UPC: 5099995650920
Format: CD (5 disc)
Release Date: Apr 23, 2012
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Recording information: BBC (02/10/1970); BBC Maida Vale Studios (02/10/1970); Langham Studio (02/10/1970); Playhouse Theatre, London (02/10/1970); BBC (05/20/1970); BBC Maida Vale Studios (05/20/1970); Langham Studio (05/20/1970); Playhouse Theatre, London (05/20/1970); BBC (06/09/1970); BBC Maida Vale Studios (06/09/1970); Langham Studio (06/09/1970); Playhouse Theatre, London (06/09/1970); BBC (07/09/1974); BBC Maida Vale Studios (07/09/1974); Langham Studio (07/09/1974); Playhouse Theatre, London (07/09/1974).
The Soft Machine, not long after recording their first album and touring America, began breaking up -- just the first in a long series of personnel changes and subsequent new directions that formed one of art rock's winding sagas of the '70s. Kevin Ayers was the first to leave, mostly because of that American tour, and he soon became one of the first acts to release music on Harvest, a new progressive label from EMI that promised to offer the best and brightest in the new vanguard of British rock. Ayers recorded and released five albums over the next five years, all of which appear on separate discs of The Harvest Years 1969-1974, and each of which comes with bonus tracks (most of them entertaining BBC sessions). Ayers was quite the chameleon during this time, beginning with a set of psychedelic-pop whimsy akin to Syd Barrett (Joy of a Toy) but soon detouring into free-form epic prog (Shooting at the Moon, with young hotshot guitarist Mike Oldfield), and later arriving at a surprisingly straight-ahead vision of bluesy pop (Bananamour). The set offers the albums in the best sound they've ever been heard, and the bonus tracks are excellent as well. The unavoidable caveat comes, though. Why not include all the bonus tracks from previous editions, especially when they include a track actually recorded with Syd Barrett? (That would be "Religious Experience (Singing a Song in the Morning)," available on the 2003 Joy of a Toy reissue.) Quibbles aside, this is a hugely entertaining set from one of art rock's most beguiling figures. ~ John Bush
The Soft Machine, not long after recording their first album and touring America, began breaking up -- just the first in a long series of personnel changes and subsequent new directions that formed one of art rock's winding sagas of the '70s. Kevin Ayers was the first to leave, mostly because of that American tour, and he soon became one of the first acts to release music on Harvest, a new progressive label from EMI that promised to offer the best and brightest in the new vanguard of British rock. Ayers recorded and released five albums over the next five years, all of which appear on separate discs of The Harvest Years 1969-1974, and each of which comes with bonus tracks (most of them entertaining BBC sessions). Ayers was quite the chameleon during this time, beginning with a set of psychedelic-pop whimsy akin to Syd Barrett (Joy of a Toy) but soon detouring into free-form epic prog (Shooting at the Moon, with young hotshot guitarist Mike Oldfield), and later arriving at a surprisingly straight-ahead vision of bluesy pop (Bananamour). The set offers the albums in the best sound they've ever been heard, and the bonus tracks are excellent as well. The unavoidable caveat comes, though. Why not include all the bonus tracks from previous editions, especially when they include a track actually recorded with Syd Barrett? (That would be "Religious Experience (Singing a Song in the Morning)," available on the 2003 Joy of a Toy reissue.) Quibbles aside, this is a hugely entertaining set from one of art rock's most beguiling figures. ~ John Bush
Tracks:
Disc 1:
1 - Joy of a Toy Continued
2 - Town Feeling
3 - Clarietta Rag
4 - Girl on a Swing
5 - Song for Insane Times
6 - Stop This Train (Again Doing It)
7 - Eleanor's Cake (Which Ate Her)
8 - Lady Rachel
9 - Oleh Oleh Bandu Bandong
10 - All This Crazy Gift of Time
11 - Singing a Song in the Morning [Single Version]
12 - Clarence in Wonderland
13 - Stop This Train
14 - Why Are We Sleeping
15 - You Say You Like My Hat
Disc 2:
1 - May I?
2 - Rheinhardt & Geraldine/Colores Para Dolores
3 - Lunatics Lament
4 - Pisser Dans un Violon
5 - Oyster and the Flying Fish
6 - Underwater
7 - Clarence in Wonderland
8 - Red Green and You Blue
9 - Shooting at the Moon
10 - Butterfly Dance
11 - Puis Je?
