s prog, very Genesis-like in parts. Wyatt's fragile tenor floats in and out of the music, sometimes almost disappearing, and the lyrics appear to be stream of consciousness. The music becomes more experimental and drone/noise driven as the song reaches its final minutes. "Out-Bloody-Rageous" is an ambient piece which opens with loops and repeated keyboard patterns which build in volume and intensity as the track develops. Around the 5 minute mark it becomes a swinging jazz fusion - electric piano vamps, sax and synth, some excellent drumming from Wyatt - and continues to evolve over the remaining runtime. Third is a commitment, a journey. It is not an album you are going to dip into, nor add tracks to a random playlist. It is very English in places yet it is not unlike some of what the likes of Kamasi Washington are doing in jazz today.

This was good, but was it 5-star good? I feel like I might be inclined to give this the benefit of the doubt. I loved the fourth track, and a replay went down great as well. There's a lot to unpack here, so I feel like I will need to come back to this again.

First thing I must say is bothering me a little bit, is the sound. Not good quality. Putting that aside, for the first few minutes I didn't care about it, but as it progressed I started to like. The band is tight and composition interesting. Track 2 begins beautiful. Wow. Continues amazing as well. Flute, Saxophone, bass, keys, drums- all playing so well. Creating a sound landscape dark, deep and groovy. Incredible progression between parts and solos. Best long piece I've heard in a while. Track 3. Robert has a beautiful singing voice. I love the way the drums and keys company the vocals, added by the bass later. 7 min in, it's super special. Free composition but feels very rehersed, no doubt about that. Sweet transition at minute 13,30. Turning more and more experimental. Tape loops and effects. But still so intriguing. Great one aswell. Track 4. Some interesting textures to begin with. Wow, another awesome transition at minute 5. So cool. Great bass and drums under the keyboard solos. In a way it's less exciting than the two previous ones, but I'm really sinking into it. "If you got that far" vibes. Another loop section in the end. What a great way to finish. I would surely listen again. I've been a bit hard the past few days, it's 4 1/2, but I'll give it a

Loved it, long songs that you don’t get tired of

50 years old and still fresh and riveting to listen to. Adored the first two tracks especially, I was just brought on this wild journey. Didn't expect something this totally contemporary but I sure was up for it! So happy when sticking with this challenge gets me a truly unexpected listen

good as background noise

Super weird and very cool. I rarely give a five to something I've never heard before, but this deserves it.

wtf is this. amazing. one of the best albums we have had so far imo

Post-Ayers Soft Machine starts moving towards a jazz rock sound. Lots of cool stuff happening here. Rather undeniable if you give it a chance.

free and beautiful music. what i appreciate most is the care taken to make each of the four tracks as distinct as possible...different sound palates, tones, musical ideas. wraps from challenging to lovely any anything else u can think of probably...each central seed for a track is brought out and grown into a wide spread u can just soak in, with too many cool things happening along the way to count. my mind jumps to the image of a seed cuz this is a weirdly plantlike album for me...sort of in the vein of my experience with autechre's draft 7.30. rly looking forward to chewing on this more at some point

Awesome. I'm really happy to find out about the existence of this band. It's like Pink Floyd veered into jazz fusion instead of prog rock. I'm gonna need to give this another few listens before I know how I really feel about it, but by the end of the first listen I was mightily impressed.

What GHAAAASTLY NOISE is that??

Brilliant album. It really surprised me how early this is made and the tone of the album.

I think it’s fair to say that this album probably falls more under the umbrella of jazz. Whether you call it jazz or prog rock, this is definitely a free-form improv album that’s on the experimental and avant-garde side. It’s amazing to see this band’s progression as I work my way through their albums. “Third” is definitely a highlight because I really enjoy the way they incorporated the use of studio techniques and electronics. I look forward to hearing this more in the future and continuing my journey through their discography.

Favorite discovery from this project so far. This is fucking sick. Weather report/Can vibes

The first five minutes borrowing from the gurgles of *musique concrète* could scare you into believing that this record is a self-indulgent borefest even worse than the ones of Emerson, Lake and Palmer. But as some other reviewers pointed out here, that introduction is just a recording of Soft Machine flexing their muscles onstage ("Facelift" is a mash-up of two live shows) before the *real* performance begins. And what a performance it is! *Third* is a double-album. Forget prog-rock, its first disc, with one long track for each side, is actually a free jazz masterpiece akin to the ones of John Coltrane or Miles Davis circa-*Bitches Brew*. Coupled together, those modulated harmonies and syncopated rhythm patterns offer so many *tight*, intense moments that it's easy to lose count. And even if the guitar work is stellar there, it's mostly brass and organ that steal the show. The fusion of the two into a fully zany, "experimental"-yet-groovy mode--plus the addition of tropical flutes and more abrasive tones once in a while--has rarely sounded so inspiring and enticing. Not only will *Third* delight most fans of the legendary jazzmen quoted up there, but it will also please a lot of folks looking for hypnotic soundscapes of all stripes. The second disc, also made out of two tracks with each one of them taking up one side, uses those jazzy shores as a starting point to indeed explore uncharted territories--thereby foretelling Robert Wyatt's solo output. The drummer's distinctively frail yet expressive and moving voice can thus be heard throughout *Moon In June*, a very adventurous track that oscillates between dreamy dirges and prog-rock flourishes. And interspersed between short "ambient" sequences that would have sounded at home in Tangerine Dream's early LPs, the "Out-Bloody-Rageous" instrumentals closing the proceedings return to a vein that throws post-bob and free-jazz aesthetics into a mesmerizing arty landscape close to what krautrock would have to offer in the months and years that would follow the release of this record. The penultimate section of this cut is for instance a gorgeous thing, with its ecstatic sax lines aiming at the skies, drenched in echoes and propelled by a hectic rhythm section grouding the whole thing into very human emotions. And the synthetic-sounding outro is a pure wonder, the stuff that dreams are made of. *Third* is therefors one of those records structured around the idea of "build-up", either within the tracks or as a whole. And patience will warrant any listener who's attentive and open-minded enough to give a chance to it. Given the very poor global score this album received on this app, it seems that patience and open-mindedness are not key assets in most listeners, unfortunately. Their loss. And the gain of everyone else who *get* what Soft Machine accomplished here. 4.5/5 for the purposes of this list, rounded up to 5. 9.5/10 for more general purposes (5+4.5) Number of albums left to review: 190 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 351 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 203 Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 258

Fascinating Prog Rock Jazz, disconcerting at first but beguiling by its conclusion, four eccentric compositions draw the listener in and also repel them. Experimentation at its finest.

Marvelois

Originally I wanted to write and excessively long and detailed review of this record, but now I’m done with this whole thing and this is the only album left to be rated! So I will be writing by heart, be as long as it may. Soft Machine formed in Canterbury as psychedelic/progressive rock band, with founding members including genre stalwarts Kevin Ayers and Daevid Allen. As the band progressed they moved further from rock, dropping the guitars, and further towards jazz, adding wind instruments. This leaves us at Third, a album with lengthy jazz soloing with a recognizable prog rock base. The album features original members Mike Ratledge’s defining keyboards, Hugh Hopper’s bouncy (heh) yet solid basswork, Robert Wyatt’s unmatched drumming, as well as Elton Dean’s alto sax trading solos with the likes of Lyn Dobson, Jimmy Hastings and Nick Evans. The first thing you will likely about the album is that it’s 75 minutes long with only 4 tracks across 4 sides: This is a committed listen. Despite the length, I never feel as if the album or any of the individual pieces go on too long. The length is merited by the content filling it out. Starkly, “Facelift” opens with abrasive organ noise. One could easily mistake this as something produced by a guitar (as I originally did), one contributing factor to the rock feeling even in the complete absence of guitar. Eventually the track settles into a march like 7/4 groove, the band playing the piece’s theme before setting off on an extended bout of soloing. This is the track most singularly focused on jazz soloing, going through different moods and sections, but largely the members give their solos before returning to the theme to close out the first side. “Slightly All the Time” is the most jazzy track on the album, with swinging drums and Hugh Hopper’s brilliant bassline. This album also features many unusual time signatures (as does the whole album, a particular joy of mine), going between 11/4, 9/4 and 10/4 throughout it’s different sections. The track, as expected, features much soloing as well as dynamic melodies and section changes, ending on a somewhat playful note. ”Moon In June” is the odd man out: A quirky sung song (the last of Soft Machine’s career) featuring Robert Wyatt playing all the instruments in the first section. As well as being a prime example of Wyatt’s unbridled musicality and creativity, it is also a solemn reminder of what the drum world lost with his accident leaving him paraplegic. He switches between nasty grooves so rapidly it seems like would never run out. After this long first part of the song, we shift into more familiar jazz rock territory featuring the rest of the band, then ending on an eerie drone. Just when you might think the album is out of suprises, “Out-Bloody-Rageous” begins with a long section of keyboard tape-loops. The loops layer on top of each other at different speeds, creating an enveloping soundscape. For my money, this section could continue for the full length of the track, but we are treated with another section of nimble jazz rock, this time in 15/8 time. This section follows the familiar themes and solos structure, before ending with a short tease of more tape-loops before a piano interlude. More jazz rocking follows, before ending on one last tape-loop soundscape. Soft Machine went further into jazz on following releases, with many changes in line-up. To me, this album offers a whole that I can’t find quite anywhere else. The whole-hearted embrace of jazz, the prog-psych heart, the odd-time grooves, free experimentation and just overall high quality of musicianship, composition and sound. This is one of my all-time favourite records, not necessarily for any emotional significance, but the music and the rich listening experience it continues to provide.

