Fourth (Soft Machine album)
Encyclopedia
Fourth is a 1971 studio album by the Canterbury
band Soft Machine
. The album is also titled Four or 4 in the USA; the numeral "4" is the title as shown on the cover in all countries, but a written-out title appears on the spine and label. This was the group's first all-instrumental album, although their previous album Third had almost completed the band's move in this direction toward instrumental jazz, and a complete abandonment of their original self-presentation as a psychedelic pop group, or progressive rock group. It was also the last of their albums to include drummer and founding member Robert Wyatt
who afterwards left to record a solo album, The End of an Ear
(in which he described himself on the cover as an "out of work pop singer"), and then founded a new group, Matching Mole
, whose name was a pun on "Soft Machine" as pronounced in French: "Machine Molle". Like the previous Soft Machine album, this one uses session musicians who were not regarded as full group members, but toured with the band for live performances.
In 1999, Soft Machine albums Fourth and Fifth were re-released together on one CD.
In 2007, The Fourth was re-released as part of the series Soft Machine Remastered - The CBS Years 1970-1973. This release has, due to the remastering proces, a better soundquality.
The booklets of these re-releases contain liner notes written by Mark Powell from Esoteric Recordings
about the history of Soft Machine, their musical development and as one of the first relevant bands in the so-called progressive rockscene
.
42
with
Canterbury Scene
The Canterbury scene is a term used to loosely describe the group of progressive rock, avant-garde and jazz musicians, many of whom were based around the city of Canterbury, Kent, England during the late 1960s and early 1970s...
band Soft Machine
Soft Machine
Soft Machine were an English rock band from Canterbury, named after the book The Soft Machine by William S. Burroughs. They were one of the central bands in the Canterbury scene, and helped pioneer the progressive rock genre...
. The album is also titled Four or 4 in the USA; the numeral "4" is the title as shown on the cover in all countries, but a written-out title appears on the spine and label. This was the group's first all-instrumental album, although their previous album Third had almost completed the band's move in this direction toward instrumental jazz, and a complete abandonment of their original self-presentation as a psychedelic pop group, or progressive rock group. It was also the last of their albums to include drummer and founding member Robert Wyatt
Robert Wyatt
Robert Wyatt is an English musician, and founding member of the influential Canterbury scene band Soft Machine, with a long and distinguished solo career...
who afterwards left to record a solo album, The End of an Ear
The End of an Ear
The End of an Ear is the debut solo album by Soft Machine's Robert Wyatt.-Background:It was recorded in August 1970, while on a leave of absence from Soft Machine . Containing mostly free jazz and experimental music, with no lyrics , it is an unusual album...
(in which he described himself on the cover as an "out of work pop singer"), and then founded a new group, Matching Mole
Matching Mole
Matching Mole was a short-lived UK progressive rock band from the Canterbury scene best known for the song "O Caroline". Robert Wyatt formed the band in October 1971 after he left Soft Machine and recorded his first solo album The End of an Ear...
, whose name was a pun on "Soft Machine" as pronounced in French: "Machine Molle". Like the previous Soft Machine album, this one uses session musicians who were not regarded as full group members, but toured with the band for live performances.
In 1999, Soft Machine albums Fourth and Fifth were re-released together on one CD.
In 2007, The Fourth was re-released as part of the series Soft Machine Remastered - The CBS Years 1970-1973. This release has, due to the remastering proces, a better soundquality.
The booklets of these re-releases contain liner notes written by Mark Powell from Esoteric Recordings
Esoteric Recordings
Established in 2007, Esoteric Recordings is a UK independent record label specialising in 70s progressive rock, folk, psychedelic and jazz-rock reissues as part of the Cherry Red Records umbrella of imprints...
about the history of Soft Machine, their musical development and as one of the first relevant bands in the so-called progressive rockscene
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
.
Side one
- "Teeth" (Mike RatledgeMike RatledgeMichael Roland "Mike" Ratledge is a British musician. Ratledge was part of the Canterbury scene and a long-time member of Soft Machine.-Biography and career:...
) – 9:15 - "Kings and Queens" (Hugh HopperHugh HopperHugh Colin Hopper was a progressive rock and jazz fusion bass guitarist. He was a prominent member of the Canterbury scene, as a member of Soft Machine and various other related bands.-Early career:...
) – 5:02 - "Fletcher's Blemish" (Elton DeanElton DeanElton Dean was an English jazz musician who performed on alto saxophone, saxello and occasionally keyboard....
) – 4:35
42
Side two
- "Virtually Part 1" (Hopper) – 5:16
- "Virtually Part 2" (Hopper) – 7:09
- "Virtually Part 3" (Hopper) – 4:33
- "Virtually Part 4" (Hopper) – 3:23
Personnel
- Hugh HopperHugh HopperHugh Colin Hopper was a progressive rock and jazz fusion bass guitarist. He was a prominent member of the Canterbury scene, as a member of Soft Machine and various other related bands.-Early career:...
– bass guitar - Mike RatledgeMike RatledgeMichael Roland "Mike" Ratledge is a British musician. Ratledge was part of the Canterbury scene and a long-time member of Soft Machine.-Biography and career:...
– (LowreyLowrey organThe Lowrey organ is an electronic organ named after Chicago industrialist Frederick Lowrey.During the 1960s and 1970s, Lowrey was the largest manufacturer of electronic organs in the world. In 1989, the Lowrey Organ Company produced its 1,000,000th organ....
) organ, (WurlitzerWurlitzerThe Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, usually referred to simply as Wurlitzer, was an American company that produced stringed instruments, woodwinds, brass instruments, theatre organs, band organs, orchestrions, electronic organs, electric pianos and jukeboxes....
) piano - Robert WyattRobert WyattRobert Wyatt is an English musician, and founding member of the influential Canterbury scene band Soft Machine, with a long and distinguished solo career...
– drums - Elton DeanElton DeanElton Dean was an English jazz musician who performed on alto saxophone, saxello and occasionally keyboard....
– alto saxophone, saxello
with
- Roy BabbingtonRoy BabbingtonRoy Babbington is a rock and jazz bassist. He became well known for being a member of the Canterbury scene progressive rock/jazz fusion band Soft Machine.-Biography:...
– double bass (1,3,4,6) - Mark Charig – cornet (2,3,4)
- Nick EvansNick Evans (trombonist)Nicholas "Nick" Evans is a Welsh jazz and progressive rock trombonist.- Career :He worked in the Graham Collier Sextet , Keith Tippett Group , Soft Machine , Brotherhood of Breath , Centipede , Just Us , Ambush , Ninesense , Intercontinental Express , Ark Nicholas "Nick" Evans (born 1947 in...
– trombone (1,2,4) - Jimmy HastingsJimmy HastingsJames Brian Gordon 'Jimmy' Hastings , is a British professional musician associated with the Canterbury scene....
– alto flute (6), bass clarinet (1,6) - Alan SkidmoreAlan SkidmoreAlan Skidmore is a tenor saxophonist of jazz and blues music, son of the saxophonist Jimmy Skidmore.-As a sideman:...
– tenor saxophone (1,6)