12 - Gemini Child
13 - Lady Rachel
14 - Shooting at the Moon
15 - Derby Day
16 - Interview
17 - We Did It Again/Murder in the Air
Disc 3:
1 - There Is Loving/Among Us/There Is Loving
2 - Margaret
3 - Oh My
4 - Song from the Bottom of a Well
5 - Whatevershebringswesing
6 - Stranger in Blue Suede Shoes
7 - Champagne Cowboy Blues
8 - Lullaby
9 - Stars
10 - Fake Mexican Tourist Blues
11 - Lunatic's Lament
12 - Oyster and the Flying Fish
13 - Butterfly Dance
14 - Whatevershebringswesing
15 - Falling in Love Again
16 - Queen Thing
Disc 4:
1 - Don't Let It Get You Down
2 - Shouting in a Bucket Blues
3 - When Your Parents Go to Sleep
4 - Interview
5 - Internotional Anthem
6 - Decadence
7 - Oh! Wot a Dream
8 - Hymn
9 - Beware of the Dog
10 - Connie on a Rubber Band
11 - Caribbean Moon
12 - Take Me to Tahiti
13 - Interview
14 - Oh! What a Dream
15 - Shouting in a Bucket Blues
Disc 5:
1 - Day by Day
2 - See You Later
3 - Didn't Feel Lonely Till I Thought of You
4 - Everybody's Sometime and Some People's All the Time Blues
5 - It Begins with a Blessing/Once I Awakened/But It Ends with a Curse
6 - Ballbearing Blues
7 - Confessions of Doctor Dream Part One: Irreversible Neural Damage
8 - Confessions of Doctor Dream Part Two: Invitation
9 - Confessions of Doctor Dream Part Three: The One Chance Dance
10 - Confessions of Doctor Dream Part Four: Dr Dream Theme
11 - Two Goes into Four
12 - Up Song
13 - After the Show
14 - Thank You Very Much
15 - Another Whimsical Song
16 - Lady Rachel
17 - Stop This Train
18 - Didn't Feel Lonely Till I Thought of You
1 - Joy of a Toy Continued
2 - Town Feeling
3 - Clarietta Rag
4 - Girl on a Swing
5 - Song for Insane Times
6 - Stop This Train (Again Doing It)
7 - Eleanor's Cake (Which Ate Her)
8 - Lady Rachel
9 - Oleh Oleh Bandu Bandong
10 - All This Crazy Gift of Time
11 - Singing a Song in the Morning [Single Version]
12 - Clarence in Wonderland
13 - Stop This Train
14 - Why Are We Sleeping
15 - You Say You Like My Hat
Disc 2:
1 - May I?
2 - Rheinhardt & Geraldine/Colores Para Dolores
3 - Lunatics Lament
4 - Pisser Dans un Violon
5 - Oyster and the Flying Fish
6 - Underwater
7 - Clarence in Wonderland
8 - Red Green and You Blue
9 - Shooting at the Moon
10 - Butterfly Dance
11 - Puis Je?
12 - Gemini Child
13 - Lady Rachel
14 - Shooting at the Moon
15 - Derby Day
16 - Interview
17 - We Did It Again/Murder in the Air
Disc 3:
1 - There Is Loving/Among Us/There Is Loving
2 - Margaret
3 - Oh My
4 - Song from the Bottom of a Well
5 - Whatevershebringswesing
6 - Stranger in Blue Suede Shoes
7 - Champagne Cowboy Blues
8 - Lullaby
9 - Stars
10 - Fake Mexican Tourist Blues
11 - Lunatic's Lament
12 - Oyster and the Flying Fish
13 - Butterfly Dance
14 - Whatevershebringswesing
15 - Falling in Love Again
16 - Queen Thing
Disc 4:
1 - Don't Let It Get You Down
2 - Shouting in a Bucket Blues
3 - When Your Parents Go to Sleep
4 - Interview
5 - Internotional Anthem
6 - Decadence
7 - Oh! Wot a Dream
8 - Hymn
9 - Beware of the Dog
10 - Connie on a Rubber Band
11 - Caribbean Moon
12 - Take Me to Tahiti
13 - Interview
14 - Oh! What a Dream
15 - Shouting in a Bucket Blues
Disc 5:
1 - Day by Day
2 - See You Later
3 - Didn't Feel Lonely Till I Thought of You
4 - Everybody's Sometime and Some People's All the Time Blues
5 - It Begins with a Blessing/Once I Awakened/But It Ends with a Curse
6 - Ballbearing Blues
7 - Confessions of Doctor Dream Part One: Irreversible Neural Damage
8 - Confessions of Doctor Dream Part Two: Invitation
9 - Confessions of Doctor Dream Part Three: The One Chance Dance
10 - Confessions of Doctor Dream Part Four: Dr Dream Theme
11 - Two Goes into Four
12 - Up Song
13 - After the Show
14 - Thank You Very Much
15 - Another Whimsical Song
16 - Lady Rachel
17 - Stop This Train
18 - Didn't Feel Lonely Till I Thought of You