Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
Soft Machine plunged deeper into jazz and contemporary electronic music on this pivotal release, which incited The Village Voice to call it a milestone achievement when it was released. It's a double album of stunning music, with each side devoted to one composition -- two by Mike Ratledge, and one each by Hopper and Wyatt, with substantial help from a number of backup musicians, including Canterbury mainstays Elton Dean and Jimmy Hastings. The Ratledge songs come closest to fusion jazz, although this is fusion laced with tape loop effects and hypnotic, repetitive keyboard patterns. Hugh Hopper's "Facelift" recalls "21st Century Schizoid Man" by King Crimson, although it's more complex, with several quite dissimilar sections. The pulsing rhythms, chaotic horn and keyboard sounds, and dark drones on "Facelift" predate some of what Hopper did as a solo artist later (this song was actually culled from two live performances in 1970). On his capricious composition "Moon in June," Robert Wyatt draws on musical ideas from early 1967 demos done with producer Giorgio Gomelsky. Lyrically, it's a satirical alternative to the pretension displayed by a lot of rock writing of the era, and combined with the Softs' exotic instrumentation, it makes for quite a listen (the compilation Triple Echo includes a BBC broadcast recording of "Moon in June" with different albeit equally fanciful lyrics, and the Robert Wyatt archival collection '68, released by Cuneiform in 2013, features a remastered version of Wyatt's original demo of the song, recorded in the U.S. following the Softs' tour opening for the Jimi Hendrix Experience). Not exactly rock, Third nonetheless pushed the boundaries of rock into areas previously unexplored, and it managed to do so without sounding self-indulgent. A better introduction to the group is either of the first two records, but once introduced, this is the place to go.
© Peter Kurtz /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From $10.83/month
Andy Knight, Engineer - Bob Woolford, Recording Engineer - Elton Dean, Alto Saxophone - Hugh Hopper, Acoustic Bass - Hugh Hopper, Composer - Hugh Hopper, Lyricist - Jimmy Hastings, Bass Clarinet - Jimmy Hastings, Flute - Lyn Dobson, Flute - Lyn Dobson, Soprano Saxophone - Mike Ratledge, Organ - Mike Ratledge, Piano - Nick Evans, Trombone - Rab Spall, Violin - Robert Wyatt, Drums - Robert Wyatt, Vocal - Soft Machine, Performer - Soft Machine, Producer
(P) 1970 Sony Music Entertainment (UK) Ltd.
Andy Knight, Engineer - Elton Dean, Alto Saxophone - Hugh Hopper, Acoustic Bass - Jimmy Hastings, Bass Clarinet - Jimmy Hastings, Flute - Lyn Dobson, Flute - Lyn Dobson, Soprano Saxophone - Mike Ratledge, Composer - Mike Ratledge, Lyricist - Mike Ratledge, Organ - Mike Ratledge, Piano - Nick Evans, Trombone - Rab Spall, Violin - Robert Wyatt, Drums - Robert Wyatt, Vocal - Soft Machine, Performer - Soft Machine, Producer
(P) 1970 Sony Music Entertainment (UK) Ltd.
Andy Knight, Engineer - Elton Dean, Alto Saxophone - Hugh Hopper, Acoustic Bass - Jimmy Hastings, Bass Clarinet - Jimmy Hastings, Flute - Lyn Dobson, Flute - Lyn Dobson, Soprano Saxophone - Mike Ratledge, Organ - Mike Ratledge, Piano - Nick Evans, Trombone - Rab Spall, Violin - Robert Wyatt, Composer - Robert Wyatt, Drums - Robert Wyatt, Lyricist - Robert Wyatt, Vocal - Soft Machine, Performer - Soft Machine, Producer
(P) 1970 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT (UK) LIMITED
Andy Knight, Engineer - Elton Dean, Alto Saxophone - Hugh Hopper, Acoustic Bass - Jimmy Hastings, Bass Clarinet - Jimmy Hastings, Flute - Lyn Dobson, Flute - Lyn Dobson, Soprano Saxophone - Mike Ratledge, Composer - Mike Ratledge, Lyricist - Mike Ratledge, Organ - Mike Ratledge, Piano - Nick Evans, Trombone - Rob Spall, Violin - Robert Wyatt, Drums - Robert Wyatt, Vocal - Soft Machine, Performer - Soft Machine, Producer
(P) 1970 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT (UK) LIMITED
Album review
Soft Machine plunged deeper into jazz and contemporary electronic music on this pivotal release, which incited The Village Voice to call it a milestone achievement when it was released. It's a double album of stunning music, with each side devoted to one composition -- two by Mike Ratledge, and one each by Hopper and Wyatt, with substantial help from a number of backup musicians, including Canterbury mainstays Elton Dean and Jimmy Hastings. The Ratledge songs come closest to fusion jazz, although this is fusion laced with tape loop effects and hypnotic, repetitive keyboard patterns. Hugh Hopper's "Facelift" recalls "21st Century Schizoid Man" by King Crimson, although it's more complex, with several quite dissimilar sections. The pulsing rhythms, chaotic horn and keyboard sounds, and dark drones on "Facelift" predate some of what Hopper did as a solo artist later (this song was actually culled from two live performances in 1970). On his capricious composition "Moon in June," Robert Wyatt draws on musical ideas from early 1967 demos done with producer Giorgio Gomelsky. Lyrically, it's a satirical alternative to the pretension displayed by a lot of rock writing of the era, and combined with the Softs' exotic instrumentation, it makes for quite a listen (the compilation Triple Echo includes a BBC broadcast recording of "Moon in June" with different albeit equally fanciful lyrics, and the Robert Wyatt archival collection '68, released by Cuneiform in 2013, features a remastered version of Wyatt's original demo of the song, recorded in the U.S. following the Softs' tour opening for the Jimi Hendrix Experience). Not exactly rock, Third nonetheless pushed the boundaries of rock into areas previously unexplored, and it managed to do so without sounding self-indulgent. A better introduction to the group is either of the first two records, but once introduced, this is the place to go.
© Peter Kurtz /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 4 track(s)
- Total length: 01:15:15
- Main artists: Soft Machine
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Sony Music Media
- Genre: Pop/Rock Rock Progressive Rock
(P) 1970 Sony Music Entertainment UK Limited
Distinctions:
Improve album informationWhy buy on Qobuz?
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalog with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets, and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.