9/10 kind of a mess of an album, but I absolutely adore this shit

It's one of my favorite albums from the early 1970s. Such a great mix of jazz, rock and electronic music. I got into their first two albums because I was a big fan of psychedelic rock and 'Soft Machine' and 'Volume Two' were two great records from that era. 'Third' made me got interested in jazz fusion and electronic and opened new doors in my world of music. It was unusual for me, a then 22-year-old girl to listen to such music but I'll always be grateful that I discovered this band. Apart from the first few minutes of 'Facelift', this album is such an inspiring listen to me every time I listen to it. The reason is that it never gets boring and I always find some nuances that I discover while I listen to it. I fully understand if it not everyone's cup of tea, but this gets a 5 from me no doubt.

This album is a 78 minute opus with only four songs. The genre can loosely be said to be progressive rock, but that doesn't even begin to encompass what is here. Soft Machine have clearly done their homework and are influenced by Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and early jazz fusion. This modal jazz influence is the dominant one and the album can be characterized by long passages with a simmering quality before building to a crescendo and starting over again. At no point did this have a noodly quality to it, but rather feels improvisational within a careful framework that the whole band is locked into. In that way it distinguishes itself among other albums of this type.

On my current round of overnights, I've been revisiting random albums that pop into my head. One of those records is "The Apocalypse Inside of An Orange" by Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, guitarist for the Mars Volta. I bought that record at age, like, 13, because I had randomly stumbled into being a fan of TMV and wanted to consume everything they made. I bring it up because, I think that record was severely inspired by this one. This record is drenched in psychedelia, acid, and even that kind of electronic that sounds "space age". I groaned when I saw that it was only four songs initially, but ended up walking away really loving it? It aged well, despite definitely sounding confined to the era in which it was birthed. I hesitate to give it a five here, all because of the vocals on "Moon In June". They aren't the strongest, the lyrics aren't great, and overall just feels like a throw-away. Other than that, I really love how weird this record gets, and found the 80 minutes (or so) pass by relatively quickly. Will definitely revisit. Favorite tracks: "Facelift", "Slightly All the Time"

love it

What a pleasant surprise. This album was a jazz/prog adventure. There were moments thwt sounded like King Crimson and early Kansas. I had to look up this band because the sound King Crimson is very prominent within this record and I wanted to see if there was any cross over. This band has gone through a number of members... Their current line up has Theo Travis on it, formerly of King Crimson. Theo also has worked with Porcupine Tree and Steven Wilson's solo stuff. Remember the killer flute solo In The Raven that Refused to Sing? That was Theo Travis. Awsome listen. Would love to show this off to my fellow prog friends.

I was very surprised to find this one on this list, but hey! I'm not going to complain. A really great album from a really great band. Moon in June is just incredible and makes me crave for some more. I understand that this album might scare a lot of people, but I swear it's quite the journey!

Long and jazzy

dahora, quero ouvir mais.

Hell yeah. This is sick.

Totalement et absolument ma came, je connaissais pas Soft Machine mais je kiffe, la découverte de cet album vaut tout à fait l'ensemble du projet des 1001 albums tructrucs

5. I really like this album. It is a new sound for me with jazz that I really like and wouldn't mind hearing more of

This thing morphs and jumps and dives and screeches and does all sorts of things across its 75-minute runtime. It's kind of absurd. Also weirdly ahead of its time in a lot of ways. Not recommended if In The Court of the Crimson King is your threshold for prog weirdness. Recommended if you think Larks' Tongues in Aspic wasn't batshit enough.

I mean yeah, fusion jazz/prog/electronic, right up my alley. Good album.

3,5

While I'm not in love with this album, I do think it is a solid psychedelic jazz fusion album. It goes on too long, but I could see myself listening to it while reading or doing house work or something. Also, for the time it was released, I could see it inspiring some other jazz fusion acts that would come later.

86/100. Some of the most captivating experiences are often the ones that seem to think for themselves, unfolding with such freedom that they feel discovered rather than deliberately constructed. Some of the most fascinating blends of jazz, rock, and psychedelia I have heard. The compositions drift and evolve naturally, giving the impression that the instruments are simply floating wherever they want to go. The distorted organ gives the album a unique character, the saxophone improvisations constantly push the music into new territory, and the complex drumming provides a foundation that is adventurous. I am also a complete sucker for saxophones, especially when they become a little screechy and abrasive. There is something about that sound that just activates a flow state in my mind. I stop analyzing every detail and instead find myself completely lost in the music, sitting with my eyes closed and simply experiencing it. That is really what makes this album special. Despite how complex and ambitious it is, it never feels academic or clinical. The music pulls you into its world and gradually takes over your attention until you are no longer thinking about it, only feeling it.

8/10

This period of Soft Machine, before they went into total prog jazz soulless showboating is highly enjoyable. Third is a nice transition from the very English first 2 albums, seems to me like they are incorporating a lot of ideas from Albert Ayers, Ornette Coleman, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, and Terry Riley into this. Gets a bit too noodly at times, but overall a very satisfying psychedelic excursion.

Some kinda avant-prog psychedelic jazz. An absolute behemoth of an album with 4 tracks and an almost 80 min runtime. These guys are far out in space man, and they’re determined to bring you with them. And there’s a whole lotta cool shit in there if you open your ears and take the trip. The bass held my attention closely, anytime I got lost it brought me back in. Did I mention there’s not even a fuckin guitar??? Who cares once you’re seeing the universe on the atomic level man. It’s an album that’s almost impossible to rate after only 1 day, but after listening I’d like to spend more time with it because it’s original, innovative, and intriguing. And thats good enough for me.

4*

okayyyy

Lovely psychedelic jazz-fusion which even gave me Coltrane vibes at points. The only thing keeping it from 5 stars for me is the extremely poor vocal performance on (ironically) the third track.

This was pretty friggin weird and cool. Gotta let it seep in.

Once I got past the painful cacophony of the first track, it settled into a very cool avant garde jazz fest. Groovy and enjoyable.

just some bullshit

After reading some of the reviews I was prepared to really dislike this. So it was a pleasant surprise to find it quite wonderful. It builds. The first track takes a while to get into its stride. By the end I was loving every minute. The musicianship is so skilled, and the composition flows from one idea to the next until it feels like there's a surprise around every corner. Delightful!

Wow, the beginning of the last track feels really ahead of its time and beautiful. I like all of the last three songs quite a bit.

Very jazzy, enjoyed it.

It was good, solid prog rock I’ve never heard before. Not the whole thing was on Spotify but I liked what I heard. Four stars

I actually like this more than the first two soft machine albums, which I have on CD someplace it’s kind of more meditative probably not something you’re gonna put on at a party, but it’s kind of nice instrumental music for the most part.

I'm glad I'm not dead. A great album I never would have listened to. It earns it's length. 8/10

jazz rock be jazzing and rocking. some of the tracks, particularly track 1 drag on a little bit but overall a very good prog rock album. particularly enjoyed moon in june.

I thought every part of this without vocals was great. Let's all just agree to forget about the singing.

Third feels like a musical journey, sometimes amazing, sometimes confusing, but always interesting enough to keep you curious and engaged.

Fun!

I was prepared to give this a 1 at the beginning but it really grew on me. It's a blend of Jazz and prog that I'm quite fond of. I think that you do have to be in a kind of specific mood to enjoy this but it was good thinking music.

Fist Listen; 4; There is a lot going on with this album, and I'm really enjoying it. I've listened through it a few times, and there's just a lot to unpack. A big blend of avant garde, jazz, prog rock, ambient music, and others, mixed in with weird sounds and blasts of noise. Although I've given it a few listens, I still don't have a full handle on it. At the same time, I want to keep listening to it to see what else there is, and for that reason, it gets a high score for me. Favorite Track: Out-Bloody-Rageous

I read "Third is a live and studio album..." on the Wikipedia blurb and knew I was gonna be in for an interesting time. It was a pretty good time, too. I liked all of the weird experimentation on the opener and the really long sax solo in the second song. The guy's singing got a little much on Moon in June but the song was still fun. I liked the part where he was singing the organ part in the start of that song and did little embellishments with the organ whenever he got to a held note. The soloing in general on this album was great, so good thing it took up 90% of the whole runtime.

So texturally creative. It’s a joy to hear how all of the sounds come together and start expanding through the songs’ progression. Incredibly detailed with the direction of every curve and bend being very specifically chosen. Faves: Facelift - Live, Moon In June, Out-Bloody-Rageous

I'm really enjoying this! Facelift: first 5 mins are pretty boring but then explodes into some amazing prog rock Slightly All The Time - jazz! Amazing instrumentation. Probably my favourite on the album Moon In June - only track with vocals, sung by Robert Wyatt. Goes on a bit long, but so does the album. Nice track. Out-Bloody-Rageous - amazing song title. first 40 seconds are basically just silent though. And then the next 5 mins meander through nothing, until once again exploding into some amazing prog jazz! Really loving this track as well. Changes pace and slows down half way while still keeping it interesting The album could be at least 30 mins shorter and it would be better. But still, it gets: 4.25

molto figo, pezzi belli pezzi meno dei brani

Sprawling exploratory strange psych jazz from the most shroomed out dudes in village England where getting off your gourd and noodling on your bass are by miles the best way to spend your time.

