Third

This wax fine to have on in the background but left do little impression I didn’t even notice when it finished.

I love the musicianship but this album irritates me. I prefer their album Bundles with guitarist Allan Holdsworth.

I disliked this one more than the Pantera album from yesterday.

Music that's more fun to play than listen to. Cool enough vibe, not my first choice for active listening, but fills in the background nicely.

I loved the first two Soft Machine albums. This one has always left be cold. I like experimental music, but this one is too disjointed for me. And I like jazz but this one eschews swing in favor of the herky-jerky.

Facelift - oh for fuck's sake. Slightly All The Time - dudes wanking with their instruments. Moon in June - heh, that was English they were singing?! Out-Boody-Rageous - MAYBE...I'd explore this on an insomnia night. all in all, this is NOT how I would have ever spent New Year's Day 1970.

Feels like I'm in a k hole with an aged wizard.

### **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.

Het begin deed me de moed in de schoenen zinken, nog meer van die experimentele mutkuziek? Gepingel, slordige opnamen (met feedback), veel te lange tracks. Maar gaandeweg werd het iets beter, er werd ook nog een mopje bij gezongen, en al met al is het nog wel uit te zitten. Mijn cijfer was hoger geweest als ze de eerste track hadden weggelaten.

Jaja. Op dit album bewoog de groep weg van de psychedelische klanken. Wat moet het daarvoor dan wel niet geweest zijn? Okee, het volgende nummer is heel wat meer jazzy. Zouden er mensen nou zo'n studio nummer geluisterd hebben, gedacht hebben dat live te willen zien en dan vervolgens iets als het eerste nummer voor hun plaat hebben gekregen? Echt heel bijzonder wordt het tweede nummer in elk geval niet. En dan komt nog een groot vraagteken. Iemand laat af en toe horen dat hij prima snapt wat de toetsen kunnen, maar meestal klinkt het of een kind wat willekeurig indrukt. En de zanger laat af en toe horen dat hij best een aardig stemgeluid heeft, maar het grootste deel van het nummer klinkt er een heel luie zang. Het is bij elkaar zo raar dat het wat intrigeert. Maar een positieve score kan dat echt niet opleveren.

Soort jazz meets progrock. Muzikantenmuziek denk ik, want ondanks dat het ongetwijfeld best aardig in elkaar steekt, mis ik persoonlijk de liedjes en wat vaste melodieën. Het verzandt nu soms in een soort 70s Columbo of Miami Vice detective filmmuziek met een psychedelisch intermezzo waarbij je allerlei felle kleuren ziet die in elkaar over vloeien. Het voordeel aan dit soort muziek is dat we ons niet hoeven te storen aan een Britse zanger met een zeikende en zeurende kutstem. Al begint op het 3e nummer wel iemand een beetje er doorheen te jengelen, dat hadden ze beter achterwege kunnen laten. Ik vind het op zich allemaal niet superslecht ofzo, maar het is mij allemaal iets te vaag en wat te experimenteel. Niet mijn genre muziek. Verpak dit in liedjes van 3 tot 6 minuten en grotere kans dat ik er makkelijker voor open sta. Dit is me allemaal te moeilijk gedoe.

The fact they could do this live is impressive. The fact they did this is not.

This was an exercise in patience - rambling, sometimes atonal, and often without melody. This was tiring and entirely unenjoyable.

It sounds like they don't know how to play the instruments - Ev

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!

Did I find the right thing? There's only 4 songs. Holy shit those 4 songs take up 75 minutes??? What genre is this? Oh freeform jazz. Lol okay. Let's get into it. The first track takes about 7 minutes to get going. I think the third is the only one with vocals. There's a lot of great stuff in here that's surrounded by literal noise or buried within the vamps of improvisational jazz. This would be incredible to experience at a jazz club/bar. I can see how it informed progressive rock and opened the door for such groups as The Mars Volta (whose song Tetragrammaton is still the best 18 minute long song I've heard, sorry Soft Machine). My experience with jam sessions is to improv them and then find the song within and whittle it down to that. There was no whittling here. I enjoyed this but I don't see myself listening to it again.

Gare jazz rock Had op zich wel zin in jazz maar dit is toch iets te veel van t goede

Truly never heard of this band. At first it would seem like a psychedelic-rock band. Very interesting. 4 songs, a double-album and 2 compositions. Very interesting and all done live. I can see how this is on this list. Not my style a bit out there.

Jazz, prog, fusion, 20 minute long songs. Bits of the songs are fantastic, other parts blend into one another. Put on your wizard's hat and cape and get stoned while imagining you're going on a quest. Best Tracks: Slightly All the Time; Moon In June

Too much for me. After getting past the initial 5 min irritating noise feedback, the album was OK. Experimental electronica rock/jazz. Moments of it being good but moments of detracting singing and too much wandering.

Gets better after track 1. That's about all I can say really. Prog rock, it's not for everyone

8/10

Listening to this album felt like wading through wet cement. Every track just trudges along without any spark or payoff. There’s a sense that something interesting is about to happen, but it never really does. Instead of building momentum, the songs get lost in their own confusion. It tries for deep and experimental, but ends up feeling tedious and joyless. By the end, I was more relieved than anything else.

