Soft Machine was an English jazz-rock band that was active between the late 1960s and early 1980s. They were among the first rock acts to make use of asymmetric and compound meters. Due to numerous lineup changes, the first and final Soft Machine albums feature none of the same members. Nonetheless, the nameplate was passed […]
Matching Mole was an English jazz-rock band that released two albums on CBS in 1972. The band was formed by drummer/vocalist Robert Wyatt after his departure from Soft Machine and featured fellow name-players of the Canterbury music scene. Members: Robert Wyatt (drums, vocals, piano, Mellotron), Phil Miller (guitar), Bill MacCormick (bass), Dave Sinclair (organ, piano, […]
Centipede was an English avant-garde jazz big-band led by pianist Keith Tippett for the 1971 RCA/Neon double-album Septober Energy, comprised of a title-sake improvisation split across four sides. It was produced by Robert Fripp shortly after Tippet’s involvement with the 1970 King Crimson albums In the Wake of Poseidon and Lizard. The 50+ ensemble featured […]
News from Babel were an English avant/art-pop band that released two albums and a standalone one-sided single on Rē between 1984 and 1986. The band was essentially a follow-through to Henry Cow-spinoff the Art Bears with Lindsay Cooper in lieu of Fred Frith. Members: Chris Cutler (drums, electronics, percussion, marimba), Dagmar Krause (vocals), Zeena Parkins […]
Volume Two is the second album by English psychedelic jazz-rock trio Soft Machine, released in April 1969 on ABC-subsidiary Probe. Tracklist: Rivmic Melodies A1. “Pataphysical Introduction – Pt. I” (1:00) A2. “A Concise British Alphabet – Pt. I” (0:10) A3. “Hibou, Anemone and Bear” (5:58) A4. “A Concise British Alphabet – Pt. II” (0:12) A5. […]
Letters Home is the second of two albums by avant-garde/art-rock supergroup News from Babel, released in 1986 on Rē Records. Tracklist: A1. “Who Will Accuse?” (2:39) A2. “Heart of Stone (Megalopolis)” (3:04) A3. “Banknote” (3:20) A4. “Moss” (3:58) A5. “A Dragon at the Core” (4:43) B1. “Dark Matter” (4:22) B2. “Waited/ Justice” (5:09) B3. “Fast […]
Songs to Remember is the debut album by English art-pop combo Scritti Politti, released in 1982 on Rough Trade. Though technically their debut full-length, roughly an album’s worth of material had already appeared under the nameplate across three 1978/79 singles and EPs. Tracklist: A1. “Asylums in Jerusalem” (3:14) A2. “A Slow Soul” (3:17) A3. “Jacques […]
The Hapless Child (and Other Inscrutable Stories) is the third album by Austrian composer/arranger Michael Mantler, released in 1976 on ECM-subsidiary Watt. Tracklist: A1. “The Sinking Spell” (5:12) A2. “The Object-Lesson” (4:58) A3. “The Insect God” (5:00) B1. “The Doubtful Guest” (4:45) B2. “The Remembered Visit” (6:25) B3. “The Hapless Child” (6:59) Credits: Michael […]
Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy) is the second solo album by English art-rock keyboardist/songwriter Brian Eno, released in 1974 on Island. Tracklist: A1. “Burning Airlines Give You So Much More” (3:17) A2. “Back in Judy’s Jungle” (5:15) A3. “The Fat Lady of Limbourg” (5:05) A4. “Mother Whale Eyeless” (5:46) A5. “The Great Pretender” (5:10) B1. […]
Silence is the fourth headlining album by Austrian avant-garde composer/arranger Michael Mantler, released in 1977 on WATT Works. Like its predecessor, the album features vocals by Robert Wyatt on several tracks. Tracklist: A1. “I Walk With My Girl” (9:41 — :01-5:05-9:40) A2. “I Watch the Clouds” (9:23) A3. “It Is Curiously Hot” (4:42) A4. “When […]
Third is a double-album by English jazz-rock quartet Soft Machine, released in 1970 on CBS/Columbia. Tracklist: A. “Facelift” (18:54) B. “Slightly All the Time” (18:14) C. “Moon in June” (19:18) D. “Out-Bloody-Rageous” (19:17) Credits: Mike Ratledge – Hohner Pianet, Lowrey organ, piano Hugh Hopper – bass guitar Robert Wyatt – drums, vocals (C), Hammond organ, […]
Robert Wyatt is an English vocalist and songwriter who rose to prominence as the singer and drummer in Soft Machine. After recording four albums with the band between 1968 and 1971, he left to form Matching Mole, which cut two albums for CBS in 1972. The following year, he was paralyzed from the waist down […]
