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.
| Six | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album and Live album by | ||||
| Released | Feb 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
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.
Track listing
Side one
- "Fanfare" (Karl Jenkins) – 0:42
- "All White" (Mike Ratledge) – 4:46
- "Between" (Jenkins / Ratledge) – 2:24
- "Riff I" (Jenkins) – 4:36
- "37½" (Ratledge) – 6:51
Side two
- "Gesolreut" (Ratledge) – 6:17
- "E.P.V." (Jenkins) – 2:47
- "Lefty" (Soft Machine) – 4:56
- "Stumble" (Jenkins) – 1:42
- "5 from 13 (for Phil Seamen with Love & Thanks)" (John Marshall) – 5:15
- "Riff II" (Jenkins) – 1:20
Note: "Lefty" composer credit changed to (Hopper / Jenkins / Marshall) on later CD editions.
Side one
- "The Soft Weed Factor" (Jenkins) – 11:18
- "Stanley Stamp's Gibbon Album (for B.O.)" (Ratledge) – 5:58
Side two
- "Chloe and the Pirates" (Ratledge) – 9:30
- "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
- 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
- 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.