From contextual clues alone you can know nearly everything you need to know before the electric thrum swells and the first recognizable, plinking notes drop. The name of the band is Soft Machine, which is a reference to the less infamous but still cut-up William S. Burroughs 1961 novel The Soft Machine. It's an avant-garde, counter cultural reference of the time but also one that signals a certain impulse within the band. The album cover is a minimalist departure from the overt psychedelia and hippie aesthetics of their first two records. The letterforms are geometric sans-serif with a hint of streamline moderne or late-stage art deco that emphasizes aerodynamic curves. More noticeably they are architectural as well, rendered in a plan oblique perspective that projects from the page. We get a taste of both structure and solid form through line and shadow — showcasing the vertical extrusion. One might say there is a "soft brutalism," helping the listener understand there's a break here. A band moving away from its earlier direction and into a fusion of jazz and rock. John Hays, the album's cover designer, was no slouch — I've added one star to this review all for him — he's signaling what we need to know about the simply, aptly titled: Third. And we're not done: the vertical darker orange lines printed in give the album's orange field a texture while also reinforcing the letterforms and providing a greater sense of a 3D surface than just a color field alone would. And the orange itself? While it may be "safety orange," it's a bold choice, as it foregrounds the move away from the flowery vibes of the hippie scene while it also functionally demands attention. You can take all this in before the skronky stabs begin to emanate from the record... and maybe now you're like 7 mins in and you might feel like the music has just started. But have patience, because when you finally land on the Moon in June the voices might surprise you.

jazzy

the haters really do be out for this one, it kinda slaps Will I listen to again: 95%

Not only is this not prog, it's not bad - it's in fact very good. Closer in kind to authentic jazz rock, or jazz fusion, w/ a bit of free-jazz a la Archie Shepp, Soft Machine's Third does what it sets out to do, which is not to invent an entirely new language but to push rock music, especially the psychedelic brand, into a respectable & technically proficient underground. Admittedly, it does lose its jazz origins on 'Moon In June,' but I'd take that track over a slog off any record by Yes, King Crimson, ELP. On most days, I'd even take it over a less inspired number by Cream. The only failings of the record, as I listen to it, are the organs and flutes, those tedious and soft instruments I cannot help but associate w/ the worst of Brit idiocy: Jethro Tull, Uriah H.

It not the music I’m used to, but I kind of like it

Jazzy prog rock jamz

Was quite daunted by this. A double LP - 4 sides and only 1 song per side, each song at about 18-20 minutes long. And mostly instrumental prog rock jazz fusion. Didn't get to listen in one go but had a song at a time with gaps in-between. Hard to associate Robert Wyatt, who I know as a singer songwriter mostly through his haunting version of Shipbuilding. But this rightly deserves a place on this list - there are few things I've listened to before that sound like this. It's bold, brave and experimental unlike some of the indie filler I've had to listen to. 4 out of 5 stars

I enjoyed.this more than I usually enjoy meandering prog jazz.

This would be a five if the vocals and lyrics were better on moon in June. That’s very nearly a one for me, but the other songs are great. There are sections of Moon in June that are great. The beginning of Face lift sounds like what early French black metal artists would experiment with. Crazy to hear that sound here.

Would give it 5 stars if it had "Blues Before Sunrise"

Why are these songs 18 minutes Ok but why is this kinda the perfect vibe rn. Never thought I’d enjoy jazz rock

C’était très bien ! C’est un album très ambitieux qui propose une instrumentation très riche avec des titres longs et complexes, presque entièrement instrumentaux. Il fait aimer les très longs morceaux qui partent dans plein de direction, ce qui est mon cas, donc ça sera un 4 !

8/10

This was a real gem. It was far more jazz than I expected and managed to get a good balance of chaos and structure. I also enjoyed the fact I got a phone call halfway through one of the tracks - the call cut out and it jumped straight back into the track and it totally messed with my head.

I'm adding that album to my sitting quietly and reading playlist

Pretty good, I found it to be jazzy and easy to listen to. Not boring.

180126 21:20 3.5

very good. feel like it has more secrets to reveal to me.

Only had one listen through, so not thoroughly acquainted but i really enjoyed my single spin. the "one song per side" format is smart. gotta cop da wax

al parecer van a sacar otro album este año y me siento muy emocionada, al principio me costó trabajo sentir algo porque sonaba _lejos_... ya para la segunda rola estaba tripeandolo mucho

Weird but vibey.

I really enjoyed the album. I found it to be far-reaching, ambitious, organic, a bit untethered, intellectually challenging. But that isn't all. It was unusual, and groundbreaking in its context of the late 60's/early 70's. Like Tago Mago by Can, this album exists in its own space, seemingly without contemporary Rock influences. At the same time, it floats in and out of various influences like free jazz, avant-garde classical, psychedelic rock, and (contradicting myself) rock as well. Like this review, the album is long. It consists of four pieces, one on each side of a two album set. Each piece has its own cycle. These compositions remind me of classical, which is why I referenced that form earlier as an influence. The structure of the music is more classical than the actual instrumentation, which is the familiar drum/bass/guitar/keyboard of any other rock band of the time. Whitin each piece are parts, and often a reprise, like an Opus consisting of several parts. Most classical music that I've heard does this. And Soft Machine explore uncommon time signatures you don't find in popular rock music, or really classical. Jazz? perhaps Take Five by Dave Brubeck. But Soft Machine go hard in the paint on the 5/4 and 7/8 stuff. They also juxtapose patterns in the rhythm section that I'm still trying to figure out/. Is it 9/8 and 4/4 back to back? Or is that 10/8? Again, intellectually challenging. So these things - the relationship to classical music and playing fast and loose with the time signatures are the defining elements of Prog hereafter. King Crimson was attempting things like this at the time, and "Robert Wyatt's "Moon in June" could be a Genesis song. Nonetheless, Prog rock as we know it now starts here. It's not particularly well mixed. The drums are really flattened and pushed to the right channel for a lot of it, the keyboard can become shrill and overwhelming. Even with those faults, this is still an intriguing piece of work with some depth and artistic risk-taking that helps define the genre.

I had previously heard about this album, with the mind-boggling song lengths and all its glory. The album is quite warm and cozy and colourful. The songs have a LOT of parts to them. I think this might work better as a re-lsiten. Highlight Song/s: Slightly All The Time

8/10 Favourite: Out-Bloody-Rageous Least favourite: Facelift

Proper weird album but I think I liked it. Third track was phenomenal

Good

Good musik concrete

A lot of albums called "Third" on here, I think this is my third one. Anyway, the music. Robert Wyatt is an inspirational story. Lost the use of his legs, yet pivoted from drumming full time to finding something else he can do. Sometimes just drumming without any kick. But it is really cool hearing him pre-accident. He was killer on the kit. Has an odd singing voice, but it's also comforting. This may be a bit too long at 4 tracks that are close to 20 minutes, but I mostly enjoyed this trippy ride

Jazz rock, I quite liked it

Didn't expect to enjoy this but I did

Genre: Canterbury Scene I mean, god damn. Holy shit. A tour de force of jazz fusing with prog rock with some of the most forward thinking rhythms the early 70s had to offer. This thing cranks the entire way through, not necessarily rendered in any sort of palatable way, but it cranks. This ain’t your old lady’s prog. This is Canterbury. Soft Machine’s Third is a heavy listen, 4 18+ minute tracks, all with different elements thrown in. I can’t recommend this enough, but it’s not for everybody. Hope you like jazz! 4/5

Inspired me to see if they were touring

This is experimental and really out there but I focused on it and just drifted along. It's really well compiled and is not an easy listen but it has a lot in there.

Incredible journey of prog rock and jazz fusion. Love it. Will be coming back to it too.

Another experimental jazzy piece - lots of fun to listen to!

I’ve heard the first two Soft Machine albums, and they’re pretty good, also different than this. I actually enjoyed this quite a bit. I know this is the last one with Robert Wyatt, but I might need to look further.

Its not Zappa, but it wants to be.

Apart from the first couple of mins, I actually really digged this

This is by no means an album for everyone. But I actually loved it. It's heavily steeped in Psych Rock, jazz rock, and Prog with a bit of freeform experimentation thrown in. "Facelift" reminded me of the psych jams of Floyd's *A Saucerfull of Secrets* album. And Robert Wyatt's "Moon In June" kinda gives me a fee lif the prog feeling that Genesis would have thought out the 70s. The other two just burn with some as rock jams with a heavy hand of jazz thrown in. It's generally the parts like the ladder, like the opening segment of "Facelift" and the opening and closing segment of "Out-Bloody-Rageous" that keep it from a five-star all timer for me, but the bulk of all four pieces on the album are just freaking incredible. (8.95) ★★★★

Cool mix of jazz fusion and prog. 4 stars

Dosta kul. Zavoljela sam ovaj žanr nekako, dosta fini voz. 4/5, 7/10

I really like this! Grooved to it while writing and was surprised when half way through the album there were lyrics. Hilarious lyrics too. Will listen again while writing for sure.