"...arguably the most influential group to emerge from the birth of progressive rock and British jazz-rock fusion..." - Spotify bio It's like someone wrote a sentence describing my kryptonite. 18 minute long tracks of utter shit.

Nice jazzy. No lyrics

I felt like I was stuck in a jazzy funk K-hole I couldn’t escape and the disjointed rhythms and chaotic melodies left me feeling lost. I kept waiting for the songs to click, but instead, it was like I was wandering through a maze with no sense of direction. It was just too much for me. I couldn’t find any connection to the album.

Good free jazz but the intros to the songs are way too long

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

I sure do like experimental jazz!! I joined up with this project to be exposed to music like this. Much love.

i didn't take enough psychedelics to enjoy this...

"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.

Not a fan

Arvoin pitkään että mitäs tälle nyt iskisi arvosanaksi. Välistä kuitenkin jopa ihan diggailin. Mutta aika lyhyitä hetkiä olivat ne. Yksi tähti, en varmasti palaa tämän pariin toistamiseen.

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

mental - couldn't wait for it to end

FUCKING JAZZ

Solid vibes all around

There are parts of this that remind me of a Noise band, which I liked. As for the rest - I have never been stoned enough to enjoy something like it.

First five minutes pissed me off but then it kinda redeemed itself. Not my fav genre but there is a sort of mind quieting effect. Actually update they lost me again

4 tracks and 75 minutes? This is a bad sign, isn't it? Track 1 is apparently live, but there is no clapping, so it's possible it's actually live. I fought with my ear buds for a long time thinking they weren't working but it turned out there just wasn't music for a long time, and I'm using the term music very loosely. There's like 5 and a half minutes of the sound of space whales crying before anything recognized on earth as a musical act takes place. Then there's some sort of space goose battle, I think I died for 9 minutes, though it's possible that either my brain was merely protecting itself or the space geese probed me in some way and I was temporarily beamed up to the mother ship. Anyway, when I came to, the song was mercifully ending. My ears hurt. Did they probe my ears? Maybe this is the best outcome for this journey. The next song is called "Slightly All the Time" which is how I would describe my tendency towards suicide while listening so far. This is much more like music. It's kind of a cool jazz at times, though it's entirely too goddamned long and is best described as the soundtrack of having explosive diarrhea and alternating between phases of having to stand perfectly still, walk briskly, run like hell, and finally release. "Moon in June." Oh good, they've introduced singing into the mix. Now my ears are definitely being probed. I fondly recall a time of space whales singing. I wonder if they were singing about their space whale version of wanting to be home and talking blandly about living through different instances of weather. If they were, they were doing it better than this. Holy space vacuum these lyrics are brutal. It's like stream of consciousness by someone with no consciousness. The latter parts of it is just awful ambient space trash with some sort of alien moaning peppered in. If this the sort of thing we created Space Force to combat, I'm suddenly much more invested in seeing them succeed. "Out-Bloody-Rageous" is more or less how I'd describe this being on the list. This song kind of starts off like a nice, ambient noise suitable for getting settled into a relaxing massage. And then the spacecraft from planet AuralTorture makes its approach. It does launch into some not totally unlikable jazz, so enjoy the few minutes of that before we reawaken to our massage and start the whole nightmare over again. They made this 8 times longer than it needed to be, and it's out-bloody-rageous. There was a moment at the end where I thought, "Wait a minute, this just got good. There is an actual melody and where has this been the last hour and a quarter of my life?" And then I realized the auto-play feature had moved on to Jethro Tull.

Hmmm. I like Soft machine. Definitely interesting and often enjoyable. But I can't go much further than that. This album is a bit too much for me in some ways. Bitches Brew is a double album that makes me want more, like Topographic Oceans this one makes me want less.

Surely this is one of the most eclectic and eccentric albums on the list! This album has a strange but wondrous magic to it. The playing by the band is all great; excellent bass, drum and keyboard parts throughout. My favorite part of the album is the second half of Moon in June, there's something so enchanting about it to me. I also like the vocal bits, and Slightly All the Time is awesome all the way through. Such a journey of an album.

Way to long. Better served as background music. 1.5/5

Yikes- the intro was very very rough, once the first track got to 8min in the song transformed. love the cover art. It started to grow on me a bit and I was able to get through the album.

Not my thing.

Whole lot of nothing

Nice find

Well. It sure is a lot. I can here a lot of people who I can only assume was influenced by it. I love good prog rock but this really veers into jazz which I'm not a huge fan of. If it wasn't for the rhythm section this would have gone completely off the rails... But some parts of this album I was getting into. If they could have trimmed ten minutes off of each of these songs I'd listen to it a lot more...

Suoraan paskuuden kuninkuusluokkaan. VMP.

Ekat 5 minuuttia sai jo melkein skippaamaan koko levyn, mut onneks alkoikin ihan kuunneltava musiikki. Omaan makuun lian ”kokeellista” kuitenkin, joten pitkälle levy ei pötkinyt

Erittäin jees! Rauhallista groovea! 4/5

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

Did not like

>Looks at track listing >Four songs >Looks at total album time >1hr15min Hahha okay man. Sure. Why not.

