A mammoth box-set comprising four CDs or four LPs and digital download now delivers the complete consecutive two-date concerts in Høvikodden, Norway of the “classic” Soft Machine line-up. Complete is the operative word here because only the second of the two-night performances was previously released, on the late Mike King’s label under the title Live At Henie Onstad Art Centre 1971 (Reel Recordings, 2009).
Softs fan Hans Voigt was responsible for sourcing the tapes of the two-night concerts recorded through the mixing desk by sound engineer Meny Bloch. Each of the two nights was divided into two sets, so there are four sets in total.
The opportunity to play in Norway arose courtesy of Mark Boyle and his partner Joan Hills, whose light show, Sensual Laboratory, had accompanied the group on many gigs between 1967 and 1968 when such son et lumière was de rigueur amongst the psychedelic/hippy fraternity. Thanks to Boyle’s family contributing an art exhibition at the Henie-Onstad Art Center, Soft Machine was invited to play there and Boyle’s films were projected onto the wall behind the band.
For those familiar with the Softs’ oeuvre, Hugh Hopper’s Facelift, the opening track on 27 February, slowly builds to its crescendo whereas on the second night’s version the climax is sooner. However, on both – due to the absence of a brass section – the ensemble passage differs from the original studio version on Third (CBS, 1970), sounding slightly underpowered – although Mike Ratledge’s organ solo provides thrills.
On numbers such as Ratledge’s Slightly All The Time (again from Third, with a necessarily modified arrangement), the quartet sounds electrifying. The second night’s version is marginally more restrained and there’s the bonus of a shorter encore of it at the end of disc 4. Fletcher’s Blemish illustrates Wyatt’s penchant for employing echo on the drum mikes. Elton Dean’s Neo-Caliban Grides, with its memorable angular head, never made it onto a Soft Machine studio album but was released on Dean’s eponymously titled debut album (CBS, 1971). It’s given an appropriately robust workout on both sets. Similarly, Ratledge’s Out-Bloody-Rageous is afforded full-throated treatments on each night.
Wyatt is heard on discs 2 and 4, vocalising an echoey improvised track sandwiched between Out-Bloody-Rageous and Eamonn Andrews. All White from Fifth (CBS, 1972) affords a rare opportunity to hear Wyatt’s muscular drum contribution in contrast to the later studio version featuring Phil Howard. Wyatt’s rattling snare drum provides a bridge into Hopper’s sultry Kings And Queens from Fourth (CBS, 1971). Teeth, penned by Ratledge (also from Fourth), is notable for the composer’s solo, exemplifying his trademark “angry wasp” Lowrey organ sound. Ratledge’s Pigling Bland, again from Fifth, is adorned by Wyatt’s whipsmart drumming. The second night’s show exactly mirrors the order of play of the previous night with the addition of the encore. But the performances are clearly not identical, adding to the piquancy of juxtaposition.
The occasional lack of perfect balance between the instruments paradoxically adds to the sense of being “in the room” but there is clear stereo delineation in the recordings which are universally of very high quality. Additionally, this must-have package for Softs fans offers unseen photos and sleeve notes by Aymeric Leroy.
Discography
CD1: (1) Facelift; Virtually; Slightly All The Time; Fletcher’s Blemish (39.58)
CD2: Neo-Caliban Grides; Out-Bloody-Rageous; Vocal Improvisation; Eamonn Andrews; All White; Kings And Queens; Teeth; Pigling Bland (47.41)
CD3: (2) Facelift; Virtually; Slightly All The Time; Fletcher’s Blemish (38.17)
CD4: Neo-Caliban Grides; Out-Bloody-Rageous; Vocal Improvisation; Eamonn Andrews; All White; Kings And Queens; Teeth; Pigling Bland; Slightly All The Time (encore) (54.27)
(1) Elton Dean (as, slo, elp); Mike Ratledge (elp, org); Hugh Hopper (elb); Robert Wyatt (d, v). Høvikodden, Norway, 27 February 1971. (2) as (1) Same venue, 28 February 1971.
Cuneiform Records RUNE 530/531/532/533
