Released in 1968, Pink Floyd's second album, "A Saucerful of Secrets," shows the band in a transitional period. Singer/songwriter/guitarist Syd Barrett was ousted from the band due to his LSD use & erratic behavior (though the Floyd still allow him a final appearance at the album's end). Taking Syd's place was singer/guitarist David Gilmour, while bassist Roger Waters picked up the bulk of the songwriting duties, along with a pair of contributions from keyboardist Richard Wright. Some have criticized "Saucerful" as being a mixed bag, but I say that's total nonsense, because I've always loved this album. Roger Waters branches out as a songwriter very well with his trio of trippy psychedelic rock songs, "Let There Be More Light," "Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun," and the very amusing "Corporal Clegg" (representing the first of Waters' various war-themed songs, though this particular tune is done with humor, including a solo on kazoo). Richard Wright delivers a fine pair of atmospheric songs, "Remember A Day" and "See-Saw." But the big centerpiece of the album is the 11-minute title track, an avant-garde, three-part instrumental in which the Floyd give the listener the aural equivalent of a war. The first part is the tension build-up, the middle section is the war (with drummer Nick Mason's tribal percussion loop, Gilmour running his guitar up and down a microphone stand, Waters repeatedly smashing a gong, and Wright pounding his piano senseless), and the final part is the release, the calm after the battle. It's an amazing piece, one of Pink Floyd's best, and it points in the musical direction that the Floyd would take on future releases.But it is Syd Barrett who gets the final, haunting word on "Saucerful" with his Pink Floyd swansong, "Jugband Blues," recorded just before his exit from the band, and which the Floyd rightfully saved for release on "Saucerful Of Secrets." The song---featuring some very twisted lyrics and a cameo by a Salvation Army band---may indeed represent Barrett's tragic fall into dementia, but he still sings it with tremendous feeling, and no diehard Floyd fan will ever forget Barrett's final, jarring line, "And what exactly is a joke?". "A Saucerful Of Secrets" is a terrific Pink Floyd album.

Its sad that people who are listening to "Wish You Were Here" don't know who the song is referring to. Being a Syd fanatic, I tend to focus on the first two albums. By the time of Saucerful of Secrets, Syd Barrett was being edged out of the band because of his erratic behavior (such as writing a song called "Have You Got it Yet?" and constantly changing the chords to frustrate the other band members). This was not the end of his career as he did two quite brilliant solo albums and still paints to this day. However, by the time of Saucerful of Secrets, David Gilmour has been enlisted as the singer and Roger Waters took over the creative control. On a song by song basis:
1.Let There Be More Light-dark, somber, very heavy, prog rock starts here.
2.Remember a Day-whimsical ode to childhood, obviously inspired by Barrett
3.Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun-Performed live during the Barrett era but obviously a Roger Waters song-absolute classic
4.Corporal Clegg-"Corporal Clegg earned his medal in a dream"-anti-war without being preachy. Another classic
5.A Saucerful of Secrets-Close to avant-garde classical. Another prog rock inspired masterpiece.
6.See Saw-Too close to Remember A Day to be original
7.Jugband Blues- Syd's last work of genius. The only song he sang on Saucerful but he claims to have guested on guitar on a couple of others-To some a self diagnosis of schizophrenia but lines like "I'm greatful to you for making it clear that I'm not here" are jabs at his by now former bandmates as well.

Anyone who considers themselves a Pink Floyd fan and has not heard this and the first album, "Piper at the Gates of Dawn" is missing out.

I am a very BIG Pink Floyd fan and i have to say this is THE greatest album they've ever done (or ever will do)! I have nothing but great things to say about this album, and if i were to write them all down here i'd be here for years! Listening to "Remember" a Day and "See-Saw" really depresses me, because of Rick Wright's waning lyrical contributions in later years. He has the ability to write the most beautiful songs. *sigh* Oh-well. The rest of the album is equally fantastic. Starting with Rogers "Let There Be More Light" with its dark mysticysm. "Set The Controls..." and its menacing undertones. "Corporal Clegg"; (fabulous manic guitar Syd),Waters first scoff at war. "A Saucerful of Secrets"; winding, falling, climax of sound. And finally Syd's "Jugband Blues" a song so hauntingly sad he almost makes you want to cry. I miss you Syd

Pink Floyd's 1968 release A Saucerful of Secrets stands as one of my favorite albums and towers as one of the greatest musical creations of the century. The ability of Pink Floyd to personify the music and transport the listener to a completely different world and state of mind is what makes this such a fantastic album. The pieces on this album are more than rock songs, they are stories brought to life with nearly flawless use of instrumentation, sound effects, and song structure. Unlike other rock songs where lyrics and volume are the most common vehicles for displaying the message of the song, the tone and feel of the music on Saucerful gives the listener a clear idea of the song's purpose, one that is far more descripitive than words. Rick Wright's somber and nostalgic "Remember a Day" is a perfect example of the music's power. While the soft piano part elicits the peaceful mood of childhood, Syd Barret's haunting slide guitar brings to life the trapped and desperate longing for youth that is at the heart of the song. The opening organ, the eerie guitar riff of the verse, and the final guitar coda give "Let There Be More Light" the feeling of a strange mystical encounter. "See Saw" is a smooth, summer childhood fantasy, and the chaotic middle bridge and quiet acoustic finale give "Jugband Blues" the true sense of insanity felt by Syd Barrett at the time of its composition. Each member of the group gave a sincere and emotional performance of the album, which is one reason that the album may be Pink Floyd's strongest collective work and it is almost certainly their greatest artistic achievement.

What a mess.

Syd Barrett was fast on the path to becoming an acid casualty, and his replacement, David Gilmour, was beginning to integrate with the band. The original plan was for Barrett to still compose songs a la Brian Wilson and the rest of the band to bring his music to the world. But Barrett was completely incapable of carrying on, and contributed only one song here (although he also performed on at least one other). The band needed a solution.

That solution largely came in the form of Roger Waters. Grabbing the reins, Waters wrote about half the material on here-- while two of his compositions are largely derivative of Barrett's style-- opener "Let There Be More Light", probably significant only for unleashing David Gilmour's guitar playing on the world during his solo in the coda and "Corporal Clegg", significant only for being the first of his songs obsessed with war veterans, a theme he'd explore in depth. But the third piece, "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun" was something different. Dark, meditative, driven by a haunting bassline, it really is the first sign of things to come for Waters-- dark, meditative, and downright attention-getting.

The remainder of the material is a mixed bag-- an extended, unfocused instrumental suite ("A Saucerful of Secrets") and two Rick Wright originals (the decent "Remember a Day", featuring great slide guitar from Barrett and the downright awful "See Saw") and one Barrett composition ("Jugband Blues"). It is the Barrett piece that is notable-- conceivably the most bizarre piece he ever wrote (and thats saying something), it has an oddly confessional lyric showing that Barrett likely knew what was going on, at least to some degree, and a bridge featuring a small band playing whatever they want, per Barrett's instructions. But for all this disjointness, it is without a doubt the highlight of the record.

It's a noble effort, and its clear that the drive that would lead Waters down the path he would eventually walk was here, but this is more a curiosity than anything else.