I hat prog rock...boring

Mid

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

Hoo boy. We're getting really jazzy with this one. The first side doesn't work for me. Too avant garde. Slightly All The Time is a lot better. Is this a rock song? I don't think so. But there's a discernible rhythm for much of it and I like the saxophone and psychedelic keyboards. Moon In June actually has vocals! Even if the lyrics are weird. Good keyboards again, and there's some nice guitar in the middle section. The last track has an extended ambient intro before the bass and sax really take off. The end is slower with the drums more prominent. This is a weird one because I enjoyed most of this, but it's on the long side and the first track didn't resonate with me. After playing it again, I get a bit more out of the first side but I still think it's a bold move opening with this piece.

4.0

Due jazz di fila è un crimine😭 mi sento troppo superficiale ma che palle

i primi minuti della prima canzone sembrano fatti da Ross Geller in quell'episodio di Friends dove usa la tastiera per comporre canzoni usando suoni completamente a caso, tipo esplosioni o cani che abbaiano. stesso effetto. grazie al cielo poi migliora leggermente, ma comunque ne ho piene le balle di sto progressive rock un po' psichedelico, ho capito che ha fatto la storia, ma sinceramente, anche basta.

The first half of Track 1 sounds like some music I heard while walking through one of those “jump scare” haunted house one year. The rest just sounds like an experimental jam session, a failed one.

Shit Machine.

Admittedly probably wasn’t on enough drugs to enjoy this. I found this to be the musical equivalent of the drunk guy at the bar who won’t stop rambling and never arrives at the point.

Maybe 1001 was too many albums.

May be my least favorite album we’ve had thus far…18+ minute songs of mostly noise plus a live track? GTFO. Maybe I don’t “get it” but this just sounds like self-indulgent crap to me. 0.5./5

The end of Facelift was a drag. Slightly All The Time is on a more approachable level, and was interesting and enjoyable the whole way through. Moon In June was also like that. The synth work on Out-Bloody-Rageous is nuts for 1970. Really i liked 3 out of 4 songs, so not bad.

I get it. I like noise. But how do you separate good noise from bad noise? I don't know, but this is not good noise. It's like 70s sitcom music with feedback and prog leanings. I hate it.

Thanks to this list, I've learned that I enjoy Prog Rock - this may fall into the prog realm, but feels for free-Jazz to me. Still an interesting listen. 3/5

If you follow my reviews, you'll notice my zero-tolerance policy for tracks over 5 minutes in length. This egregiously violates my rules. It also sounds like a truck load of instruments was given to a toddler daycare.

Please don't let this ugly beast ruin your impression of Soft Machine. By the time of "Third", the band embraced more than before its tendencies toward noisy jazz (or jazzy noise). However, "Volume Two", the band's best record, is unlike anything else that exists in its delicate and much more subtle fusion of the two. "Volume Two" manages to jam actual songs, or at least sketches of songs, into the wax. It's funny and wonderfully constructed with pretty little bits juxtaposed beside more atonal atmospheres. I know this is a review for "Third", but it's such a disappointment for me to have to hear this particular album when I rate its predecessor so much more highly. My advice is to go forth and listen to "VOLUME TWO" first before third.

I see where Budos band gets their inspiration from. Chill but meh

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.

This, in my opinion, is a ridiculous prog album, but in a good way, because it’s a double album with only four tracks. That means every side of the two vinyl records is one song each. Four about-20-minute tracks. Silly. And the tracks are all so wonderfully different that I think of them as individual EPs. You got jazz, you got weird and experimental, you got soft and soothing with flutes and sax, you got harder psychedelia. It’s all here, wrapped up in a present.

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

Slightly all the time

Favorite Track: Slightly All The Time

Avant garde trash again

Old but gold.

Favourite Song: Out-Bloody-Rageous

I dunno. Maybe too noodly for me. At times it felt like it was just jazz, but other times it was just background and uninteresting.

Too much prog rock on this list

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.

What GHAAAASTLY NOISE is that??

Call it what you'd like, post psychedelic rock, whatever, sub-genre as you please, this is jazz - I listened to the whole thing without opening a vein - close call.

Struggled with this. I thought Robert Wyatt was in Soft Machine (probably wrong!)

Even though it’s not the worst thing ever I’m 1050 albums in and trying to have a brat summer so forgive me for not giving a 75 minute long psych jazz prog rock album much of a chance. Just don’t have it in me right now or maybe ever.

2.5/5

The only thing stopping this album from being a one is Slightly All The Time proving serviceable jazz.

3.90 rym prog/jazz per me è un no, mi dispiace 1/5

Bonkers 'experimental' music. Rock's equivalent of Stockhausen. Strangely listenable but not enjoyable.

I wasn't a fan of the first track: Facelift. I was expecting to give a 1 or 2 star rating, but the others were a lot better. I especially enjoyed Out-Bloody-Rageous.

English prog rock group try to make an avant-garde jazz album to mixed results. It’s a very ambitious and impressive record that I just didn’t really enjoy listening to

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

Unlistenable

The first song was just annoying. As if it was designed specifically to irritate me. The rest was a little better, but not enough (not even close) to win me over.

