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5 (Soft Machine album)

5, also known as Fifth, is a 1972 studio album by the Canterbury band Soft Machine. 5 was the first Soft Machine album recorded after the departure of founding member Robert Wyatt and continued the band's trend from their original blend of psychedelic and progressive rock towards jazz fusion. The odd track on the album is "Pigling Bland" which was originally composed in 1969 for inclusion in a revised arrangement of the "Esther's Nose Job" suite.

In 1999, Soft Machine albums Fourth and "Fifth" were re-released together on one CD.

Track listing

LP Side one

1. "All white" (Ratledge) – 6:06
2. "Drop" (Ratledge) – 7:42
3. "M.C." (Hopper) – 4:57

LP Side two

1. "As if" (Ratledge) – 8:02
2. "L B O" (Marshall) – 1:54
3. "Pigling bland" (Ratledge) – 4:24
4. "Bone" (Dean) – 3:29

Personnel

• Elton Dean - alto saxophone, saxello, Fender Rhodes electric piano (2)
• Hugh Hopper - bass guitar
• Mike Ratledge - Lowrey organ & Fender Rhodes electric piano
• Phil Howard - drums (1-3)
• John Marshall - drums (4-6)

guest

• Roy Babbington - double bass (4)