SOFT MACHINE Vinyl & CDs

Review: Canterbury scene stalwarts Soft Machine were well established by the time they headed out on a European tour in 1970 to promote their third album. Their performances in Paris and Rotterdam were recorded for radio broadcast and it's those live recordings that make up this two-disc set. It shows the jazz-rock fusionists at their mercurial best, with disc one featuring a performance of the Third LP in full, alongside fan favourites from its two predecessors. Disc two, meanwhile, features a handful of extended takes on tracks from all three albums they'd released up to that point, as well as a fine version of 'Teeth' - a track that would eventually surface in studio form on 1971 LP Fourth.

Review: This new quadruple CD release captures the legendary 'classic quartet' of The Soft Machine band during their final European tour on February 27th and 28th, 1971. While previously released sets from the latter date exist, this marks the first complete release of both nights, with half of it being entirely unreleased material. The performances, held in a relatively intimate venue, offer a captivating stereo experience. Soft Machine's concerts at the Henie-Onstad Art Center in Norway were unique and set against an art exhibition backdrop as well as being accompanied by Mark Boyle's films. Listening back now and it's easy to hear the band's dynamic evolution across consecutive nights in the unique museum setting.