A SAUCERFUL OF SECRETS

1968 was a year of change for Pink Floyd. Last year the band had released their debut album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn and toured across Europe and North America. Unfortunately, any chance of success was stalled at the moment by frontman Syd Barrett. Barrett was starting to exhibit erratic behavior resulting from heavy drug use. From de-tuning his guitar onstage to simply standing there hitting one chord, his antics were starting to take a toll on the rest of the band. Joker's Wild guitarist David Gilmour was recruited to play Syd's parts onstage but eventually became a permanent replacement. Syd eventually left after the group's second album, A Saucerful of Secrets, was released.

A Saucerful of Secrets was a continuation of the band's cosmic space rock sound. Songs from their first album such as Interstellar Overdrive, Astronomy Domine, and Flaming would be echoed here on this new album with a new guitarist.

The first song, "Let There Be More Light" opens with a hypnotic bass riff from Roger Waters, alternating with quiet vocal parts and heavy distorted guitar passages while finishing with a sharp guitar solo closing the song. It's a very schizophrenic opening to a very bizarre album. "Remember A Day", the second song is a lovely song featuring keyboardist Rick Wright on lead vocals. The song is also notable for featuring some of Syd's last guitar work, which is heard through the slide guitar notes being played as well as featuring a guest drummer, producer Norman Smith.

The third song "Set the Controls For the Heart of the Sun" is perhaps one of the better known songs off the album. It became a live staple of the band and of Roger Waters's touring band. It opens with a down tempo guitar riff and tribal drumming before some spacey organ notes start floating over it all. The song eventually builds to a wild cataclysm during the middle portion with the organ going ballistic and the frenetic drumming. It's a strong contender for best song on the album.

The fourth song "Corporal Clegg" is one of the more humorous moments on the album and in Pink Floyd's history. Not only is it the sole Pink Floyd song to feature a Kazoo as a primary instrument but it is a rare instance of drummer Nick Mason handling vocal duties. The fifth song and title track "A Saucerful of Secrets" is what really draws the listener in though. Starting off with an eerie organ solo, it picks up steam with erratic drumming from Mason and psychotic slide guitar arrangements from David Gilmour. The guitar, drums, and keyboard all reach a crescendo with bassist Roger Waters banging on a gong until it settles with another organ solo before going into mournful vocal overdubs.

The seventh song "See-Saw" is a whimsical song sung by keyboardist Rick Wright that has a see saw type feel to it with the keyboards sliding all over the place throughout. The final song "Jugband Blues" is sung by former frontman and guitarist Syd Barrett. This would be Barrett's coda on leaving the band. Barrett's vocals sound distressed and apprehensive. They are soon drowned out by a Salvation Army marching band and bizarre chanting. The song and album ends with Barrett's voice accompanied by soft acoustic guitar with the lyrics And what exactly is a dream?/And what exactly is a joke?

Barrett left the band after this album was released and the group continued once more as a foursome with David Gilmour replacing him. The band's next album Ummagumma would be a double album, a first for the band, and they would continue the spacey progressive rock they experimented with on this album.