Soft Machine CDs on Sundazed

[Progbear]

funny.

to MY ears, I think Facelift is by far the best sounding of the four recordings found on Third. YMMV...and obvously does.

If we’re talking sound quality, “Facelift” is terrible; some of the worst sound quality I’ve ever heard on a pro-flight band’s official release. Borderline bootleg quality.

If we’re talking musical quality, well, that’s a different story. Third was the first SM LP I ever heard and I was hooked immediately. Not only is it a fantastic composition, the performance is beyond hot, especially with Ratledge’s fire-and-brimstone organ solo. It’s so great it makes the sound quality [almost] beside the point, and I am just delighted we have it at all.

I have to laugh at people saying how awful [release X] of Third sounds because there’s only so much you can do with something that was recorded poorly in the first place. Remastering engineers are never going to be able to wave a magic wand and make this LP sound like Steely Dan’s Aja. The sooner we realize that, the happier we’ll all be.

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MIKE (a.k.a. "Progbear")

"'Thin Thighs For Your Man.' But I don't *like* men with thin thighs" --Daria

N.P.:“Visions”-Haken

[Steve F.]

If we’re talking sound quality, “Facelift” is terrible; some of the worst sound quality I’ve ever heard on a pro-flight band’s official release. Borderline bootleg quality.

I'm talking sound quality. To my ears, the rest of the album is significantly worse, with poor drum sound, bad balances, distortion all over the place (Facelift has distortion too, but it's a LIVE recording - there's no excuse for it on a studio recording), all mid range, very muddy, unclear sound, etc etc etc.

YMMV.

[Romerovm]

Absolutely fantastic mastering by Bob Irwin on the first album, who is really becoming somebody whose work I trust.

And here I thought that the Big Beat twofer was decent. Irwin's work is more dynamic and reveals glorious midrange that was nowhere to be found on the Big Beat, which now sounds like a "big" smiley-face EQ curve was applied.

Up next I'll see how Volume Two compares ...

Did you get a chance to listen to the vinyl or only CDs?

[JeffCarney]

Did you get a chance to listen to the vinyl or only CDs?

Only CDs. I am sure the LPs are also great. From the products I've heard, I think Sundazed is excellent.

[Trane]

Some quotes regarding the recording of SM Vol.1 from Graham Bennett's book :

"Recorded at The Record Plant Studios Quite small but with a good sound and 12 track recording equipment - one of the only two studios in the US so equipped.
Kevin -"We started out with some very good ideas but that album was amateurish sloppy badly produced -a nightmare now I look back on it. I think he (Tom Wilson the producer ) thought we were a bunch of little white shits playing this unfunky cerebral caterwauling
Wilson certainly used some technology that didn't help the bands sound such as limiters and compressors
Kevin: Had there been a more sensitive more efficient producer it could have been much better - he sat on the phone and talked to his girlfriends all day long. We just played the live set and they said "That's a take" There was very little dubbed on...
It seems likely that Chas `candler's well known preference for keeping recording simple and direct played a role in the decision to record soft machine straight out of the box with only minimum of retakes and overdubs. Of course it could be argued that that is precisely the strength of the album which is certainly Hugh's opinion - "They were a strong band live and just went in and did their set "
Probably unique for an album of that time - not a single guitar chord can be heard on the album
What The Soft Machine is not is a faithful reflection of the band's stage performance lacking much of the energy power and improvisation that marked their live work.
some of the passages on the album are somewhat elementary or awkward

Reading this I think its inevitable to conclude that Frankie's Wal Mart theory is spot on

Funny that there would be another link between Chas Chandler and Soft Machine.... via Andy Sunmmers (future The Police) having played with both Soft Machine and Eric Brudon & The Animals... though theoretically Chandler had nothing to do with the Animals by 68 to 70, worrying too much about Hendrix

[Trane]

Originally Posted by Progbear
If we’re talking sound quality, “Facelift” is terrible; some of the worst sound quality I’ve ever heard on a pro-flight band’s official release. Borderline bootleg quality.

I'm talking sound quality. To my ears, the rest of the album is significantly worse, with poor drum sound, bad balances, distortion all over the place (Facelift has distortion too, but it's a LIVE recording - there's no excuse for it on a studio recording), all mid range, very muddy, unclear sound, etc etc etc.

YMMV.

I think there might be a confusion between the track and the Voiceprint release of the same name.... which is indeed quite atrocious... though a normal release with Voiceprint

[polmico]

Just noticed this in the coming soon part of the Wayside newsletter:

ROBERT WYATT-'68 (all four - yes four; one was previously undocumented and unknown - of the 1968 solo demos Robert made in 1968 after the Soft Machine dispersed and he stayed in the USA, INCLUDING the holy grail: "Rivmic Melodies")

[chalkpie]

The Moonlight in June always sounded the best to these ears sonically. Not to mention its my favorite tune on the album, but that's like picking your favorite pepperoni, and by pepperoni, I don't mean what you sick vain bastards show off in your leather pants.