Third

Description

Among the most important and influential progressive rock groups of the late 60s and early 70s, Soft Machine originally featured Robert Wyatt (drums, vocals), Kevin Ayers (bass, guitar, vocals), Daevid Allen (guitar), and Mike Ratledge (organ). Emerging from the British underground (Canterbury) scene in 1967, the band played iconic London venues such as the UFO Club and Middle Earth, building a solid reputation over the following decade through a series of remarkable albums and innovative live performances, notably in the UK and France. After two albums for ABC/Probe, they signed with CBS with a lineup consisting of Wyatt, Ratledge, saxophonist Elton Dean, and bassist Hugh Hopper, releasing their seminal album in 1970. Marking the beginning of their shift from psychedelic roots towards jazz and contemporary electronic music, this album is extremely unconventional, comprised of four stunning tracks each occupying one side, and is universally regarded not only as their best album but also as one of the finest progressive rock albums ever recorded, pushing the boundaries of the genre without being pretentious.