It's great but I don't like how long each track is. I like the length but yk. cut it down so I can get peeks at every one of them

Very cool find. Prog rock seems like a stretch, when this is really more an atmospheric jazz fusion album. I love the way it seems to completely melt apart at times yet never in a way that’s overwhelming or abrasive. For a 2 hr long album, it flew by while I was focused on work. I think I’ll be returning to this to help with flow state.

this is gonna be so sick. 4 20 minute long songs according to rym its avant-prog jazz rock. fuck yes im so ready really cool album, loved the second track, rest were still good but not as interesting to me. i still recommend checking it out its cool

You know what, I actually did quite like this, some bits were a bit challenging but generally it was really enjoyable and fun mainly instrumentals with innovative sounds that worked well. 4 stars

so weird and unique, adored it

****an ok album. No vocals. Instrumental and filled with sounds

Fire jazzy psych jams. På sitt beste er det kjremen av 70-tallet og noe av den mest groovy og hypnotiserende musikken som noensinne er laget. Til tider litt langtekkelig, men det kommer kanskje ned til det 21. århundrets oppemerksomhetsspenn. Hadde man stått der i konsertsalen og sett legender lange ut med groove på groove ville man nok vært hypnotisert under hele durasjonen og kommet ut som et annet menneske etterpå. Robert Wyatt er en ervervet smak, men når det først clicker, kunne man nesten tenke seg at det var mer enn ett spor med vokal her. Siste sporet går nesten ned i Terry Riley territorium. Midtpartiet i Moon in June er på shortlisten av det kuleste som noensinne er spilt inn. Helt knug.

Veldig mye bra prog her! Men litt for mye jamming. Og hva var den vokalen?

4/5. A progressive and jazz record, that really throws you off at first, almost like they don't want you to listen, and then eases you into a rhythm, with the next songs following long progressive rock tracks and jazz standards with a mix of experimental. It's like they are trying out their instruments for the first time at the beginning and then slowly meld into a cohesive and tight knit group sound. The album as a whole is a testament to curiosity and its no surprise Robert Wyatt is involved in this record. It creates a sense of relaxation combined with tension, like if Pink Floyd and King Crimson had a baby. It is definitely not perfect, but it does constitute as a worthwhile listen. Best Song: Out-Bloody-Rageous, Slightly All The Time

interesting jazz until the most recognizable riff in the 4th song around 5 minutes in happens (good to know where that is from). Also a lot of this sounds like an evolved form of the wii play menu music.

Its noise then it becomes good then it becomes REALLY GOOD then it becomes noise again and the cycle continues. Favourite Song: Moon In June

Good listen. Pretty. I think the only way to listen is to hear all the tracks continuously. A lot of parts are drastically dragged out, such as the last track, which simply is a lot of emptiness. Otherwise overall, I liked it and I hope to find more experiences like this throughout my 1001 album journey.

Long confusing unrelated sounds. Banger

Yikes. Music to frustrate and exhaust. I typically like to listen to records suggested by this list that I haven’t heard at least twice. The thought of enduring this sometimes interminable 75 minute experience twice had me in something of a cold sweat. But repeated listening does help - and what feels initially like random indulgent exploration reveals itself as more intentional songcraft. This is progressive rock/jazz and it is pulled off in impressive fashion. Admittedly, the record can come across as something more to be admired than enjoyed, and its overall length - both individual tracks and as a whole - tends to pulverize the listener into submission. When it’s over, there is a feeling of relief. But as a performative achievement it is truly something astonishing. And that alone warrants recognition.

Experimental, complex, alternately melodic and dissonant, and searching. One’s patience is rewarded, often unexpectedly - but you must actively listen and BE patient! No doubt this was a revelation in its day.

The first 5 minutes of this album may be one of the most nightmarish sounding moments in music I've ever heard. Which is something that I appreciate. They felt very intense and calculated. Since then, the track do a lot of twists and turns, changing rhytms and melodies from one moment to the other. And this is something that repeats through the whole album. Apart from the start, the rest is a very nice combination of jazz, psychedelic and prog rock with some heavy experimentation and feeling of ambience. My favorite parts are the ones focused on the ambience and the jazzy ones, and my least favorite one is the first half of 'Moon In June' which feels more like a normal psychedelic rock song from the 60's. I enjoyed this record a lot, but I wouldn't go as far as to say that I loved it.

Very interesting album with a lot going on. Dome of the best musicianship I've heard, and there's a nice balance between rock and jazz that keeps the sound edged but not too heavy. The tracks do start to slog a little, and I wouldn't hate 2 or 3 mins shaved off each (especially the final track). Overall great prog jazz record with a lot of intricate and musically rewarding performances

Small minded fools can’t appreciate prog. I’ll admit i almost turned it off after the first 5 min tho

This is not perfect. Nor is it the kind of music that I would seek out. However it is very interesting and well done. More jazzy than jammy but a bit of both. This is very experimental and well done. There is a lot of drumming that sounds "trip-hop" to me and maybe this was sampled by the trip-hop bands. This is an old album and this group tries and succeeds in making a well played, creative and experimental album. This is not meant to be pop or easy listening (even though with some of the horns and grooves it has a "Chicago" feel to it). The only real flaw is on the 3rd track where there is some singing. This detracts from the album but not enough for me to rate this lower than a 4.

A good album, I liked Slightly All The Time the most.

cool and jazzy! feels like a solid album to throw on in the background at a party if i want people to think that i'm cool and jazzy

-this is a really interesting and unique album. heard it a few times and i think im only just now beginning to understand its brilliance -i absolutely LOVE the jazz fusion elements. i think Soft Machine were really technically skilled and they showed it off best on this record.. nothing else sounds like it -Favorites are Slightly All The Time and Moon In June

Wow I haven't heard first or second but this is great!! The second (and fourth tbh) tracks reminded me a lot of BADBADNOTGOOD, which is crazy bc this is from 1970 - all tracks stand out in their own way. Big fan!

i like Robert Wyatt and never listened to his band but turns out i like the band too! who knew. anyways i like jazz rock... sue me

3.5

I remember trying this one out back in college at a friend's recommendation, but never got into it. Here's to second chances... Slightly All The Time is fantastic. Loving the warmth and sax through the midsection as it is interplaying with the guitar. Reminds me of a less frantic Mahavishnu Orchestra. Moon In June is a wonderful piece of jazz-fusion. At once reminiscent of Mahavishnu (especially the inclusion of violin) as well as King Crimson. Song is a jam. Love the loping on Out-Bloody-Rageous. The whole song feels well ahead of its time. Hard to review, but in a binary sense my impression was overall positive. For no real substantive reason I'd say this falls around a low 4 for me. While there are *better* jazz-fusion albums out there, this one was quite varied and had plenty to enjoy.

Nice looking this up it seems our boy Robert Wyatt is in this band. His solo albums we had were some of the weirdest (in a good way), so excited to see where it all began. Yeah these are def weird! Moon in June seems to be his brain child. Still reminds me of older Pink Floyd. Out-Bloody-Rageous is more my speed. This is a trip! But what a whirlwind of an album. Not the best prog we've had but still damn solid. Low 4.

That's jazz!

This is my kind of weird shit

confusing but pretty good 9/10

Weirdly fascinating like a chapter from Burroughs

A bit long and maybe self-indulgent, but that was some of the trippiest prog I've ever heard and I'm surprised it worked as well as it did

Another album that's frankly just a lot. It's definitely a skilled lot. But it's unclear where exactly this lot is trying to go. Nice background music though.

Had never heard of this before, so I wasn't sure what I was getting into. I was into it way more than I thought I might be. This is a cool record made by unreal musicians. I briefly considered scoring it a 5, but the third track "Moon in June" lost me a little bit, especially when vocals were introduced into it. But overall, this is some interesting listening that definitely pushes the boundaries of what we might consider as rock music.

8/10…rock-jazz fusion

Unsure

My appreciation for this album grew as I listened. I’m a sucker for a good 15 minute song, and the breadth of musical exploration was so interesting on this album. It was fun.

Instant 5 after the first track. Instant 4 after the third track.

5 minutes of noise and I was prepared to turn it off. I am so glad I stuck around, this was right up my alley.

8=D

Extra très bon! Meilleur que l'album semblable de Pink Floyd.

this was cool and felt sophisticated

4* 87%

The third track, the one with vocals, was hard to get through. The other 3 tracks were fantastic jazz-rock fusion instrumentals.

Casi hora y media, solamente 4 tracks, un experimento muy extraño pero siempre sorprendente. Lo escuché completo en una larga caminata y siempre me tuvo atento sin saber qué seguiría después. Me gustaron los Soft Machine, pero creo que necesito escucharles un par de discos más para más o menos agarrarle bien a su onda. De entrada, Third está muy bien.

One look at the track listing for this album is enough to fill one with trepidation, especially with labels such as 'Avant-Prog'. This was, however, a thoroughly enjoyable surprise that is likely to only get better with repeated listens.

Fantastic instrumentals.

"Third" feels like a missing link between jazz, the avant garde side of classical music, and prog rock. Supposedly Robert Wyatt was once briefly denied entrance to the Royal Albert Hall where Soft Machine were scheduled to play. He was told "they only have proper music in there." That seems like a fitting way to describe this album. It's complex drawing on influence from jazz greats and composers like Terry Riley but it's all put into a rock context. I actually love how maddening this album is. There's so much going on and each section feels like a radical departure from the previous one. There's no need to worry about pretentiousness here, as the band are extremely playful which gives the music a nice balance. The songs get better the more I listen. My only complaint is that I wish they'd broken the very long tracks up into their different sections, just because it would really help to process everything that's going on here.

