Matching Mole

Although their career as a unit was short-lived in the early '70s, Matching Mole was certainly proficient. Formed by vocalist and drummer Robert Wyatt (formerly of the legendary Soft Machine), Matching Mole were a more thrill-seeking jazz/rock/prog fusion band than most of their peers. They were less refined (read: limited) and more in-depth. They were known as scholars of the Canterbury school of progressive rock, where the "evil" settings on the guitars were set to full and the keyboards ran amok in conjunction with an athletically classical marathon of bass guitar. Smoke Signals is a carefully strewn together compilation of previously unreleased tracks, which were recorded live during their relentless 1972 tour. The sources of material vary, as does the sound quality, but the disc is a perfect reflection and impression of the experience that was a Matching Mole show from that year, right down to the track listing and its ordering. If there are those who are turned off by King Crimson or even Wishbone Ash, then Matching Mole might fill the void.