Matching Mole

**Matching Mole** is the sixth studio album by Canterbury scene band Soft Machine. Released on 8 July 1972 by Blackhill, the album was co-produced by Soft Machine and King Crimson frontman Robert Fripp, and distributed in the United States by Island Records. Considered the breakthrough of the band in the United States, Matching Mole is seen as a successful adaptation of the band, particularly Kevin Ayers and Robert Wyatt as the frontmen of the group, after the departure of Daevid Allen and Mike Ratledge.

The only album with former Caravan keyboardist Dave Sinclair, the name of the album came after a pun with the French translation of the band's name *Machine Molle*. After the distribution contract with Columbia expired, the group decided to sign with Island Records as suggested by some friends in the label. One of them, Robert Fripp, eventually stood out to produce the album. The Whole World was disbanded as a backing band, remaining active during the tours, although some of the members helped to record Matching Mole.

Matching Mole was entirely recorded at the Abbey Road Studios. According to Wyatt, most of his music evolved from "unpretentious jam sessions" performed during the last tours. The idiosyncratic lyricism and the balance between more conventional music by Kevin and Robert Wyatt's experimentation are both considered key components in the success of the album, especially in *Signed Curtain* and *Whatevershebringswesing*. The central jazz sound is interchangeably used along with baroque pop and rock and roll influences in some of the tracks.

Considered Soft Machine's breakthrough in the United States, the album reached number 18 in Billboard 200 while topping the UK Album Charts for a week, breaking a streak of Pink Floyd's Obscured by Clouds. *Oh, Caroline!* was released as single, and considered one of their most successful songs and a staple on live performances, as well as *Gemini Child*.

## Background

Following the release of Kings and Queens, the relations between keyboardist Mike Ratledge and the rest of Soft Machine were in an all-time low. While Mike wanted the group to follow into a more jazzier direction perceived in their newest release, Kevin Ayers and Robert Wyatt preferred to go into an artistic direction whilst keeping the "original essence" of the group. A day before the US leg of the tour, Ratledge decided to leave the group following an argument with Robert Wyatt, forcing the band to cancel the forthcoming tour. Bass player Hugh Hopper, a member of both Soft Machine and Hempflower, decided to quit the second and fully-integrate the Softs.

A meeting convoked by the main heads of the project, namely Ayers and Wyatt, cancelled the upcoming tour, and also deciding to scrap the Whole World band while keeping some of the key members (such as David Bedford and Mike Oldfield). In August 1971, former Caravan keyboardist Dave Sinclair was approached, of which he agreed to join Soft Machine, then replacing Mike Ratledge. In September, the group would finally resume touring in Europe and North America, performing material consisting, mostly of, *Exiled from Canterbury* and *Magick Brother*, but also newer material to be included on Matching Mole.

The more straight-forward playing of Dave Sinclair has fit into the band's style, in a way that the group evolved into piano-based music rather than the previous jazz-oriented sound. Robert Wyatt himself was also starting to perform new songs on piano during tour. Kevin was also further developing his songs with David Bedford, especially There is Loving and Among Us. Brian Hopper also joined the touring band in a while, writing The Soup Song with Wyatt.

## Production

### Recording

Recording sessions first started in December 1971. Following the end of the distribution contract with Columbia Records, the band opted to sign with Island instead, which helped them to hire King Crimson frontman Robert Fripp as the producer. The album was entirely recorded at the EMI Studios (now Abbey Road Studios), in which Soft Machine could enjoy more of advanced studio techniques in their music. Pretty often, Soft Machine and Pink Floyd (which was recording Obscured by Clouds at the time) would visit each other in the studios. For the album, Soft Machine used 8-track mixes, sometimes borrowing the 16-track mixes which Pink Floyd was also using.

The first track to be recorded was There is Loving/Among Us/There is Loving, during the first week, which was already developing by Kevin Ayers and David Bedford during the tours and the recording sessions of last album. The orchestra was composed and arranged by Bedford, who already had experience with working with Soft Machine, especially in the aborted album The Garden of Love and Magick Brother. It was followed by also another Ayers' piece, *Whatevershebringswesing*, in 18 December 1971, before a one-month break which the band spent time preparing for an upcoming tour in Europe.

## Personnel

Soft Machine
* Kevin Ayers – vocals, guitar, bass
* Robert Wyatt – vocals, drums, Mellotron, piano
* Hugh Hopper – bass
* Dave Sinclair – piano, Hammond organ

Additional personnel
* David Bedford – keyboards, orchestral arrangements
* Mike Oldfield – bass, guitar
* Phil Miller – guitar
* Dave MacRae – electric piano
* Dave Dufort – drums
* Didier Malherbe – saxophone
* Johnny Van Derrick – violin
* Bruce Malamut – flugelhorns, incidental brass