File this under: have been meaning to listen to for years. Really loved this, only the first track feeling a bit less interesting than the rest kept it from being a 5. Note to self: check out Canterbury scene properly.

Impressive. I love this kind of prog, when it's full of jazz and avant-garde, and not just overly serious hard rock with too many complicated time signatures

A lot of really great moments, but also a lot of self indulgent crap. Still gets a 4 because the good outweighs the bad.

Begging you all to power through the Guantanamo style opening to this album. Moon in June is such a treat.

This is a strange album right here. Soft Machine's third album, fittingly titled Third, has a lot of things to talk about. Well, except for songs. There's only 4 of those on here. However, this album could definitely be considered prog rock, and as such, each song is about 18 to 20 minutes in length. Hell yeah. I love prog rock, and this is a pretty solid prog rock album. The style is interesting. What's weird is that the first song is a live recording, while the other three are studio recordings. That's neat. In addition to prog stuff, there's also quite a bit of jazz rock elements in here as well, which I really like as well. The vibes here are nice. There's a bit of crazy stuff to appreciate, but you can also chill out a bit. There's only singing on one of the album's songs, but it works pretty well in that one. All of the songs are cool. The album is definitely on the longer side, but I'm actually okay with it for an album like this, though that may just be my prog bias speaking. Overall, Third is a pretty compelling album for someone like me. I enjoy it. 4/5.

3.8 2x i like this instrumental type album

Decent talent but songs are way to long even for jazz

What the hell 8/10

despite my genre prejudices, enjoyed a lot. does not compromise on its virtuosity.

The more proggy tracks are crazy but still need more listens on the free jazz ones. They sound a little bit too free right now 4.5

the first songs were a little sloggy but i really liked the last 2! definitely more jazzy than straight prog rock but it worked well

This succeeds, but only just. What works works well indeed, such as the exploratory, outre sax on the opener. What doesn't work – quite shaky vocals from the weird and wonderful Wyatt – ask a lot, maybe too much, of the listener. "Slightly All the Time" is epic, rooted in improvisatory jazz, even if the ending feels pretty abrupt. The last bit is the most experimental and very cool (Tubular Bells-esque) and well-named besides. One senses the editors protestething too much, calling the Softs a major band (based on which criteria exactly, one wonders). Still one likes this well enough for its difference and being just offkilter from prog, too. 3.9 > 4

Classic Jazz Fusion album 4/5

This is my first Soft Machine album. I tried to prepare myself mentally for a 73 minute, 4 song album. At its best, it reminds me of jazz/prog rock albums that I like. At its worst it floated by in the background while I worked. The album can go off the rails, like in the first 8 (who's counting) minutes of "Moon in June", but even that track still has some legit jams. I guess I'm a sucker for this type of music, but there is enough interesting material to revisit.

Very Yes/King Crimson-esque. Maybe before King Crimson/Yes? Too lazy to check. Facelift after 8 minutes in gets awesome. This music is a little long winded (not this specifically just the genre) but its cool. The stereo mixing is a little eh but it was made in a different time so can't hold against it if all the drums are panned right even if it's annoying. Good for the genre but needs multiple listens to appreciate as all tracks are over 15 minutes in length.

Third is a live and studio album by the Soft Machine, originally released in 1970. I believe this is the first time I'm hearing a Soft Machine album. They lean heavily into the prog/jazz-rock sound. What makes them really stand out is the obvious Coltrane/Bitches Brew-era Miles influence on here. Even better, this is a live album. They really jam and let the songs breathe. These jams also become experimental at times. Super Cool.

Brill

If this album was half as long, it'd rank up there among my favorites in this entire exercise

Cool jazz rock experimental long form jams. I really enjoyed this one. I feel like I’ve listened to Soft Parade before but I don’t remember to what capacity. All the musicians laid down some stellar performances and the recording sounds incredible too. The half way point on “Slightly All The Time” is pretty heavy while the second half of “Out-Bloody-Rageous” and it’s outro take you to outer space. All around a cool experience.

This was one of those albums where the first few minutes are so harsh that I kind of zone out and listen to it passively and it wasn't until the jazz kicked in about 10 minutes later that I snapped back into listening actively. I loved the remaining part of the album so much that I had to listen to it again to see if I actually remembered right that the start of the album just sounded like garish noise. (except for that weird synthy part halfway through, that was too long)

Electronically a little bit dated in it’s instrumentation but still a brlliantvdruggy fusion of jazz rock electronica.

I am a pretty big fan of noise rock, so hearing these sounds at the beginning of the album is insane for 1970. However, the recording of the horns/woodwinds could have been a lot cleaner. Ok, this reminds me a lot of In the Court of the Crimson King. I'm not sure why there are so many 1's and 2's. I had crazy low expectations for this album, but it was a pleasant surprise. Very unique album that I would happily listen too again. If you enjoy this kind of stuff, you should think about attending a King Gizzard concert. Mid 4.

### **In-Depth Review of *Third* by Soft Machine** Released in 1970, *Third* is the third studio album by British progressive rock band Soft Machine. This double LP marked a significant evolution in their sound, moving from the psychedelic pop of their earlier work to a more complex fusion of jazz, rock, and avant-garde elements. Featuring four extended tracks, each occupying an entire side of the vinyl, *Third* is a challenging yet rewarding listen, representing the band’s experimental peak. Here, we’ll explore its lyrics, music, production, themes, and influence, while weighing the pros and cons of this ambitious record. ### **Lyrics** Unlike conventional rock or pop music of the time, *Third* places little emphasis on lyrics. In fact, lyrics appear only in one track, "Moon in June," and even there, they serve more as a textural component than a storytelling device. Written and sung by drummer Robert Wyatt, the lyrics in "Moon in June" are whimsical, abstract, and self-referential, mixing everyday observations with surreal imagery. Wyatt's words are imbued with a sense of nostalgia and spontaneity, often veering into stream-of-consciousness territory. The lack of a strong lyrical focus could be seen as a drawback for listeners who prefer clear messages or narratives. However, for those who appreciate lyrics as part of a broader sonic tapestry, "Moon in June" offers a fascinating glimpse into Wyatt’s mind, melding personal reflections with subtle humor and occasional melancholy. The decision to de-emphasize lyrics allows the band to prioritize instrumental expression, which is integral to the album’s overarching aesthetic. ### **Music** Musically, *Third* is a groundbreaking exploration that blends elements of jazz fusion, progressive rock, and avant-garde improvisation. Each of the four tracks has a distinct character: 1. **"Facelift"** – Composed by keyboardist Mike Ratledge, "Facelift" is a 19-minute piece characterized by its dissonant organ riffs, abrupt shifts, and dense layers of sound. The track was stitched together from different live performances, resulting in a raw, almost collage-like feel. Its jagged textures and unstructured flow make it a demanding listen but also encapsulate the band’s fearless approach to experimentation. 2. **"Slightly All the Time"** – Bassist Hugh Hopper's composition is more jazz-oriented, with intricate melodic lines and dynamic interplay between the musicians. The piece’s title reflects its gradual changes in tempo and mood, moving from gentle, lyrical passages to more aggressive sections. The interplay between Ratledge's electric piano and Hopper's bass is particularly notable, showcasing a tight rhythm section that allows ample space for soloing. 3. **"Moon in June"** – The only track with lyrics, Wyatt’s "Moon in June" stands out for its blend of song structure and free-form instrumental breaks. Starting as a whimsical folk-rock tune, the track evolves into an improvised jam, featuring extended keyboard and violin solos. Wyatt’s drumming is nimble, adding a touch of swing that complements the shifting sonic landscape. The unpredictable structure and extended duration give it a unique charm, but it may feel disjointed to those who prefer more cohesive compositions. 4. **"Out-Bloody-Rageous"** – Closing the album, "Out-Bloody-Rageous" is built around looped tape experiments, creating a psychedelic atmosphere. Ratledge’s keyboard work is again prominent, with lengthy passages that oscillate between dreamy soundscapes and high-energy jazz-rock bursts. The use of tape loops was innovative for the time, prefiguring later electronic music techniques. The musicianship throughout the album is stellar, with each member contributing distinct textures and ideas. The emphasis on extended improvisation and unconventional structures, however, makes *Third* less accessible than traditional rock albums. Its complexity can be a barrier to entry, requiring multiple listens to fully appreciate. ### **Production** Produced by the band and recorded at IBC Studios in London, the album’s production reflects a raw, live-in-the-studio feel. There’s minimal polish, with rough edges intentionally left intact, giving the record a more organic, spontaneous atmosphere. The recording captures the energy of a live performance, a key aspect of Soft Machine’s identity during this period. However, the lo-fi quality of some tracks, especially "Facelift," may deter listeners used to cleaner production. This is particularly evident in the occasional tape hiss, audio distortion, and abrupt edits in the live-sourced material. While these imperfections lend authenticity and character to the album, they may also come across as amateurish or distracting. One notable production technique on *Third* is the use of tape loops and sound manipulation, especially on "Out-Bloody-Rageous." This foreshadowed developments in electronic music and production techniques used by later artists in ambient and experimental genres. The album’s mixing allows each instrument to breathe, but sometimes the layering feels chaotic, reflecting the band's tendency to prioritize spontaneity over precision. ### **Themes** *Third* is less about conveying specific themes or messages through lyrics and more about creating a musical journey through abstract soundscapes. The album’s four tracks share a sense of exploration, both in terms of genre fusion and instrumental improvisation. Each composition evolves in a way that suggests a narrative, though it is left to the listener's imagination to interpret the details. Thematically, the music reflects a break from conventional rock structures, embracing avant-garde and jazz influences to push boundaries. The unpredictable changes in dynamics, time signatures, and textures evoke a sense of freedom and experimentation that was rare for the time. There is also a meditative quality in tracks like "Slightly All the Time" and "Out-Bloody-Rageous," where moments of calm contrast with bursts of intensity, mirroring the ebb and flow of consciousness. ### **Influence** *Third* is considered a milestone in the development of jazz-rock and progressive rock. Its willingness to dissolve the borders between genres inspired subsequent bands like King Crimson, Gong, and National Health, who pursued similar hybrid approaches. The use of extended track lengths and improvisation would become a hallmark of the "Canterbury scene," a progressive rock subgenre to which Soft Machine belonged. The album also had an impact beyond progressive rock. The tape manipulation techniques used on "Out-Bloody-Rageous" foreshadowed the advent of electronic music genres such as ambient and techno. Later artists in experimental and avant-garde music, such as Brian Eno and David Bowie, would explore similar sound-collage methods. Despite its avant-garde nature, *Third* did not achieve mainstream success, but its influence on musicians and genres was profound, encouraging a more daring approach to composition and performance. The album’s legacy is evident in the work of bands that continue to blur the lines between jazz, rock, and experimental music. ### **Pros** 1. **Groundbreaking Fusion of Genres**: The album's blend of jazz, rock, and avant-garde elements set a new standard for genre-defying music, influencing future generations. 2. **High-Caliber Musicianship**: The band’s skill and chemistry are evident in the intricate compositions and extended improvisations, making the album a showcase of virtuosity. 3. **Innovative Use of Production Techniques**: Tape loops, sound manipulation, and live recordings give the album a distinctive and ahead-of-its-time quality. 4. **Exploratory and Adventurous Spirit**: The album’s non-linear structure and unpredictable changes embody a spirit of musical exploration that is rare in popular music. 5. **Pioneering of the Canterbury Scene**: *Third* helped solidify the identity of the Canterbury scene, a subgenre known for its mix of jazz, rock, and English eccentricity. ### **Cons** 1. **Lack of Accessibility**: The extended track lengths and absence of conventional song structures make the album challenging for casual listeners. 2. **Minimal Lyrical Content**: For those who value strong lyrics, the album’s focus on instrumental music may be a drawback. 3. **Raw Production Quality**: The lo-fi elements and occasional rough mixing can be off-putting, especially for listeners accustomed to polished recordings. 4. **Disjointed Composition in Some Tracks**: The abrupt shifts and collage-like nature of tracks like "Facelift" may feel incoherent or haphazard. 5. **Overemphasis on Improvisation**: The balance between composition and improvisation leans heavily towards the latter, which can lead to passages that feel self-indulgent or unnecessarily prolonged. ### **Conclusion** *Third* by Soft Machine is an audacious work that eschews conventionality in favor of boundary-pushing exploration. The album's fusion of jazz, rock, and avant-garde elements set a new benchmark for progressive music, even as its complexity and raw production posed challenges for mainstream acceptance. While the lack of traditional song structures, minimal lyrical content, and sometimes rough edges may not appeal to everyone, *Third* rewards patient listeners who seek a deeper, more experimental musical experience. The album’s influence is far-reaching, laying the groundwork for future explorations in jazz-rock fusion and experimental music. Despite some imperfections, its ambition, musicianship, and innovative use of production techniques make it a landmark in the history of progressive rock and beyond. *Third* remains a challenging but essential listen for anyone interested in the evolution of modern music, exemplifying a time when artistic daring was at the forefront of the musical landscape.

