The Soft Machine

The Soft Machine (1968)

1. Hope for Happiness - 4:22

2. Joy of a Toy - 2:49

3. Hope for Happiness (Reprise) - 1:39

4. Why Am I So Short? - 1:37

5. So Boot If At All - 7:24

6. A Certain Kind - 4:14

7. Save Yourself - 2:25

8. Priscilla - 1:03

9. Lullabye Letter - 4:42

10. We Did It Again - 3:46

11. Plus Belle Qu'une Poubelle - 1:00

12. Why Are We Sleeping? - 5:31

13. Box 25/4 Lid - 0:53

Soft Machine's first album is very much a product of its time. They were a young, hip band trying really hard to be hip and young. Despite that, some worthwhile music and humor peek through.

The album is strongest where it mixes experiment with fun-loving good nature. "Hope for Happiness" exemplifies this as a song with an invisible melody: it's there, but Robert Wyatt refuses to sing it. Instead, he sings every other part he can think of, overdubbing harmonies, descants, and his version of soulful backing vocals, while conscientiously avoiding a direct statement of the melody. Add to that an up-tempo organ solo and a nice scat section, and we've got ourselves a fine little experimental tune.

For pure fun, "Why Am I So Short?" delivers. Wyatt's lyrics are gleefully self-absorbed, and shall speak for themselves:

I've got a drum kit and some sticks

So when I'm drunk or in a fix

I find it easy to express myself

I hit the drums so hard I break all their heads

And then I end the day in one of my beds

I'm nearly five foot seven tall

I like to smoke and drink and bawl

I've got a yellow suit that's made by Pam

And every day I like an egg and some tea

But most of all I like to talk about me!

This transitions into "So Boot If At All," which starts as a promising instrumental workout but devolves into a noisy drum solo, punctuated by random piano and atonal bass guitar "events". Thankfully, the first half ends on a high note with the grand, classically tinged "A Certain Kind," which is also a heartfelt love song.

The second half is an equally mixed bag. For every neat jazz-influenced song like "Priscilla" or "Lullabye Letter", there is a somewhat unsuccessful experiment like the repetitive "We Did It Again" or the mock-pretentious "Why Are We Sleeping?". On the whole, the album does have a lot of good music to offer, and it points the way toward greater things to come.

Arbitrary Rating: 4 out of 5 eggs and some tea