A NICE PAIR

"A Nice Pair" is a very special compilation of Pink Floyd. The album consists on an economic package that includes their debut studio album "The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn", released in 1967 and their second studio album "A Saucerful Of Secrets" released in 1968, together in only one package. This is a very interesting compilation because it includes two indispensable musical works of the band at a very cheap price, what would be a very worth purchase, in those days. However, for those who have already both albums, it might be a nice addition for all vinyl prog collectors.

Those two albums represent, someow, the two faces of the same coin. Here, we have Pink Floyd with Syd Barrett and Pink Floyd without Syd Barrett. Here we have Pink Floyd more psychedelic and Pink Floyd more space rock. Here we are in the presence of two great albums that, somehow, symbolises the end of an era and the beginning of another one.

As I've already reviewed these two albums previously on Progarchives, in a more extensive way, I'm not going to do it again. So, if you are interested to know, in more detail, what I wrote about them before, I invite you to read those my both reviews. However, in here I'm going to write something about them in a more short way. So, of course, I'm not going to analyze them track by track, as I made before, but I'm only going to make a global appreciation of both albums.

"The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn": "The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn" is a very special and unique album in all Pink Floyd's discography. It's the only studio album under the leadership of Syd Barrett and it's also, practically, the only studio album with his participation as a band's member. It's true that he also appears on their second studio album "A Saucerful Of Secrets", but his participation was seminal, with only one song. It's also, in a certain way, a Syd Barrett's album because he writes almost of the songs and is also a mythic album for those who loves this Pink Floyd's musical period and Syd Barrett's music. "The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn" is a very good album that explores the psychedelic music in its more intimate and complexes senses with some touches of blues. However, we can't really say that it's a true progressive album. Nevertheless, it remains a true landmark on the psychedelic music and it must be seen as a fundamental piece of music and a great representant of the end of the 60's. But it's also an important musical document that clearly shows the beginning of the mental instability of Syd Barrett, with his disturbs, that would be in a short term to become a breakdown and a serious problem to be resolved by the group. So, this is a very unique and special album.

"A Saucerful Of Secrets": "A Saucerful Of Secrets" is also like "The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn" a true great album. Musically, it's a very different album that shows a new musical approach in relation to their previous studio work. Despite have many psychedelic parts it has also, for the first time, the beginning of the fundamental elements of their future space rock sound, which only would be firmly consolidated on their sixth studio album "Meddle". This is, in my humble opinion, a more adult and mature musical proposal than their debut studio album. "A Saucerful Of Secrets" is the living proof that we are in the presence of two distinct bands, the band with Sid Barrett and the band without him. Sincerely, I don't think the main difference on the music of this album be the presence of the guitar sound of David Gilmour. It's true that we can feel its presence on it, but he only co-wrote a song on the album, and I'm convinced that the main difference is Roger Waters. Roger Waters is the main musical composer of the album and I think this is the capital difference between this two initial works. But, one thing is sure. If Syd Barrett had continued as a band's member, we would be in the presence of a different band with different music. I think the problems would appear if both continued in the group. Whereby we know of the personality of Roger Waters, he wouldn't want to stay in the shadow of Syd Barrett. So, sooner or later, both would enter in confrontation, and one of them would be forced to leave the group.

Conclusion: As I wrote above, I like very much of both albums, but personally I maybe prefer "A Saucerful Of Secrets" than "The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn", but both have their great moments, indeed. It's probably best recommended for newbies, not the Pink Floyd newbies but the newbies of the psychedelic music. I must confess that I don't have this compilation. I have the two vinyl records and the two CD's too. However, I knew it since I was a teen and it represented also my first contact with these two albums, because a school friend lent it to me at that time. If you have the two studio albums in two individual records, you don't need to buy this compilation because it hasn't anything new to offer, like bonus tracks, unless you have a collector vinyl spirit or you are a hard Pink Floyd's fan. However, if you don't have these two albums yet, this is the better option because you save on price and space. So, if you don't have these two albums and you own this compilation, it substitutes perfectly well those two original albums. This is really a nice pair. Eighteen amazing tracks in only one package. So, I'm going to rate it with the same 4 stars that I rated those albums.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

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