Four 18-minute jazz rock rhapsodies. Honestly, it was better than I expected. I really digged the mood, progressions, and textures. I could definitely go back to it, when appropriate!

8/10

4.25

It’s somewhere between rock, jazz, and prog. It doesn’t feel like it wants to be within any of those genres and feels like people playing jazz who don’t want to sound like jazz. It’s great listening and makes for a cool chill album. The sudden vocals on track 3 are quite jarring when they first come in, taking you immediately out of the wild jazz you’ve just been experiencing. I like this album a lot

"A jazz rock fusion album, recorded live ..." I'm not sure I could come up with a description that would fill me with more dread. The first few minutes are illegible noise. Then all of a sudden music starts breaking out, and it's really, really good. Then there are phases of where it fades away again. The crashed back in. And, I have to say, I kind of loved it. The first album in ages to take me by surprise and, if not blow my socks off, it did vigorously tug at them.

fjári gott. full djassskotið. er ég aðdáandi roberts wyatt? svo virðist vera.

Not the greatest ABBA album. But enough melancholic Nordic synth pop to keep me very happy.

A mixed bag but when this hits it's like peak-Miles

Solid vibes all around

Nice find

Erittäin jees! Rauhallista groovea! 4/5

Erittäin miellyttävät psyke-proget pistää maanantain käyntiin. 4/5

Not usually a prog-rock fan, but there was something about this that hit the spot

4.0

Probably a 3️⃣ ⭐️ for an interesting listen, but Out-Bloody-Rageous is good enough to bump this up a point.

I've never heard of Soft Machine before, but based on the description and the user reviews, it looks like I'm in for mind-bending journey on this wonderful Friday. Let's fire this monstrosity up! Man, what a journey this album was. I don't know what I expected this album to sound like, but I really enjoyed what I heard. Each song really felt like its own unique composition, but the album still felt really cohesive. I liked how the instrumentation had a little bit of everything, but I enjoyed the saxophone, flute, and synthesizer more than most of the other musical elements. My favorite bit of instrumentation though was the bass playing on "Facelift." I thought that bass line made it easier to hear all the other elements of the song, and I thought it was brilliant how that worked out. Structurally, I loved how this album felt like chaos, but it was also really evident that the band was fully in control of the sound, directing the overall flow of the music, and deciding what was going to be played where. I wish I had taken better notes about what I liked in each individual song, but it was tough to really keep up with everything that was happening. I think this album is worthy of repeat listening because there's so much to take in, but clocking in at over an hour makes it tough to listen to this album enough to where you can become familiar enough with it to pick apart more individual elements. Still, this album was a fun journey, and I'm really glad I got to experience something so unique and groundbreaking.

I don't even know how to describe this album, but I like it. It definitely feels like it's part of the transition from psychedelic rock to progressive rock. Lots of improvisation and long musical interludes. Really cool music that you can listen to actively or let play in the background 4/5

Old but gold.

I'll admit it’s a bit long, and with every track taking up a whole side of vinyl, over four sides, ‘Third’ demands a lot attention and concentration, so I can see why a lot of people wouldn’t like it, but this was right in my wheelhouse. I enjoyed this a lot.

first listen i was spaced out most of this album but my recollection was it was classic 1970 acid jazz fusion and super experimental

Theis album seems to tell a story, the story of a band that experimented so hard and took so many psychedelic drugs that the only escape was Jazz. Because apparently psychedelics make Jazz make sense, man. Anyway, there's definitely a time and place when this album makes sense. I've never been there, but I'd probably like to go. 7/10 far out man, dig it

Ahead of its time, was not expecting it to be more jazz than rock. Good album though its not one to listen often.

Ooh, on first listen it was looking like bad luck for the Soft Machine lads, as this came up almost immediately after Charles Mingus' "The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady", and they do NOT do well in that comparison. When it comes to proggy avant-garde jazziness Mingus absolutely dog walks them. Fortunately, though, it was only really the first half of the album that they were encroaching on Mingus' turf. Once they went back to less jazz, more prog territory, I could see the appeal more. Robert Wyatt's "Rock Bottom" has been one of my fave discoveries through this project so far, so it was good to hear him singing in "Moon in June" and get a sense of where he came from. I liked the electronic noodling of "Out-Bloody-Rageous" too.... Fave tracks - "Moon in June" and "Out-Bloody-Rageous", duh.

It started out pretty weird, but then by the second half of the first song I was hearing more melodies and getting into it. I only got to hear half the album on Spotify, it seems, but I could definitely listen to more of this.

"Third" is a live and studio album by English rock band Soft Machine. It is their third album overall and a double album containing a single composition on each of the four sides. Musically, it was a shift from their pyschedelic rock towards jazz rock and electronic music. The bandmembers included Robert Wyatt (drums, vocals, organ, pianos and bass), Elton Dean (alto sax, saxello), Mike Ratledge (pianos, organ) and Hugh Hopper (bass). Critically, many call this album the band's high point and, commercially, it hit #18 in the UK. Electronic bubbles and a weird, eerie organ open "Facelift." I'm guessing musical loops, and a grinding noise follows. About halfway through the music changes (that happens in all these songs). There's a melody of sorts with Lyn Dobson on the sax. The music speeds up and gets pyschedelic. "Slightly All the Time" begins in a jazzy way with the bass and drums. The pace picks up, quick beats, with the flute and organ. Some organ solos. The song slows down to a smooth jazz style and ends with an organ blast. "Moon in June" has three parts. The first part has Wyatt on vocals with a bass, organ and piano...very proggy. The second part is mostly instrumental. The band jamming and what sounds like a guitar must be an electric piano or organ. The third parts ends it with a droning organ, violin and Wyatt scatting. What a ride! The closing song "Out-Bloody-Rageous" takes us on another ride. It starts ambient, the band kicks in in a jazzy way, slows down (back to smooth jazz), speeds up with a drum roll and horn and ends with a repeating electric piano. This album is experimental, electronic, jazzy and prog (sometimes all in one song). It's also challenging, changing, complex and never boring. I'd say this is way ahead of its time but I don't know if I've heard anything like it since. I think it's fantastic. This challenge has introduced me to three UK bands with soft in their name that I have little to no experience (Soft Machine, Soft Cell and Soft Boys). All of their particularly chosen albums have been terrific and worthly a listen.

