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Softs is the ninth studio album by the jazz rock band Soft Machine, released in 1976. It is the final album to feature founding keyboardist Mike Ratledge.

Softs
Studio album by Soft Machine
Released	June 1976
Recorded	January to March, 1976 at EMI Abbey Road Studios, London
Genre	Jazz rock[1]
Length	44:55
Label	Harvest
Producer	Soft Machine
Soft Machine chronology
Bundles (1975) Softs (1976) Alive & Well: Recorded in Paris (1978)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]

Overview

John Etheridge replaced Allan Holdsworth on guitar shortly after the release of the previous album, Bundles, and Alan Wakeman, cousin of keyboardist Rick Wakeman, took over saxophone duties from Karl Jenkins. Karl would play keyboards exclusively from this point onward. This change was necessitated by the departure of the group's last founding member, Mike Ratledge, who left in March 1976 before the sessions were completed, and can be heard on two tracks, but is not credited as a member of the group. Wakeman and bassist Roy Babbington left the group not long after the album was released, Wakeman having been a member for less than six months.[2]

Track listing

All compositions by Karl Jenkins except where indicated.

Side one

1. "Aubade" – 1:49
2. "The Tale of Taliesin" – 7:15
3. "Ban-Ban Caliban" – 9:19
4. "Song of Aeolus" – 4:29

Side two

1. "Out of Season" – 5:30
2. "Second Bundle" – 2:35
3. "Kayoo" (John Marshall) – 3:25
4. "The Camden Tandem" (John Etheridge, John Marshall) – 1:50
5. "Nexus" – 0:47
6. "One Over the Eight" (Karl Jenkins, John Marshall, John Etheridge, Alan Wakeman, Roy Babbington) – 5:26
7. "Etika" (John Etheridge) – 2:21

Personnel

Soft Machine

• Alan Wakeman – soprano and tenor saxophones
• John Etheridge – acoustic and electric guitars
• Karl Jenkins – piano, electric piano, Hohner Pianet, Minimoog and string synthesizers, orchestrations
• Roy Babbington – bass guitar
• John Marshall – drums, percussion

Former Soft Machine personnel

• Mike Ratledge – synthesizer (3, 4)

References

External links

• Soft Machine - Softs (1976) album review by Dave Lynch, credits & releases at AllMusic
• Soft Machine - Softs (1976) album releases & credits at Discogs
• Soft Machine - Softs (1976) album credits & user reviews at ProgArchives.com
• Soft Machine - Softs (1976) album to be listened on Spotify
• Soft Machine - Softs (1976) album to be listened on YouTube
• Soft Machine discography (info about the albums) at Calyx

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