This is the first album after Soft Machine drummer Robert Wyatt fell out of a window and was rendered confined to a wheel chair. Not to be stopped, Wyatt switched (mostly) from drums to focus on songwriting and piano. This is an album of restrained but fully realized emotion. Wyatt's voice has a strained quality but rarely seems to leave the realm of sighing-semifalsetto. The arrangements build in complexity on each side of the record until the madness of Little Red Riding Hood Hit the Road/Little Red Robin Hood Hit the Road which are full out noodling improv sessions with horns, drums, keys, bass, guitar all layering up into an emotional and dynamic climax. Other tracks such as "Sea Song" have a Bowie-esque quality to them with long piano chords and interesting structures which allow the other instruments to dance around Wyatt's voice.
Lyrically, Sea Song is the most straightforward - a song of yearning and mysterious love. Many other tracks seem to be mostly nonsensical, but there is an underlying emotion and lyricism even to the very strange love song, "Alifib."
There are moments on this album that seem to have influenced Radiohead and other more recent experimental groups, but this album stands as a great musical and artistic creation regardless of any later influence.
Summary: A challenging and emotional album, definitely requiring multiple listens to appreciate. Soulful and intense prog/jazz.
Best Track: Alifib
Rating: [9/10]
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