Six is the sixth studio album by the jazz rock band Soft Machine. Originally released in 1973 as a double LP, the first disc is a live album and the second disc is a studio album. This is the first album to feature Karl Jenkins as a member the group, replacing Elton Dean. Jenkins eventually became the de facto leader and main composer of the group.
| Six | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album / Live album by | ||||
| Released | February 1973 | |||
| Recorded | The Dome, Brighton, and Civic Hall, Guildford, October and November 1972 (live record), CBS Studios, London, November and December 1972 (studio record, except "1983"), Advision Studios, London, 1973 ("1983") | |||
| Genre | Jazz fusion[1] | |||
| Length | 76:25 | |||
| Label | CBS (UK), Columbia (USA) | |||
| Producer | Soft Machine | |||
| Soft Machine chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Christgau's Record Guide | B− [2] |
Overview
editThe previous two albums had been issued with slightly different titles in different countries (Fourth and Fifth in the UK, Four and 5 in the USA, with the former album showing a numeral 4 on the cover, while the album before that had been titled Third worldwide). On this album, they deferred to their American standard for worldwide release.
The album includes a live record and a studio record, individually titled as shown in the track listing below.
Track listing
editSoft Machine "Six" Album – Live Record
edit| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Fanfare" | Karl Jenkins | 0:42 |
| 2. | "All White" | Mike Ratledge | 4:46 |
| 3. | "Between" | Jenkins, Ratledge | 2:24 |
| 4. | "Riff I" | Jenkins | 4:36 |
| 5. | "37½" | Ratledge | 6:51 |
| Total length: | 19:19 | ||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6. | "Gesolreut" | Ratledge | 6:17 |
| 7. | "E.P.V." | Jenkins | 2:47 |
| 8. | "Lefty" | Soft Machine | 4:56 |
| 9. | "Stumble" | Jenkins | 1:42 |
| 10. | "5 from 13 (for Phil Seamen with Love & Thanks)" | John Marshall | 5:15 |
| 11. | "Riff II" | Jenkins | 1:20 |
| Total length: | 21:37 40:16 | ||
Note: "Lefty" composer credit changed to (Hopper / Jenkins / Marshall) on later CD editions.
Soft Machine "Six" Album – Studio Record
edit| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Soft Weed Factor" | Jenkins | 11:18 |
| 2. | "Stanley Stamp's Gibbon Album (for B.O.)" | Ratledge | 5:58 |
| Total length: | 17:16 | ||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3. | "Chloe and the Pirates" | Ratledge | 9:30 |
| 4. | "1983" | Hugh Hopper | 7:54 |
| Total length: | 17:24 34:40 | ||
Personnel
editSoft Machine
- Karl Jenkins – oboe, baritone and soprano saxophones, electric piano and grand piano, celeste
- Mike Ratledge – organ, electric and grand piano, celeste
- Hugh Hopper – bass guitar; sound effects on "1983"
- John Marshall – drums, percussion
Record 1: Recorded at the Brighton Dome and at the Guildford Civic Hall and mixed at Advision Studios, London during the months of October and November 1972.
Record 2: "1983" recorded and mixed at Advision Studios, London. All other compositions recorded and mixed at CBS Studios, London during the months of November and December 1972.
References
edit- ^ a b Anderson, Jason. "Soft Machine - Six (1973) album review, credits & releases | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved 25 July 2011.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: S". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved 12 March 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.