I really enjoyed this – some discordancy at the start but really smooth, interesting and, in parts, transcendent. I'd kind of heard of Soft Machine but really liked this – you can hear their influence in Japanese jazz bands like Soil and Pimp Sessions, one of my favourites. Definitely a keeper, will listen again and again. Slightly All the Time was a highlight.

Jam session

idk for me

Jazz/Prog/Psychadelic/Rock Fusion. Good Times.

I don’t have much to say about this one. I liked it and can see myself putting it on again sometime.

Never listened to these guys before but I really enjoyed it. Probably depends on my mood - not the kind of thing I listen to every day but when I wanna get weird in a hippy jazz sort of way, I am glad to now know these folks can deliver.

Good stuff that I should probably know better than I do given me tastes. I prefer Henry Cow.

Easy

💖 moon in june 🗣️ 8️⃣

All prog, no rock. This is what we call Jazz. Not disappointed, but definitely not what I was led to expect reading the reviews. Nice in the background. Really impressive performance. A live take, you say? Cool. Will I listen to it again or seek out anything else they've done? Likely not.

Usually go for a Kevin Ayers or Robert Wyatt solo album (lost of great music) or else for the first Soft Machine album. On Third Ayers is no longer part of the band which now makes mainly instrumental music, think 18-minute songs that can go on forever. I agree with other reviewers: best not to get distracted with the rather tedious and lengthy start of the opening track, as afterwards the album gets much better.

track 2 theres a wind instrument that plays like 6 mins in and it sounds like this SUPER deep bass from like a drum machine or something its so fire. i like this a lot actually wow

More interesting than enjoyable. I've got the hang of Robert Wyatt by now.

Very jazzy prog second half better then the first

Nice 70s impro with keys, sax & drums

Stort album. Låter annorlunda varje gång jag hör det

i will be real i really liked this

This is some really stellar psych-rock.

The bridge that connected rock and jazz was becoming increasingly crowded and the formerly progressive rock minded Soft Machine added their footsteps to the structure with their Third record. Four eighteen plus minute songs detailing their progression (hehe) from flight to fancy is definitely not for the kind that becomes irritated by the supposed monotony of the arrangements, yet those who are intrigued find plenty to comb through on the way to finding gems. Moon in June and Out-Bloody-Rageous in particular are showcases of what the Canterbury scene now had to offer to the increasingly complex rock world, as their indebtedness to their influences such as Terry Riley (the go-to guru of inspiration at the time) shone bright here. Overall, a take it or leave it collection and I'm inclined to do the former. Favorites: Slightly All the Time, Out-Bloody-Rageous.

It's weird to have never heard of this being a prog guy. It might be because I'm more of a prog metal than a prog rock fan but damn this is good. Lots of inspiration was taken from in the court of the crimson king but that only makes it better.

Is it prog or is it jazz? Or maybe both. Either way, it's pretty great

Just heard it today! As a huge fan of other soft machine albums i was pretty excited and while i didn't care much for facelift every other track was fucking AWESOME. Totally deserves the hype it gets, even though i might still prefer their self titled album for how stupidly varied and innovative it is

mukaviin pätkiin jaettu pojat. edelläkävijät (varhaiset valkoihoiset) jatsi, rokki fuusio (kaksi kevyttä atomiydintä yhtyy yhdeksi raskaammaksi)... virtuoosoja selv'sti. kuitenkin muutama osio jotka eivät vaan hittaa.. helpoin genre onnistua mutta ei oikeen pystynyt... jotkut indiealbumit parempia kuin tämä, miten voi olla? orgaani sentään soi ja rommia pullo. eli silti erinomainen kokemus tämä, jota en koskaan olisi kuullut ilman rojektia. slightly all the time

hard prog

I enjoy this. It’s interesting and unusual. I like to listen to stuff without words when I work and this fits that bill nicely. 4/5

Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Facelift

I put off listening to this all day because I kept thinking it was Soft *Cell*. This rules though, I can definitely fuck with this. It's like if Ornette Coleman jammed with Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd.

3.5 - This is definitely an odd album. The first few minutes of the first track had me scared, but it's actually kinda good. That third song was definitely the standout here. I can appreciate the mix of jazz and prog. This makes me pretty optimistic for the Robert Wyatt albums that are in the 1001 albums list.

Get the sextant out and plot a course to the edge of your mind. After a start where is seems there was some frantic twiddling of knobs before the correct settings were found it hit a stride. A discordant quartet on offer with many ebbs and flows plus a smattering of wit. Give it a go there is plenty to discover.

Wyatt usually manages a telos with his music; Soft Machine doesn't. That's dangerous territory for prog, which Third navigates deftly. While no track is near lean, each occupies its position and no more. Noodling, the music's friendly at the same time it confuses.

pretty enjoyable mix of jazz and prog, like it quite a bit, would have liked it more if Robert Wyatt had kept his trap shut on Moon in June

British jazz rock from 70, extremely distinct feel between the different tracks A hated the first one

December 1, 2023 HL: “Moon in June”, “Out-Bloody-Rageous” Kind of as a counterpoint to another reviewer, the song order works for me because the spacey loops in the last track are a cool bookend to the atonal electronics in the first. Aggression slowly gives way to serenity I appreciated the book’s insight of the members of Soft Machine wanting to make “serious” music, to Robert Wyatt’s displeasure Though people who don’t like jazz or prog will likely find this interminable… I probably should have a copy/paste of “Wow I liked this more than I expected” for every new prog band I come across on this list.

Très cool, mais pas facile putain

Favorite Songs: Slightly All the Time Out-Bloody Rageous You start with the impression of being at a concert in the 70s in a dusty location and some blokes experiment with their instruments. After 10 Minutes of intro in the first track it becomes quite catchy, the second song is amazingly jazzy.

Jazz rock / prog / Canterbury Scene of the highest order.

It seems they may have taken a page from Bitches Brew, with one song per side. Side 1 is too noisy for me and poorly recorded. Side 2 is great, very Weather Report-ish. I don’t know how a jazz critic would rate it, though. Side 3 is maybe the most interesting and the least jazzy, though Robert Wyatt’s lyrics are silly at times. Side 4 has a great intro. I think I read of a Terry Reilly influence and it sure sounds like it. I just wish the minimalist segments weren’t dragged out for so long.

This is a very cool ride, it spans jazz/psychedelic/prog/noise rock and conjures images of early King Crimson, Pink Floyd and maybe even some Zappa and Kraut rock/electronic music. I'm still not a fan of Robert Wyatt's voice but it's undeniable that he's a great musician and has teamed up with A-list musicians of the era with Kevin Ayers, Elton Dean and Hugh Hopper. The first track, Facelift gets a lot of grief from the reviewers on this site, but I didn't think it was too bad. Experimental yes, but never boring. The stand-out track for me was the closer, Out-Bloody-Rageous and I learned from Wiki that the tape loops on this song were inspired by Terry Riley hence its repetitive minimalist sound. Disc 2 (which is not available for listening on Spotify) was apparently part of a subsequent CD released in 2007 so technically not part of this album so its not graded here.

Digg jazz

There were a couple of times I could have turned this off but mostly I thought it was pretty amazing, the good kind of jazz fusion.

Hey cool, more Robert Wyatt! I liked this a lot, as far out as it got at times. Reminded me at times of an album's worth of Mr. Bungle interludes. Kind of crazy this is considered jazz rock, as it seemed like 95% jazz with only occasional rock elements.

Vibe I looooove die jaren 70 achtige nergeuze king crimson ass Horns

Heavy does of Jazz with a touch of some prog/avant-garde rock. Probably the the 5th or 6th time listening and it keeps getting better.

Jazz with prog rock segments. Out-Bloody-Rageous and Slightly All the Time were the tracks I enjoyed most. Cool stuff.

Through two songs, both of them have some really great moments. I generally like this style of music - the experimental rock, so I'm a little biased. Lots of really good stuff. There weren't any parts, really, that felt like it didn't belong in the song.

Maybe im a bit biased from other prog rock but i wish this was a bit more technical. The first track threw me off originally but as another reviewer recommended on second listening i put it off until last and i enjoyed this a bit better. Still pretty nice though.

For the era, I think this was super impressive

4.5

I got a softspot for these guys. It's not really rock at all- more jazzy prog but it's really good for putting on late at night and chilling with a stick of incense...

very interesting album, enjoyed it a lot.

Jazz. Experimental. Interesante, pero demasiado largo.