Well I certainly battled it but Third does have its moments. Yeah it's too long and most of it is a waste of my time but the last third of both Slightly All The Time and Moon In June build to something fairly enjoyable. I have a bit of a natural bias towards the saxophone and it's welcome here as a jazz element to otherwise probably forgettable prog, let's call it a 2 and get on with the day.

Didn't much care for this, to be honest. Long, meandering, prog with not a huge amount of excitement. Seemed to focus much more on the musicians enjoying themselves and showing off rather than making something that would appeal to the listener. 2/5.

Too weird for my taste, I reckon.

About half of this album was decent and kind of interesting and half, not so much. Therefore, 2.5/5.

Long, adventurous, ambitious, and interesting experimental prog jazz. The first few minutes set a bit of a bad tone for the album. It's a bit long and hard to really appreciate unless listening to very intentionally. It is impressive however. I couldn't really get into it much this morning but I can appreciate it.

Not my favorite album, but I get why its significant. Personally, I like "experimental elements" rather than full on experimental music. This definitely leans more into full blown experimental. However, there are some really cool elements. I loved the use of keys, very psych. Also, really cool ambients pedal effects on the guitars. I also really liked the jazz influence. That kind of took it to a new direction, which I wasn't expecting. The brass was really really good. Probably won't listen to it again, but I enjoyed it once!

Usually I like prog rock but this is a bit much. Some of the lyrics are really corny and the guy's voice is pretty annoying

Back in 1970 when this album was released I had just started my career and had left home and lived in an hostel. Staying there with me was another Prog Rock minded muso. So we immediately hit it off sharing our love of this genre. One of his favourites were Soft Machine although I recollect he liked the similar band Colosseum more and in particular their Valentyne Suite album. For me at that time there was too much jazz influence for me to fall completely into these bands. But I recollect spending time with my mate in a darkened room where he played this stuff but as I say I was never motivated enough then to buy and follow jazz rock bands. Fast forward over 50 years to last year when I went shopping to a newly opened record store in Wakefield. Primarily I went to look for second hand CD’s but the store was more vinyl than CD’s. The guy who had recommended this store to me although not the owner was a friend of the owner and they were both there and engaged me in a long conversation about music. I felt a bit obliged to buy something (like you do!) but there was nothing in the CD racks to interest me apart from this album so in desperation almost I bought it. But what a good buy it has been. My natural avoidance of all things jazz 50 years ago has now gone so it is an album I can gladly play and enjoy. It sounds particularly good in a darkened room when I can take myself back and think of my friend (no longer with us) who tried his best to get me into jazz rock. He eventually succeeded albeit 50 years on. 200th album tomorrow. Let’s hope it’s a good one 3/5 20/7/24

Not for me, anyone younger than genX, or anyone else who can count on one hand the number of times they’ve smoked weed. With that in mind, I will give props to these guys for being this musically fluid while surely being cooked out of their brains

This whole scene bores me. I doff my proverbial cap to those who created it so I can enjoy all my music since but I can’t be motivated to really listen. Happy to graze and have it on while I work or whatever but it’s a no thanks from me.

I enjoyed this a LOT more than I expected. I didn’t make it through a complete listen just due to time constraints but I think I got the general gist and and also got some opinions from my listening group. It’s whacky and experimental for sure…. But it kind of makes some of the other experimental artists we’ve listened to feel a bit like poseurs to me haha the MFers were COMMITTED The ‘sound effects’ were not always so enjoyable but when they actually played music it was pretty good!

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

not for me.

I wanted to like this but only found it interesting

A big disappointment. Psychedelic rock from 70s, some connection with Pink Floyd, very long songs, mostly instrumental? On paper it looks incredible. But this album was just straight down awful. Boring, nauseating, uninteresting, slightly repulsing. And with the addition of vocalist on the third song, it became even worse. Why did I listen to the whole thing? Give me back my time!

Facelift: Just say No, trust me Just say No. Slightly All The Time: Could have been a decent 5 minute track, didn't survive stretching to 18. Moon In June: Last ever track with lyrics, shame that decission wasn't made before recording this. Out-Bloody-Rageous: Really 3 tracks, none interresting all irritating. Whole Album: Why???

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

Miten tällainen pronssinvärinen kansi kieliikin heti tylsästä jazzista… jota koko levy on. Ihan aavistus kuuluu bändin rokimmasta, psykemmästä taustasta, mutta aika hissimusaksi on vedetty. Tylsä.

Hämmästyttävää. Koomista myös mutta liian harvoin.

Ehhh

Am I glad I listened, sure. Will I ever listen again, probably not.

This was pretty cool - wasn’t expecting something so jazzy. It was pretty long and not a total hit for me, but aside from the first minutes of the first track, never boring. Overall, I liked it. Favorite track: Slightly All The Time

Bit long, but fine

Slightly alien-sounding and eerie, like a half-forgotten tune from late night radio. Could perhaps benefit from some tightening up.

Like Zappa’s jazz only not as good.

I may have spoken too soon when I accused Aqualung of being the lamest album I’d ever heard. Best song: Slightly All the Time

Really hard start. And then it got jazzy proggy silly, and I don't have headspace today for this.

