For those unaware, ‘Thirteen’ is the thirteenth studio album by classic British band Soft Machine. Comprising thirteen brand new tracks, the album marks a new chapter in the group’s 60-year history.

Soft Machine is one of the greatest UK avant/jazz-rock bands of all time. Originally one of the Canterbury Scene bands, their work, from their earliest performances as a psychedelic band who were contemporaries of, and shared stages with Syd Barrett’s Pink Floyd and the Jimi Hendrix Experience, all the way to being one of Europe’s best known ‘fusion’ bands has influenced several generations of bands, and continues to be name-checked by today’s hip experimentalists.

Whilst the line-up of Soft Machine may have changed many times since the heady days of the late 1960’s, the band’s spirit of musical adventure, and the ease with which it freely avoids being pigeonholed has stayed a constant – as it moves from powerful progressive jazz rock to atmospheric psychedelia to free improvised jazz to ambient loop music.

‘Thirteen’ features legendary guitarist John Etheridge who has been with the band over 50 years in superb form. Whilst all four members of the band contribute compositions, the album’s main composer is saxophonist, flautist and keyboard player Theo Travis who wrote six of the album’s thirteen tracks, including the longest most progressive track of the set ‘The Longest Night’ (clocking in at just over 13 minutes). The newest member of the group is drummer and composer Asaf Sirkis.

1. Leon Poem Song
2. Open Road
3. Seven Hours
4. Waltz For Robert
5. The Longest Night
6. Disappear
7. Green Books
8. Beledo Balado
9. Pens To The Foal Mode
10. Time Station
11. Which Bridge Did You Cross
12. Turmoil
13. Daevid’s Special Cuppa (feat. Daevid Allen)
14. Curious Dust
15. Chloe And The Pirate

On an album that is incredibly broad in its breadth and scope, the band open their new recording on the dutifully soaring Leon Poem Song, the rhythmically pleasing Open Road and the, at first veritably shimmering, latterly spirited and flyaway Seven Hours, and then we are brought forth the low slung balladry of Waltz For Robert, the prog-tastic 13 minute opus The Longest Night, a wistfully yearned Disappear and the upbeat and funkily grooved Green Books.

Along next is an aching yearn that threads through Beledo Balado, the amiably wafting Pens To The Foal Mode and the actively aware Time Station, and they are in turn backed by the softly engineered, industrially-imbibed Which Bridge Did You Cross, the captivating prog AOR of Turmoil and the glisteningly surreal Daevid’s Special Cuppa (featuring Daevid Allen) before the set rounds out on the affecting Curious Dust, coming to a close on the emotively abundant prof masterpiece Chloe And The Pirate.

Musicians:
John Etheridge - Electric Guitar
Theo Travis - Tenor and Soprano Saxes, Flutes, Duduk, Fender Rhodes Piano, Piano (1), Mellotron, Electronics
Fred Thelonius Baker - Fretless Bass
Asaf Sirkis - Drums, Percussion, Piano (6)

With guests:
Daevid Allen - Glissando Guitar (13)
Pete Whittaker - Organ (2,5), Fender Rhodes piano (2)
Nick Utteridge - Gong (5)

Official Purchase Link

www.softmachine.org

John Etheridge Interview (Soft Machine) - The Hidden Track [Official Video]