I was worried because the first 7 or so minutes of this album is basically just noise, but about halfway through Facelift it improves. This is still mostly just an experimental jazzy sort of thing. There's a bit of singing on Moon In June, but nothing really that memorable. I think the second half of Out-Bloody-Rageous is probably my favorite part, but that's literally the last 10 or so minutes of a 75-minute album. It's easy background noise at least.

Had moments of being interesting. 3/5

Very crazy music. Not really mine, I liked the Robet Wyatt solo record a lot more.

Pretty cool listen, nice blend of jazz/prog?

buena instrumentación

well that was trippy. Too trippy. I get it though, it was the mid 60s..

Prog Jazz Rock.

het werd gwn beter en beter! naaaah toen ging het einde van moon in june downhill

het was oké maar echt langdradig

Very interesting. It seems to be between prog and jazz. I think this deserves at least 3 stars. I particularly enjoyed the last track ("Out-Bloody-Rageous") and "Slightly All The Time" (probably the most "conventional" track among the four).

Soft Machine's "Third" is widely regarded as a progressive rock classic and a blueprint for the jazz-influenced Canterbury sound. Although I have an extensive Soft Machine collection, I have always felt somewhat at odds with this supposed masterpiece. With four long compositions originally spread across four LP sides, I tend to lose the thread. In particular, I find the first two tracks, “Facelift” and “Slightly All the Time”, aimless and haphazard. 'Moon in June' is certainly the highlight of the album. Robert Wyatt sings improvised lyrics about summer and his longing for rain and retreat. Even though all the tracks on the album were very roughly edited, the vocal passages lend the song more structure and create a summery, melancholic mood. 'Out-Bloody-Rageous' is reminiscent of the music of Terry Riley, the highly influential founder of minimal music at the time, and feels more self-contained and thoroughly composed than the first two instrumental tracks. "Third" marked a radical departure for Soft Machine, moving away from the psychedelic proto-prog of the first two albums towards jazz. It would be in the years and reincarnations that followed that the band would more fully return to its rock heritage. I prefer almost all of the band's other albums, even though I find this radical shift in sound revolutionary.

Zum Zeitpunkt der Aufnahmen im Jahr 1970 befanden sich Soft Machine an einem entscheidenden Wendepunkt. Das englische Quartett – Mike Ratledge (Keyboards), Hugh Hopper (Bass), Robert Wyatt (Schlagzeug, Gesang) und der neu hinzugestoßene Saxophonist Elton Dean – verabschiedete sich endgültig von den psychedelischen Wurzeln und vollzog den Übergang in einen dichten, instrumentalen Jazz Rock. Third entstand teils live – der Eröffnungstrack „Facelift" wurde an den Fairfield Halls in Croydon und im Mothers Club in Birmingham mitgeschnitten und im Studio von Hugh Hopper per Tape-Collage montiert – und teils in den IBC Studios in London. Veröffentlicht wurde das Doppelalbum über CBS in Großbritannien und Columbia in den USA. Die vier langen Suiten – „Facelift", „Slightly All the Time", „Moon in June" und „Out-Bloody-Rageous" – dehnen sich zwischen 17 und 19 Minuten und folgen keiner konventionellen Songstruktur. Ratledges Orgellinien schichten sich über Hoppers hypnotische Bassfiguren, Dean entfesselt seine Bläserarbeit in Bereichen zwischen freiem Jazz und kontrollierter Improvisation, und Wyatts „Moon in June" – auf dem er nahezu sämtliche Instrumente selbst einspielte – bleibt das einzige vokale und zugleich zutiefst persönliche Stück. Die Musik atmet, ohne je ins Beliebige zu gleiten. Third ist kein einfaches Hörerlebnis und war es nie; die Platte verlangt Ausdauer, belohnt sie aber mit einer strukturellen Dichte, die kaum ein zeitgenössisches Album zu bieten hatte. Die Einflüsse auf den europäischen Jazz Rock und die Canterbury Scene sind bis heute kaum zu überschätzen – jede Begegnung mit diesem Werk offenbart neue Schichten. Eines der kühnsten und folgenreichsten Alben des britischen Jazz Rock, das auch über fünfzig Jahre nach seiner Entstehung nichts von seiner Wucht verloren hat.

a bit inconsistent for me, but some great moments too

Kind of boring. Not for me but sown song ha were funky in a good way

I really liked it. Psychedelic jazz is one of my all-time favourite genres, but this doesn't come anywhere near the levels of a Davis or a Sanders. It doesn't lean heavily enough into the psychedelic for me, but I still enjoyed my time with it. Standout Tracks: Slightly All The Time, Out-Bloody-Rageous Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Definitely need another listen to this band. Wild!

Shockingly did not hate it as much as I thought I would after getting Wyatted. Neat fusion of jazz and prog, where I actually did vibe with the ambience and atonality. Wish the full album was on spotify but what can you do

You never want to see a 4 song, hour and 15 minute album pop up when you're behind on the project. An hour and 15 minutes can be a slog when like the band in question and there's 16-17 tracks. When it's 4 tracks?! You know you're in trouble.....Or so you think. The album is listed as 'Rock' in apple music, but "Slightly All the Time" is 'Jazz' not sure what they're talking about. I like it a lot. Track 1 didn't leave much of an impression, but "Slightly All the Time" is a great jazz track that went straight into my instrumentals playlist.

Has potential if I’m in the mood. Originally was a Double album that had one song on each side. Hazard profile is a nine minute plus banger.

Not super familiar with this band except as a note from other bands. Not quite sure what I was expecting. From the opening notes, I got the idea that this was going to be skronk jazz; the kind of music that those steeped in John Zorn and his games would be familiar. The first number had parts that made me think of Jethro Tull. It moved along with noise and floated into pieces of musicality that felt very jam band like. How much was improv and how much was this free flowing stuff? Not quite 50s cool hep cat stuff but something going forward. There was a section in Slightly All the Time that smacked of Stereolab. The instruments, the fuzz and the occasional droning. Maybe even that joint that they did with Nurse with Wound. Not sure that these guys come from music concrete because I don't hear anything that isn't instruments. Moon in June. Did Art of Noise listen to these guys? Maybe Peter Gabriel or Pere Ubu? Many may have taken from this scene if not this band. The last cut of Out-Bloody-Rageous is like primitive Binaural Beats or ASMR freakiness in parts. The whole piece feels a numbers of snippets jammed together without making a whole. So, this won't be a lot of folks cup of tea. To me, there is a driving force through each song. Sure, there is some meandering but it is like a dog off a leash following his master's trail. It more or less goes somewhere without being super structured all the way through. Some pieces have a direction that is understandable to untrained ears while others feel cobbled together. This went by fast but I could see how some folks would find this interminable. There is something to knowing where something is going that is helpful. It is relaxing and feels moored and not so noisy. I liked this album. I didn't find it too noisy. It does feel a bit dated. Not like a new band reaching back but rather something of its own time. I don't think this is super brilliant nor just a piece of trash noise or just sounds. It is musicians doing their thing and reaching a moment where they feel confident. This is what pleases them. I'll give it a 3 although I may put this on at some type of swingers orgy to sort the wheat from the chaff, if you know what I mean.

2 mins in, what is this - some avant garde noise recording. Low fi, widely panned. Please let it turn into music.. Nearly 6 minutes to reach something musical in any sense. I do like it now it's started but why sit through so much noise before starting. Style is hard to describe, it's somewhat atonal/out of tune. Ah then it gets to a jazzy/funky section, bit like a 70s action film score. Levels are so low I'm at full volume and can barely hear it. I guess the best way to describe this is an avant garde improv jazz album Ooh, singing comes in in Moon In June It is all quite skillful, and pleasant in places but it's just too out there for me I like the end (16:00 onwards of Out-Bloody-Rageous). Polymetric, arpeggios, like Animals As Leaders or something Best track - Slightly All The Time 3 stars

i like some of the chord progressions. a bit weird for me

Prefer their debut! Moon in june is great! The rest is decent, but at times self indulgent prog jazz that doesn't seem to end.

I’d listen again, but it would be much better with sections of each 15 minute song eliminated and the third song abandoned. SOME good jazz sections.

Didn’t hate it!

This had parts I enjoyed along with weird parts. Overall I think if it was slightly less of the weird I would have liked it better.

Super super interesting Starts off jazzy and by the time the last track comes it’s just this amalgamation of sounds and fades back into the haziness I loved the flute in the first song Favorites: moon in June, out bloody rageous I expected a lot less because this generally isn’t my genre although I was pretty impressed Probably 3/5 but 3.5 is tempting

It should never have started out with such a long intro - but after those 6-7 minutes it actually gets pretty cool. I will say, though, that I need a break before the end of the record. But two listening sessions make it work

It’s a great album if you skip the first 15 minutes and the last 45 minutes

Incomprehensible progslop for the most part

I trudged through the first time and found peak. 3/5

Very different when you listen to with only 1 headphone at a time.

High highs and long periods of noise

Like a progressive/jazz jam band. I'm intrigued and enjoyed it but probably wouldn't really listen to it much.

Now it took me a bit to get into this, the first track is a doozy on the start up. I did like it though! Kinda just zoned out and went with the vibes. for sure not an album for everybody though if you don't like prog rock/jazz noise type of stuff.

3.5/5 Jazzy and odd

Un ascensor COOL.

Startet rart. Tok seg opp.