Muita viagem, mas passa bem.

Favorite Track: Slightly All The Time

Quite enjoyable in places, extremely irritating in places. I guess if you are trying a bunch of new stuff it's not all going to work for everyone. Happy to have heard this.

Irritating

Didn't really understand what I was listening to here. Prog type jazz? I dunno but I didn't care and was well ready for it to be over

That was utter tripe. Give up and go get a job.

Just because it's weird doesn't mean it's good

A double album with only four songs 1 per side makes this album drag a little bit as each song is nearly 20 minutes long. I like prog im still not sure about jazzy prog I liked it but I feel like everything was too long and I found myself thinking of other things. Out-Bloody-Rageous was pretty great and a good closer.

Some experimental trippy shit.

Wow, I re-listen an album I liked before and find out I actually love it? Who Could've guessed something like that would happen to me! Sarcasm aside, this album is magnificent, with a hard-coded display of jazz rock at its instrumental finest, with a sonic blast of buzzing organs, complex drum patterns, and bass playing that is just subtle enough to feel like a texture that keeps my mind fuzzy. Even better is the third track's vocal performance via Robert Wyatt, who's voice I adore to no end, and I really soak in each word he speaks, as, alas, this is our only moments with him vocally. I originally was turned off by the opening track for being too all over the place and nonsensical, and while it is still the weakest track, I can wrap my mind around it just enough to love the parts where all the instruments explode at once, or when the music reverses and goes forward at the same time. Assuredly a sick experience to see live, and the rest of the album's non-live performances are also top-notch. Figures that I like it when British white guys do crazy, long form jazz instead of albums like Bitches Brew. Because I'm a bad person. Ah, well... someday that album will click with me. Maybe. Probably not. But this one does! This is fantastic, and worth the re-listen just a month later!

Very cool listen. A bit of a synth psychedelic feel to the finish which I really dug. A bit up and down as far as how much I enjoyed it, but overall a cool album

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

Simply: it does not work for me

what's the matter lagerboy, afraid you might taste something?

Hard pass

Yes the tracks are all a bit long and often take a while to ‘get started’ but once you’re in they are pretty damn good

Ok, another album with 4 tracks, but this one has some standout moments. The linked article says you need to listen to their first two albums for this album to make sense so maybe you'll get more context if you put the effort in. Still, enjoyable enough with my faves being Moon In June and Out-Bloody-Rageous

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.

feeling more and more like almost all music produced since 1965 is just crap

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.

how dare you begin an album with this

I just don’t get it, I think I tuned out for almost all of this album.

I had no idea what to expect and as soon as I saw this was just 4 tracks, each around 19 minutes each, I knew it was time to strap in for some hippie proggy jams. Which is exactly what this was. It was fine for sure, but not really my jam, and overly long for sure.

I was looking forward to this listen as I frequently hear about Soft Machine whilst poking around Pink Floyd sites. However... This is borderline un-listenable. A truly horrible album and perhaps my least favourite in the challenge. Just a pointless mess of sounds.

Soft machine - a trinity of more accurate names: impotent instrument limp unit droopy device

"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.

Not for me ! Parts were interesting but it lost me. 2*

I didn't need this today...

Was hoping this would be one of those "spoils await the victor who perseveres through the initial avant garde-ness" situations but after 14mins of perseverance you can only imagine my dismay upon realising I was still on track one.

Some really good things going on here, but also feels a little all over the place. Certainly different. In the end, feels like it isn’t quite jazz, and isn’t quite prog rock, so it lands in a weird in-between.

I did not know what to expect. Provides a vast soundscape that shifts from disconcerting to melodious with movements possible after every note. Not sure it's a listen I will return to.

Eh.

This is what happens when you let toddlers loose with some pots and pans and a keyboard.

I like some prog and I find this tiresome after a while though you've gotta admire the ambition.

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.

Als ich 18 war habe ich sowas gehört. Heute nehme ich keine Drogen mehr, und beim Hören bekomme ich Migräne. Nix für alte Leute.

I think it's pronounced 'turd'.

Yea, this is a big no for me. 4 songs and over 1 hour? What the hell. Not coming back for another listen and not a fan.

1.5 https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxuRQB1_96_Q22crgCTK6-tzf-R2wTOoo1?si=glw7Y0cquRI6GSg7 I feel like some of these albums lately have been trying to piss me off. This is just random noise for 78 minutes that sometimes turns into jazz (which I guess in and of itself is just random noise), broken up into four nearly twenty-minute chunks. I checked a few times to see how far I made it in and was surprised to learn each time that I was still on the first track. Fortunately, it gets a little better and more conventional after that, but not by much. As someone who isn’t even a huge fan of jazz to begin with, the attempt at it here feels far from the most interesting the genre has to offer, especially considering how long these tracks are. The third track at least adds some vocals, but they’re kind of terrible - the dude sounds like he’s battling a cold and out of breath for most of it. By the fourth track I was completely tapped out. I’m giving this thing a half-star because there’s a hint of an album buried here somewhere, but my god, was this a slog. I can’t even begin to tell you how grateful I am that Spotify has the bonus tracks on the album grayed out and unplayable. Don’t ever see myself listening to this again.

