THE SOFT MACHINE "Volume Two" UK 1970s ABC RECORDS NM
  £   50
  $   66

 


£ 50 Sold For
Mar 3, 2011 Sold Date
Feb 21, 2011 Start Date
£   22 Start price
3   Number Of Bids
  Great Britain Country Of Seller
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Description

THE SOFT MACHINE "Volume Two" UK 1970s ABC RECORDS NM

LIGHTLY PLAYED, SUPERB CLEAN SOUND, JAZZ/PROC CLASSIC


THE SOFT MACHINE
Volume Two

ORIGINAL UK ABC RECORDS (ABCL 5004) SECOND PRESSING (although the first on ABC, mid-1970s) OF SOFT MACHINE'S SECOND AND FINEST LP - IN LIGHTLY PLAYED CONDITION - DELIVERING BEAUTIFULLY RICH, DEEP AND WARM AUDIO THROUGHOUT WITH PRACTICALLY NOTHING TO FAULT - GREAT COPY

PRESSED WITH THE FIRST ISSUE ABC LABELS
MATRIX: ABCL 5004 A-1G (SP3 1002 A-1G crossed out) / ABCL 5004 B-1G (SP3 1002 B-1G crossed out)
MOTHERS/STAMPERS: 1/A and 1/H
THE RECORD IS HOUSED IN A (NON-FLIPBACK) SINGLE MATT COVER "Printed and made in Great Britain by Garrod and Lofthouse International Limited.”
COMPLETE WITH THE ORIGINAL PLAIN WHITE INNER SLEEVE WITH "MADE IN ENGLAND" AND UK PATENT NUMBER PRINTED IN BLUE

Volume Two introduces a stronger jazz influence to the sort of humour, dadaism and psychedelia present on The Soft Machine (1968).
Volume Two was inspired by Frank Zappa's Absolutely Free and the album consists of two long compositions.
Acting on a recommendation from Frank Zappa, the band split the two tracks into smaller pieces which were given arbitrary names
The first Soft Machine LP usually got the attention, with its movable parts sleeve, as well as the presence of ultra-talented songwriter Kevin Ayers.
But musically, Volume Two better conveys the Dada-ist whimsy and powerful avant-rock leanings of the band. Hugh Hopper took over for Ayers on bass, and his fuzz tones and experimental leanings supplanted Ayers' pop emphasis.
The creative nucleus behind this most progressive of progressive rock albums, however, is Robert Wyatt. He provides the musical arrangements to Hopper's quirky ideas on the stream-of-consciousness collection of tunes on side one.
Unlike the first record, which sounded choppy and often somnolent, this one blends together better, and it has a livelier sound.
The addition of session horn players enhanced the Softs' non-guitar lineup, and keyboardist Mike Ratledge, whose musical erudition frequently clashed in the early days with the free-spirited Wyatt, Ayers, and Daevid Allen, lightened his touch here.
He even contributes one of the album's highlights with "Pig" ("Virgins are boring/they should be grateful for the things they're ignoring").
But it's Wyatt who lifts this odd musical jewel to its artistic heights.
He uses his tender voice like a jazz instrument, scatting (in Spanish!) on "Dada Was Here," and sounding entirely heartfelt in "Have You Ever Bean Green," a brief tribute to the Jimi Hendrix Experience, with whom the Softs toured ("Thank you Noel and Mitch, thank you Jim, for our exposure to the crowd").
Fans of the Canterbury scene will also relish "As Long As He Lies Perfectly Still," a loving tribute to ex-bandmate Ayers.
This is the one record that assimilates rock, absurdist humour, jazz, and the avant-garde to perfection

SIDE 1:
PATAPHYSICAL INTRODUCTION Part 1
A CONCISE BRITISH ALPHABET Part 1
HIBOU, ANEMONE AND BEAR
A CONCISE BRITISH ALPHABET Part 2
HULLODER
DADA WAS HERE
THANK YOU PIERROT LUNAIRE
HAVE YOU EVER BEAN GREEN?
PATAPHYSICAL INTRODUCTION Part 2
OUT OF TUNES0
SIDE 2:
AS LONG AS HE LIES PERFECTLY STILL
DEDICATED TO YOU BUT YOU WEREN'T LISTENING
FIRE ENGINE PASSING WITH BELLS CLANGING
PIG
ORANGE SKIN FOOD
A DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES
10.30 RETURNS TO THE BEDROOM

LABELS: The labels are clean, bright and fresh with less than a handful of light spindle traces (and vinyl reside to the spindle hole indicating how little it has been on a turntable) - this copy has seen little play and been very carefully handled - NEAR MINT
VINYL Visual: The vinyl surfaces still retain their original deep, like new glossy sheen and are practically unmarked - NEAR MINT
VINYL Audio: Outstanding audio delivery in every respect with a crystal clear, deep, rich and warm sound - absolutely gorgeous. And on playback at a loud volume there are no audio issues of note - no scratches, no loud clicks or pops and no surface noise - the playback is beautifully clean. Critically graded NEAR MINT (if not better) for audio this is a superb copy of what is, in my opinion, their finest piece of work - very highly recommended indeed
SLEEVE: The cover is clean, sharp and fresh and very thin and flat. The edges are crisp and square and all spine text is clear and bold (this text is also reproduced on the top edge). The back has some rubbing - nothing major - (all the more prominent as the back is black) but the front is clean and unrubbed. Overall, a very fine example of this delicate untreated sleeve - EXCELLENT

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POST & PACKING
UK: 1st Class: £4.00 (recorded delivery)
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I will combine postage for items purchased within any 10 day period. However, at the end of each 10 day period, all outstanding items will need to be paid for in full and will be posted to you. Any items purchased after payment will be included in the next 10 period. I am continually adding new items which may be of interest to you and it is impractical for me to allow payment to be postponed indefinitely in the expectation that you might wish to bid on future items. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation
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ALL RECORDS ARE PROFESSIONALLY CLEANED BEFORE DISPATCH AND PACKAGED WITH THE VINYL OUTSIDE OF THE SLEEVE TO PREVENT ANY 'KNIFING' DURING TRANSIT.
A PROTECTIVE POLY SLEEVE, NAGAOKA ANTI-STATIC INNER SLEEVES, QUALITY BOX (NOT ENVELOPE) MAILER AND STIFFENERS ARE ALWAYS USED TO ENSURE THAT YOUR RECORD ARRIVES SAFELY I will email you when payment has been received to let you know when the item will be posted. Please leave feedback upon receipt of the item so that I know you have received it safely. Any problems please email me. Thanks  420 (GS 6.0.8 (420))


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