Seven

I think I was fooled by the previous reviews of this album ( being related to Mahavishnu Orchestra & the like) and having acquired : Hidden Details & the Paris Concert/at New Mornings & also Soft Machine NDR/Jazz Workshop ,all of them highly recommended ,I was deeply disappointed with this one ...... it sounds confusing ,also the solos (organ/electric piano) have too much repetition , too much noise and almost going nowhere A FAR CRY from Mahavishnu I think there were better progressive bands around ,at the time , also for the price paid I hoped to find some extra tunes as a bonus ,but none of that , A TOTAL WASTE OF $$$ what a pity!

My favorite from the later incarnation of the band. These guys influenced us (The Muffins).

set the standard for progressive jazz

I heard the album when it came out my older brother friend Checko purchase it, then i join the military follow it by government career, In one of my visits to my older brother south of the border home, he said let's visit Checko whom plaid it again the Soft Mashine Seven so as soon as i got to San Diego I ask my wife Nance to order this exellent Jazz Fusion Document .ggtz

From the time of their third album, Soft Machine invented a kind of music you could meditate to. With single or clusters of tracks that bleed together designed to fit on one side of an old LP, it was continuous music from go to wow.That is until the digital version of Seven. For some reason the engineers left gaps between tracks when none were meant to be there. It's a real shame and it spoils the listening continuity, as many of the pieces on this album are meant to seamlessly blend.Such a format is ideal for the keyboard (electric piano/synth) and oboe/baritone saxophone sound that predominates on this lp, seemingly grown out of instrumentals like Chloe and the Pirates on their previous album. Jenkins' and Ratledge's approaches during this era coalesce perfectly, Marshall's drums and percussion are as crisp and cleverly textured as ever, and Babbington's base fits beautifully.B's contribution reaches its creative zenith on the third last track, a SM classic in Down the Road, with his bowed acoustic base injecting a surprisingly country jig feel into the otherwise spacious music. The recorder playing at the intro on this one is something to behold, too.Since the CD version of the album is quite rare these days, it may be time to revisit this album for re-release and to iron out the bugs. It must be possible now to present it as it was meant to be. The production values by Columbia (Sony )are otherwise excellent.After a few listenings I recall an earlier, dim impression formed when this record appeared 30 years ago, that this may be the best SM album, and have come to the same conclusion. It doesn't have the mainstream jazz orientation of Four, under Dean's influence, and the occasional chaotic aggression that Hopper came up with on Five and Six, great as they were. This is much smoother and more coherent.

Soft Machine distilled its sound on this one tweaking it to be more jazz fusion, less experimental, more Canterbury classic. An excellent one from the 70’s. More keyboard oriented than predecessors.

Have you ever heard of wearing out a cd because of too much playing? Yes, it doesnt happen only on vinyl but on cd too. Seven is an example. Ive worn it out, ive mustve played it more than 7x7x7x7x7x7x7x7x7.......BRILLIANT!!!!

A classic album. Who would have known that Karl Jenkins would go on to be one of the best living composers. An album ahead of its time.

Great album