Search - Soft Machine :: Man in a Deaf Corner: Anthology 1963-1970

LIVE Recordings only

Tero | MO USA | 04/26/2001

(2 out of 5 stars)

"The CDs are OK, and there is a chance to hear the birth of Progressive Rock. But buy SM I, II and III first. This is still better than any post 1970 recordings of lukewarm jazz by Soft Machine with only 1 or 0 original members."

If I was on a desert island and only had 10 recordings

James S. Yeoman | 01/16/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If I was only allowed to save ten recordings from my house as it was burning down, I would save Soft Machine Volume 2 first, then man in a deaf corner, then Third. The other seven saves will be discussed some other time.

THIS IS IT!!! The Soft Machine circa Volume II, but live. Made loud to be played loud. No sax, but that adds definition to the music, making the fuzz bass and fuzz organ much more clear and distinctfrom each other. Really. Because sometimes with Vol 2 I was not sure which fuzz was which. This really is great, and almost all of Vol 2 is captured here live, and 10:30 Returns to the Bedroom definitely has the best drum solo I've ever heard. Ever. Wyatt could really make the drums talk and tell their own story, rather than banging and thumping at differing speeds that others consider a drum solo. As Long as He Lies Perfectly Still is not S.M., but is a group including Dave Stewart on keys, Hopper on bass, and Jakko Jakszyk on guitar and vocals, and I'm sure Wyatt loves it, because no wrong turns are taken, and at the same time this is strong and for sure in homage to Wyatt. No date is given. The rest of the 2 CD Anthology is interesting, too, once you get over the limitations of live recordings. If you love (not like) S.M. when Wyatt was still with them, you love this Anthology. If you don't know S.M., the second disk is a must for expanding an already expanded mind. The words for the sounds are great,too, of course. And liner notes by Brian Hopper are illuminating."