A SAUCERFUL OF SECRETS

Now, I have never been too big on the music of Pink Floyd, despite rightfully acknowledging that they have a few masterpieces to call their own. Moreover, they made one of the greatest debuts that ever came out of the groundbreaking '60s, and 'The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn' may even be my most listened-to Floyd album. As tragic a downfall as any other rock star's however, original Floyd frontman Syd Barrett would start breaking down under the pressures of the newly found stardom, becoming one of the most enduring examples of an 'acid casualty'. With the integrity of their leading man compromised, Pink Floyd were somewhat scattered, and this really reflects on their second full-length album, 'A Saucerful Of Secrets'.

While integral to the development of the band past their original pop roots, I cannot help but feel that 'A Saucerful Of Secrets' pales in comparison to the quirky charm of the debut. While 'The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn' carried the same sense of British warmth and eccentricity throughout, this album is much more evidently the work of several opposing forces. Syd Barrett would now be sharing the reins here with their newly admitted David Gilmour - brought in to help the band from sinking- and it almost sounds here like each member had a different idea of where they wanted to go with the album. There are some poppier songs here that sound like they are trying to continue the psych-pop legacy of 'Piper' such as Barrett's 'Jugband Blues' or Waters' Barrett-soundalike piece 'Corporal Clegg'. On the other side of the spectrum, there is the title track, which is not so much a composition here as it is a sweeping soundscape of eerie feedback and sound effects.

While I may have thought I would prefer another album of Barrett-led psych-pop, the songs here that follow that route feel like shadows; miles away from the great melodic sensibility and spacey vibe of 'Piper'. The soundscapes and more spacey moments on the album are actually much better done all things considered. The only two songs here that are much memorable are 'Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun' and the title track, even though they can get a little monotonous. The rest of the stuff here is cut between banal spacey effects and rather uninspired songwriting, and don't get me started about that forsaken kazoo on 'Corporal Clegg'.

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