Six (Soft Machine album)

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 following the departure of the last remaining original member, Mike Ratledge, in 1976.

Six
Studio album and Live album by
Soft Machine
ReleasedFeb 1973
RecordedThe 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")
GenreJazz fusion[1]
Length76:25
LabelCBS (UK), Columbia (USA)
ProducerSoft Machine
Soft Machine chronology
Fifth
(1972)		 Six
(1973)		 Seven
(1973)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic [1]
Christgau's Record GuideB− [2]

Overview

The 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. All but one of the pieces on the live album had not been on a Soft Machine album before, the one exception being "All White", a studio recording of which had appeared on the band's previous album Fifth.

Track listing

Side one
  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

Side two
  1. "Gesolreut" (Ratledge) – 6:17
  2. "E.P.V." (Jenkins) – 2:47
  3. "Lefty" (Soft Machine) – 4:56
  4. "Stumble" (Jenkins) – 1:42
  5. "5 from 13 (for Phil Seamen with Love & Thanks)" (John Marshall) – 5:15
  6. "Riff II" (Jenkins) – 1:20

Note: "Lefty" composer credit changed to (Hopper / Jenkins / Marshall) on later CD editions.

Side one
  1. "The Soft Weed Factor" (Jenkins) – 11:18
  2. "Stanley Stamp's Gibbon Album (for B.O.)" (Ratledge) – 5:58

Side two
  1. "Chloe and the Pirates" (Ratledge) – 9:30
  2. "1983" (Hugh Hopper) – 7:54

Note: On U.S. LP pressings, "1983" is slightly shorter, with a listed running time of 7:11.

Personnel

Soft Machine

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
  1. Anderson, Jason. "Soft Machine - Six (1973) album review, credits & releases | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved 25 July 2011.
  2. 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.
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