A SAUCERFUL OF SECRETS

Hmmm. This was one of the most interesting albums I think I have ever heard. The good tracks definitely out-weigh the bad tracks, but trust me the bad tracks are still there. "Let There Be More Light" opens the album in a fine fashion, with a nice bass line that hooks you in until the song starts. One of my favorite Floyd songs, and probably the best off of this album. "Remeber A Day" is on both sides of the spectrum at the same time. It is incredibly psychedelic and has a dreamy atmosphere, but some of the lyrics are absolute paranoia ("Hide from your little brother's gun..."). Another one of my favorite songs however. "Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun" features some nice percussion but that's about it. The chanting is a little over the top if you ask me, and I usually skip over this song. "Corporal Clegg" is a fine song - at your first few listens. Once you start to hear this song again and again, it starts to seem a little dated, boring, and just annoying. The kazoo has to go. Ahhh, time for the title track now. The nice big long 11 minute "A Saucerful of Secrets". What to say about this? Well I can start off by saying it is A COMPLETE WASTE OF DISK SPACE! This is one of the most boring, rambling, get-stoned-and-jam-for11 minutes thing I have ever heard! I just skip this track, it is highly overrated and it ruined any chance of a 5-star rating. "See-Saw" is another prime example of those bad tracks I told you about at the beginning. It is pyschedelia at its rawest and most mind-shattering, but if you aren't stoned while listening to this then you realize that you are listening to complete gibberish over a repetetive chord. Worth a listen, but it is very dated. The album ends in a fine fashion however. Syd Barrett's last contribution to the Floyd is here as his final send-off. "Jugband Blues" tells the tale of Syd's insanity, disguised as a poppy pyschedelia song. Listen to the lyrics, and somebody tell me why they didn't get Syd to a doctor sooner.

4 stars. A really great pyschedelia album overall, but the title track kills the masterpiece appeal. Definitely worth your time though.