(ProgJazzRock) Soft Machine - Seven (1974) - 1974, FLAC (tracks)

EAC extraction logfile from 3. June 2006, 13:58 for CD
Soft Machine / Seven

Used drive : PIONEER DVD-RW DVR-110 Adapter: 2 ID: 0
Read mode : Secure with NO C2, accurate stream, disable cache
Read offset correction : 48
Overread into Lead-In and Lead-Out : No

Used output format : C:\Program Files\FLAC\flac.exe (User Defined Encoder)
256 kBit/s
Additional command line options : -8 -V -T "ARTIST=%a" -T "TITLE=%t" -T "ALBUM=%g" -T "DATE=%y" -T "TRACKNUMBER=%n" -T "GENRE=%m" -T "COMMENT=EAC Flac 1.1.2 -8" %s

Other options :
Fill up missing offset samples with silence : Yes
Delete leading and trailing silent blocks : No
Native Win32 interface for Win NT & 2000

Track 1
Filename C:\Cache\01 - Nettle Bed.wav

Pre-gap length 0:00:02.00

Peak level 97.7 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC 5677B2E9
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Track 2
Filename C:\Cache\02 - Carol Ann.wav

Pre-gap length 0:00:01.82

Peak level 71.9 %
Track quality 99.9 %
Test CRC D6F39B5F
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Track 3
Filename C:\Cache\03 - Day's Eye.wav

Pre-gap length 0:00:00.17

Peak level 97.7 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC 36E34F2A
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Track 4
Filename C:\Cache\04 - Bone Fire.wav

Peak level 91.1 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC B919E444
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Track 5
Filename C:\Cache\05 - Tarabos.wav

Peak level 97.7 %
Track quality 100.0 %
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Track 6
Filename C:\Cache\06 - D.I.S..wav

Peak level 97.7 %
Track quality 100.0 %
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Track 7
Filename C:\Cache\07 - Snodland.wav

Pre-gap length 0:00:01.84

Peak level 24.2 %
Track quality 100.0 %
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Track 8
Filename C:\Cache\08 - Penny Hitch.wav

Peak level 97.7 %
Track quality 100.0 %
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Track 9
Filename C:\Cache\09 - Block.wav

Peak level 97.7 %
Track quality 100.0 %
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Track 10
Filename C:\Cache\10 - Down the Road.wav

Pre-gap length 0:00:01.84

Peak level 96.9 %
Track quality 100.0 %
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Track 11
Filename C:\Cache\11 - The German Lesson.wav

Peak level 60.9 %
Track quality 100.0 %
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Track 12
Filename C:\Cache\12 - The French Lesson.wav

Peak level 56.0 %
Track quality 99.8 %
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No errors occured

End of status report

01 - Nettle Bed.flac:92bb2a13db3af2bccf8e0005983a7798
02 - Carol Ann.flac:2e2352b36beef63714214583bc072d34
03 - Day's Eye.flac:545cc24be3b68ad16451b470124174b9
04 - Bone Fire.flac:22ce8a8fdb48c0969425de8936e5b6c2
05 - Tarabos.flac:dc28b8a22c6af04e0f6a5d3b95471966
06 - D.I.S..flac:7ef167cb6811037e28b2eafbfffdc9be
07 - Snodland.flac:4440e2128faafb13f6997340a30fba34
08 - Penny Hitch.flac:c0fc5053940564e68853d14b40924587
09 - Block.flac:233d8212a185457a3a45e349b95aee17
10 - Down the Road.flac:e6b78fc0da773d2891afe675a0e128d8
11 - The German Lesson.flac:dba6c3ce73eb843d37ed602e455789e6
12 - The French Lesson.flac:1452ba98469b9336ecbb200c8f6e3340

The album begins with a snappy jazz-rock tune with two snaking synth lines, one fuzzy, one clear and lyrical, and up beat rhythmn. It is followed by another Karl Jenkins' tune, Carol Ann, a much softer, delicate number which takes its lead from the lyricism in the previous outing.

These are followed by two significant Ratledge tunes, the first, Day's Eye, a great melody brim full of textural and time contrasts, connected by a short bridge (Bone's fire)to the heavier rhythmic strut and extended riff of Tarabos.

This trilogy is followed by a densely textured Marshall percussion solo.

Halfway through the record it might be a good time to pause for a moment and reflect on the territory already covered.

The album is built around the electric piano/synthesiser and oboe/baritone saxophone sounds that were discovered in 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 tight, and Babbington's base fits beautifully.

Penny Hitch delves back into the kind of material on Six alluded to above, with its gentle circuitous perambulations linking with the more hectic and heavier instrumentation on Block. Babbington's contribution reaches its creative zenith on the third last track, Down the Road, following some experimental recorder playing by Jenkins, with his bowed acoustic base introducing a country jig feel into the otherwise spacious textures laid down by oboe and keyboards.

The album rounds out with two small pieces featuring SM's Terry Reillyesque melting keyboard sounds.

Some of the material on the record is infectious, its rhythms and melodies get under your skin. The musicianship is superb and for me this well-integrated album was just what was needed to follow its more eclectic predecessor. I may even prefer it to Six, which has been a long time favourite, because it has a wonderful consistency throughout.