Solid album. This is a nice, interesting prog-jazz-rock album that sounds a bit like a soundtrack in a late-60s thriller (a la Bullitt). It's a fun leisure listen or while working on something else. ***

There is prog that is really good and there is prog that is the drizzling shits. This album is the drizzling shits. Just another reason why punk had to happen.

Not for me

I was not a fan of this. I guess I didn't really understand it. I'm sure it was inventive, but it's just not for me.

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.

I don't really remember this album all that much at this point that I am reviewing it. I remember it being kindad noisy and directionless at time, the first song had like two separate halves with totally different mixes. It was like, jazzy and proggy? I don't really remember, but I do remember it being pretty ok. I can't give it a high rating cause I don't remember. I'd like to revisit for sure. Strong 2.5/5

Points for uniqueness, this puts the jazz in prog...or the prog in jazz...not sure which is more prominent but I read "rock band" and that's not what happened.

Not for me. Progressive experimental jazz. Too long but songs are very predictable once they start so nothing really surprising for me. I feel that being from 1970 it was sonething new and different for the time and imagine it created quite a buzz but for me Ive seen more like it and the beatles didnexperimenting at its best.

Þetta hafði allt til brunns að bera til að vera skemmtilegt en svo var þetta bara ekki skemmtilegt. Ég fílaði ekki tempóið í djassinum og svo voru aðeins of miklar tilraunir til að fíla á svona plötu. Ég hefði alveg örugglega fílað þetta í einhverjum jam-djassklúbb en ekki á plötu. Nei takk.

Jam session

Not into it...

I can’t do experimental, long-form jazz anymore now than I could when I listened to jazz.

It's ok I guess. To be honest I had it on but it never forced its self to be anything other than background noise

What in the shit is this? Let’s go ahead and lie and say I listened to this all the way through and they’ll probably still let me into music heaven.

Not sure on this. Don't get me wrong, I quite like prog, but some of the jazzy bits get annoying.

idk for me

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

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

Really wacky and out there. How early was this on the prog rock scene? Was this mainstream? It's so experimental with the melodies and the channel separation.

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

Rock progresado

3.5

This is interesting. Would make for good ambience but not sure if listen to it by choice. Also not convinced that what Spotify has is wholly accurate.

Pretty enjoyable album, all things considered. I usually liked the start of each song, but did not have the endurance to really appreciate the album all in one go. It took a few breaks to get through. There were a few breaks in the songs that felt like they just totally switched directions.

TBH, a lot of this jazz is indistinguishable from each other and, without a vocalist, Soft Machine are a bit more one dimensional than others

As everyone here, I loathed the intro of the first track and then eased into it. did not hate it but i don't think I'll ever listen to this again.

Well this 1¼ hour long album of four tracks came immediately after another 1¼ hour long album recorded by another "soft", and of the two I'd probably go for Soft Cell over this one. It starts badly with an overindulgence of cacophony. Yes, it does get better in a prog wankery kind of way, but ultimately it's a prog rock album. It is not an outstanding example of prog, and what does make it notable is the amount of just unpleasantness contained..

So hard for me! I don't give it a ⭐ out of respect and because it doesn't live up to my rap ratings.

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.

This was a perfectly enjoyable album of instrumental music until the Moon in June track presented itself. Singing not a strong point, lyrics didn’t do it for me either. Knocked down a star for that one (which is 1/4 of a four track album).

You gotta get past the first few minutes to enjoy this album

Mostly noise to me but some decent sounds

Pretentious and unlistenable. The vocalist makes me feel better about my admittedly poor ability to sing.

It got a lot better, but the first track was terrible.

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.

Wow. Quite a contrast to the previous album (Fatboy Slim), and the first song/composition was pretty much different from almost anything else I've heard in this collection so far, although there are definitely echoes of Frank Zappa at times, of ELP's "Fanfare for the Common Man" concert album (although possibly that's vice versa in both of these cases), and I can definitely see the earlier Pink Floyd connection too as they played in the underground scene. I'm having a harder time imagining them winning over Jimi Hendrix fans during their 1968 tours with The Jimi Hendrix Experience... I'm not sure I can say I enjoyed this album, and I definitely wish there was a way they could have distilled the double album into a single (vinyl) disc, as it seems a bit much for non-hardcore fans, but it's definitely an experience, and at times an interesting one. I also wish the Wikipedia entry for this album was better, as it's hard to get a feel for either the band (at least in its composition on this album) or the album's purpose or genesis. I am not at all surprised that (a) they were never particularly commercially successful, or (b) that the band name came from William S. Burroughs.

A bunch of wankers wanking. The last tune (and I use this term loosely) was the best of the bunch. Maybe I should have hit the bong before listening.

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

Marvelois

Yuppers

If you ignore the beginning, the album got better in the latter part.wwww

I do not really get it. And that‘s not meant und a interesting way.

Easy

Not to be harsh but this was everything in an album I don’t really like. Extraordinary long with little to no singing and nothing to make up for the absence of voices. I see that it is influential but I just didn’t like it.

