Rubber Riff

AMG Review of Rubber Riff

Vincent Jeffries
All Music Guide

The phrase "Soft Machine in name only" is clearly used too often. There are, in fact, plenty of post-1970 recordings that deserve to share that famous prog moniker with the hallowed Third. If the statement ever will apply, however, it must be attached to Rubber Riff, which is essentially a solo effort from composer/sax player/keyboardist Karl Jenkins. If Jenkins (or the musicians performing his music on this 1976 album) had anything more then a casual connection to the original Soft Machine, maybe some could argue the appropriateness of the name. New fans should probably avoid Rubber Riff. That's not to say that the music isn't interesting at times. The Rockford Files redux of "Hi-Power" is a bit of a hoot, and "Paven"'s Blow By Blow-era Jeff Beck tribute is competent enough, but ultimately, this puffy fusion/pop collection has little to offer except for a heap of '70s /p>

ovelty.