A Saucerful of Secrets (containing items such as acid and pot and the cocaine)

Overall Album Score: 8.5 out of 10

Generally regarded as a Pink Floyd transitional album (which usually means that it’s not as good as the proceeding nor succeeding eras), but I didn't find this any worse, overall, than the previous album.

Syd Barrett’s is still physically in the band (having penned the album’s final track, “Jugband Blues” and playing guitar on other songs) but he by no means dominates Pink Floyd anymore. His spirit, certainly, is still alive! Most of these songs opt for the insane hippie weirdness instead of … um … Dark Side of the Moon stuff.

Although, you can detect that they are moving in the Dark Side of the Moon direction, if you notice that “Set the Controls For the Heart of the Sun” has a very calm, quiet demeanor. The title track also opts to explore the calm vacuums of space (with some moments of sheer psychological discomfort) instead of the like-minded “Interstellar Overdrive,” which was much more chaotic and noisy.

Anyway, this is an interesting rock-and-roll historical document … and a pretty good album, too. It’s bizarre (but less insane than Piper) and it’s very much worth getting for those weirdies who enjoy this kind of stuff.

Overall Album Score: 8.5 out of 10 (Fun in a weird sort of way. You’re going to have to like either weird psychedelic stuff or have a love for songs that sound like they came from outer space. Pink Floyd does that stuff as well as anyone, I guess.)

Average Song Score: 8.6 (I’m sick of weird 60s songs! I want synth-pop!)

Album Tilt: 8.5 (Okay, I don’t really want synth-pop. I like bizarre 60s albums as much as the next person.)

Artist Rating: 8.5 (Really weird! I like the space title track, though. I guess that’s what set their ball rolling after the loony left. ------- By “loony left,” of course, I was referring to Ted Kennedy.)

Track Reviews

Let There Be More Light 8/10

Let there be more light, indeed. … Let there be more of those weird psychedelic songs and juvenile music and lyrics … and you do this without featuring your resident nutzo (Syd Barrett) and … dude … isn’t this pretty much the same line up that made Dark Side of the Moon? … I guess they were wanting to light things before they explore that territory. … Well, this very loose and wild song that does that whole acid-hippie-jammin’ thing … Hey, this was the 60s. Even the sane musicians were crazy in the 60s. Except for Frank Sinatra and Joan Baez.

Remember a Day 8.5/10

More structured this time (it would seem) and a little better I think. The song seems to seep in and out of consciousness … but it works fairly effectively if you’re looking for a song to trip out on (whilst not necessarily taking 60s-era drugs). If you’re into that kind of thing, I guess … I miss reviewing The Beatles. Their trippy songs at least made a lot of sense.

Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun 8.5/10

…Actually not a good idea. You’ll burn along with your spacecraft, Captain Kirk. And on the other side of the galaxy, I sit. At my computer. Listening to this song. By Pink Floyd. … It’s very … um … meditative. Very quiet, relaxing and nice. Meditating with it is the way you’re going to enjoy this. Very calm, very pleasant … um … HEY! Are these the first steps to Dark Side of the Broom? … Hmmmmm … I hear birds.

Corporal Clegg 9/10

Huh … well they’ve still got a hippie-foot in their Syd Barrett era. This is a legitimate Barrett-esque Pink Floyd song. Silly, simple (but catchy melody), psychedelic instrumentation (while perhaps adapting a bit of a town-hall quality in the middle of it). It’s bizarre and … that’s why I like early Pink Floyd. Baby.

A Saucerful of Secrets 18/20

…Seriously, this song is so effectively atmospheric, Pink Floyd should write some soundtracks! (…I’m going to regret saying that, aren’t I?) And, it’s like 12 minutes long, so I don’t really have to pay attention to it. … Actually, I can’t keep from paying attention to it! It starts out calm enough and then … these weird spacey atmospheric noises get all mean and threatening! … Aaaaaagghhh! … And … drums start up … things are still weird. … Things continue to be really space-like (conjuring up my favorite moments from Star Trek: The Original Series and … there’s even some really nice choral stuff at the end of this. … This isn’t Barret-era Floyd! … WE’RE AT THE DAWN OF A NEW HOR-

See-Saw 8.5/10

IZON!!!!!! … Aaaaaaahhhhhh!!!!! This isn’t weirdly spacey like the last song was! This is … only slightly weirdly spacey and then some Barrett-era weirdness injected in here for good measure. It’s entertaining, of course. … I saw a saw once. I don’t know what’s the big deal.

Jugband Blues 8.5/10

…Hey! It’s Syd Barrett again! He wrote a song! … HE RE-JOINED THE BAND, GUYS!!!!!!!! … Or not … In fact, this guy is nuts. His songs are totally detached from any normal sense of reality and … they’re not even that good … Yet, that’s exactly why we love him. Oh well. Farewell, Syd. I'll review your solo career. One of these days. Maybe.

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