That was weird. And long. And felt even longer than the double-album runtime. .... Well, I really wanted to like this, especially knowing the influence they've had on space rock, psychedelic trippy prog, etc, but...it's a lot. Actually I should erase that but I won't because it's actually *not* a lot - there's a lot of filler. ELP was/is a lot. This kinda shoulda been half the length not necessarily overall but each "song" (come on) could be like 7 minutes. I like long songs. Supper's Ready might be my "you get one song before your execution" pick, and not just that it's 20+ minutes. But it rarely surpasses the points where they just sound like they're experimenting and decided to release it as an album. And a double! I don't hate it, it's actually at its best kinda trippy and chill but the moments are spread out. Gimme some Gong and the Planet Pixies for trippiness that I can latch onto. This sounds like a poorly-formed Hot Rats. Oh also the sound is shit which yeah, it matters. I feel like I'm being generous with my rating as I'm definitely giving an extra point for influence but it's not for me. 5/10 3 stars

Not really sure…seems ok. 3/5

💖 moon in june 🗣️ 8️⃣

I mean I don’t hate this but I also have no desire to sit through it again

Slightly All the Time is good.

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.

Reviewing a few months after I listened to it, but I don’t think I enjoyed it

That first track is pretty cringe and is somewhere between acid jazz and noise. Moon in June is outstanding! Definitely an off the beaten track album that was not played for a currently existing audience but might have made a lot more sense in the psychedelic scene where it was birthed out in the shadow of Pink Floyd. Hey, these guys are still playing!

Improvisational jazz rock isn’t something that captures or commands my attention. So most of “Third” drifted into the background as it meandered along, only to jar me out of my stupor with elements that seemed more akin to space rock than the Hawkwind or Spiritualized albums we listened to the next week.

Lost me in the first minute, I could not make it all the way through Facelift. Please make sounds that sound good together.

Best consumed while laying in the dark before bed. That’s a limiting listening scenario. It’s not all trash, being loosely formed prog/jazz rock and all, but it’s best when not paying attention.

Just kinda meanders. The moon june song has some lyrics, structure and ok soloing. Re: the opening track - it is interesing to see all these prog bands creating "innovative!" noise and 30 years before radiohead deconstructed rock and roll or whatever

if a band is the first to try something new or experimental, that doesn’t mean it’s something that’s very good. If Jim Zorn was a 60s, jazz inspired Prog musician then this is what he would sound like a 1 out of 5.

Lite experimentellt, men det lät i alla fall inte som att de ströp en gås i 56 minuter.

Finally, something short---only 4 songs! The cover confused me but served as a reminder to go to discogs for viewing album covers. I wish streaming services would implement front/back/gatefold cover views. https://www.discogs.com/master/16783-Soft-Machine-Third

Genuinely intriguing mishmash of rock and jazz.

Excellent musicianship, but boring as hell 1/5

Nah

Loud piercing nonsense at the beginning of this album almost made me turn it off. After that it was "listenable", but seemed to have no direction or purpose. I'm all for improvisational jams, psychedelic type music...but this was more like a science experiment gone bad vs a legitimate album....with just a pinch of potential, at times.

Track one sounds worse than a middle school ensemble before warm ups and should have been trashed. The rest is almost cool. I dug Moon in June. Jazz fusion prog jams with one track of noise.

doing LSD seems terrible

The first song is an atrocious attack on the ears and the rest of the album is mediocre at best. Not a fan.

Overall listenable, but about 20 mon too long.

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.

Endless and pointless, yet with some proper songs hidden, e.g., at the beginning of Moon in June.

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

Nearing the end of this long project, I probably appreciated this long and noodly/noisy work more than I would have any previous time in my life. It's still not very high up there, but definitely higher.

The start was rough for me and when the end came, I was definitely ready for it. But because there were some moments in between that I found a bit nice, it was overall an “okay”.

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

Within the first minute of playing this I was more than a little concerned about the hour+ runtime and the amount of noise I was hearing. This was not looking promising. A while into that opening track (Facelift), I realized that this noise was perhaps some kind of jazz music. A lot of sax here, although I’m not entirely sure the sax was enjoying itself… By the end of that first track, I was sort of intrigued and decided to read the Wikipedia page - I recognized Robert Wyatt thanks to this project, the lead vocalist who would appear later on the album. Hmmm… I thought I was hating this… then I grew intrigued… and then listened a second time and wondered who was torturing the whale at the start of the album… Still not sure what to feel, but it was interesting.

Meh... ekki spennandi.

Babbity prog shite. Skipped track 2. Skipped track 3. Met by silence, relieved when I thought I'd lost track 4. Left it playing but left the room.

Very jazzy prog second half better then the first

Nice 70s impro with keys, sax & drums

A lot of tune up in the front. I almost gave up. But I continued. Too much work for 2 stars.

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.

Stort album. Låter annorlunda varje gång jag hör det

Y'know, I don't hate Jazz, but oh my GOODNESS did each song have to be nearly 20 minutes long??? I can excuse 20 minute long songs if they're interesting, see Echoes - Pink Floyd, but there's nothing here that warrants that timeframe for me.

i will be real i really liked this

I'll be honest, I hated this. The only reason I gave it 2 stars is because I sort of enjoyed the "acid jazz" sounds that were interspersed between the other noise.

