A Saucerful of Secrets
Best song: Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun
Worst song: See-Saw
Overall grade: 5
Nick Mason is seriously underrated. Not as a drummer, he was
never that great at that, but in his importance to the band as a whole. And by
that I’m not talking about the sound effects or studio work, I just mean that
(as comes across in his book) he has this great easygoing nature, and I actually
have this theory that if it wasn’t for him keeping the peace, the band would
have split up far earlier than they eventually did – possibly even before The
Wall.
But he couldn’t prevent the problems this early incarnation
of the band had. This album contains the last traces of Syd Barrett’s version
of the band, most notably in the disturbing standout closer ‘Jugband Blues’,
which provides the missing link between Piper and The Madcap Laughs. It’s
wonderfully bleak, with cryptic lyrics and simple guitar contrasted to the
Salvation Army band that plays in the middle, and it always makes me cry. It
could only work as the final track.
The album’s also a new beginning. Several of the tracks here
feature songwriting and guitar contributions from new guitarist David Gilmour. The
title track in particular is outstanding… with sections that were originally
titled ‘Nick’s Boogie’ and ‘Richard’s Rave Up’ I feel like the eventual titles
fit the piece a lot better. It’s weird and experimental and at times you have
no idea what you’re listening to, but it’s a great early example of the
Gilmour/Waters songwriting partnership bringing the band’s best work. I’m also
a big fan of ‘Let There Be More Light’ which has a really memorable bassline
and David Gilmour’s first-ever guitar solo with the group. And I’ve always
liked the title for some reason.
So there are great
songs, but then they’re balanced out by a bit of filler, like ‘See-Saw’ – which
technically has nothing wrong with it but has nothing to remember it either –
and ‘Remember a Day’ which I quite enjoy, but at the same time is like a poorer
version of a Syd Barrett single. I actually enjoy ‘Corporal Clegg’ as a
standalone song and a kind of novelty tune (single: ‘Corporal Clegg’ by Roger
Waters feat. Nick Mason on kazoo) but it definitely don’t fit in with the
early-space-rock theme of the album.
I think it’s fitting that ‘Set the Controls…’ is the best
track on here, considering it’s rumoured that all five members play on it, making
it unique in the Floyd catalogue. It’s very quiet, nothing like the noisy
freak-out of the title track, and its sinister atmosphere that’s mostly down to
Rick Wright’s organ work and whispered lyrics make it into a classic. One of
the few early Floyd songs where the studio version almost equals the live
version.
Considering that this album should feel like the disjointed
ramblings of a band with no idea what direction they’re going in, I think the
fairly minor drop in quality between Piper and this is a remarkable feat, and
if they had kept up the greatness of the good tracks for the whole album, I
would have had no problem giving Saucerful a 7 too.
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