Volume Two
Studio album by The Soft Machine
Released	April 1969
Recorded	February-March 1969 at Olympic Sound, London
Length	33:36
Label	Probe SPB 1002
Producer	The Soft Machine, executive: Mike Jeffrey
Professional reviews
Allmusic link
The Soft Machine chronology
The Soft Machine (1968) Volume Two (1969) Third (1970)

Volume Two is an LP by The Soft Machine, first released in 1969. Its music introduces a jazz influence to the sort of humour and psychedelia present on "volume one": The Soft Machine (1968).

Track listing

Side one

Rivmic Melodies

1. "Pataphysical Introduction - part I" (Robert Wyatt) - 1:01
2. "A Concise British Alphabet - part I" (Hugh Hopper, arr. Wyatt) - 0:10
3. "Hibou, Anemone and Bear" (Mike Ratledge, Wyatt) - 5:59
4. "A Concise British Alphabet - part II" (Hopper, arr. Wyatt) - 0:12
5. "Hulloder" (Hopper, arr. Wyatt) - 0:54
6. "Dada Was Here" (Hopper, arr. Wyatt) - 3:26
7. "Thank You Pierrot Lunaire" (Hopper, arr. Wyatt) - 0:49
8. "Have You Ever Bean Green?" (Hopper, arr. Wyatt) - 1:19
9. "Pataphysical Introduction - part II" (Wyatt) - 0:51
10. "Out of Tunes" (Ratledge, Hopper, Wyatt) - 2:34

Side two

1. "As Long as He Lies Perfectly Still" (Ratledge, Wyatt) - 2:35
2. "Dedicated to You But You Weren't Listening" (Hopper) - 2:32

Esther's Nose Job

1. "Fire Engine Passing with Bells Clanging" (Ratledge) - 1:51
2. "Pig" (Ratledge, Wyatt) - 2:09
3. "Orange Skin Food" (Ratledge) - 1:47
4. "A Door Opens and Closes" (Ratledge) - 1:10
5. "10:30 Returns to the Bedroom" (Ratledge, Hopper, Wyatt) - 4:13

Personnel

• Robert Wyatt - drums, lead & backing vocals
• Mike Ratledge - piano, Lowrey Holiday De Luxe organ, plus flute
• Hugh Hopper - bass guitar, plus acoustic guitar & alto saxophone

plus

• Brian Hopper - soprano & tenor saxophone

References

• Soft Machine biography at www.progarchives.com
• Discography at calyx.club.fr