This is some really stellar psych-rock.

File this one under disappointment - totally judged this book by its' cover and wasn't at all what I expected. Even having read the bio I thought it was going to be one thing and it was something else entirely. I don't think it's a bad album per-se, but even had it been labelled differently I don't think I'm as into experimental jazz records as your average participant

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.

The first song is terrible noise and feedback like sounds and I skipped it two minutes in. Second song isn’t much better, until the sax kicks in and at least gives it a bit of direction and substance. Third song-had to turn it off. Listen again: no Purchase for my collection: no Favourite Song: none

Nothing special

Boring mess.

this was not for me. mostly instrumental (i think one song had lyrics). the songs just kind of meander seemingly endlessly. the album only has four songs, but… none of the songs are under 18 minutes long.

Another shit album. Who the fuck is this guy and why the fuck am I taking him at his word when says I have to listen to some of this shit.

There was no need for this to drag for so long, I didn't finish a single song

No.

Entirely way too long. No need for a double album. Plus it was only 4 songs. It was very weird too. No need to listen.

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

middle of the road on this one 2.5

Why is jazzso weird man

I had to skip two songs

Not for me.

As much as I enjoy experimentation in my music, this just skirts around ideas and just as you think they're onto something the acid takes them somewhere else and it's back to square one. There is some truly interesting snippets hidden in here but finding them was a challenge and not an altogether enjoyable one.

I’m about to turn this shit off. I do appreciate how cool this is in theory and it’s interesting place in the history of psych and prog rock, but it’s literally never what I want to listen to

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.

The first track starts rough and seems to go on forever. But if you can you settle into it, this is actually quite good. Eclectic, creative, solid musicianship. A bit too noodly for my taste. Fave Songs: Slightly All the Time, Out-Bloody-Rageous

Cool

It didn’t hurt me to listen…

Weird

70’s weird rock music. Not impressed. Top album? Nope.

Jazz-rock progresivo. Se me ha hecho bola. Un 2.

I'm sorry, I tried.

I don’t care what the critics say - this is the kind of album that makes people think they hate jazz. Ugh. Mindless, pointless, meandering noise.

Like a long jam session…not terrible, try jazz-fusion sound. Background music?

Never heared of Jazz-Rock before. Musically not bad and after tracks 1 and 2 I´m on at least 2 stars for that. But the voice on track 3 is an imposition. And why is there over 4 minutes annoying noise on track 4 before the music starts. I really don´t like to be pissed of by an album.

Ok, so at first I thought my headphones had broken because I couldn’t hear anything. Apparently that was just the introduction. Then I read a review which said to not listen to the first track first, so I switched. I also read the review that said they liked the bit when they sang. I thought this was a joke but no, there is a singing bit. Overall I have to say it’s a no from me but that’s because I just don’t like jazz.

kind of takes you on a journey but gets very dull and background-y especially with the jazz influence. starts to show something by track 3 however that's almost 40 mins in.

Listened to this while playing Middara. Yeah, the beginning of this was really tough, but once you survive that, the rest is considerably better. Another album that was just kind of meh. I'd rather listen to The Necks if I'm in the mood for long noodley tracks.

Nice, kept going

Avant-Garde Jazz meets psychedelia. Count me out.

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

After King Crimson, I was excited to see the short track list/long run time combination. However, this was an underwhelming album that could’ve used more moments of excitement.

A handful of decent moments, but nothing I'd listen to again.

It was fine at parts, but the first 5 minutes were unlistenable. It's 1.25 hours and 5 songs

Trash

Unlistenable. I'd give it zero stars if I could. But isn't it amazing that there are so many different kinds of people in the world that some folks love this record? I'll do my best to appreciate that because the album itself ... no.

After a distinctly prog first track I was very pleasantly surprised to hear the jazz fusion of tracks 2 and 4. Could easily have passed somewhere between Miles Davis/Herbie Hancock/jazzy Frank Zappa from the same year. Excellent (or at least half the album).

Why was this on the list? Shameful

Pretty interesting prog rock album

This is a pretty confusing album as it says rock and they talk about prog rock but after listening this was basically jazz with a couple of songs with guitar heavy instrumentals. It’s prog rock because they added a guitar. Not sure if that makes sense but either way it was confusing and dull. Not much moor to say. 4.0/10

not very listenable - a little bit like if cats had synthesizers and saxophones and jammed whilst on acid

Electronica jazz, hey? That's a new one for me. The music was good to have in the background but periodically got stuck iterating within repetitive sections full of sounds I didn't like. That happened more often than I would have liked.

Jazz noodling. Occasional interesting moments but if 2 minutes of 18 are good, make a 2 minute song.

Just a few songs on this album. And they're each 20 minutes long. And excruciating. Mostly guitar and saxophone, it goes nowhere and is not enjoyable to listen to.

Dieses Album ist mir zu sehr künstlerisch mit kaum einer Melodie aber mit viel Geduddel, geklimper, Geräuschen aus synthetischen und echten Instrumenten. Das ist nicht mein Fall.