(Salad Farm Studio SFS003) CD 60m
The American supergroup space-rockers are back with a third instalment, and one that revisits old ground whilst venturing on to new territory, particularly in its diversity.
For starters, the opener Night Encounter is just four musicians on synthesizers, evoking both the Teutonic cosmic masters and the ethereal moment of mid-1970's Gong. But we can't take the instrumentation literally, as A Sublime Metaphore which follows lists no electric pianos, but they are there. Sublime though it isn't, majestic it is, as the drums, bass and guitar add to the ride. Now we a have a break from Secret Saucer tradition, whereas the previous two albums flowed throughout non-stop, here we have a pause before we launch into the instrumental Hawkwind and/or Djam Karet styled Protoplasmic Accelerator which tangles around itself, with synth wash entwining around guitars ever more hypnotically, surging with energy but also holding back creating great tension, ever threatening to explode. Another synth respite is the vaguely Cluster meets Klaus Schulze and Tim Blake ooze/froth of Approaching Hunab Ku (whatever that is - ah, the wonders of the web, Wikipedia says: Hunab Ku is a name invented by Catholic missionaries sent to the Maya peoples of the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico) which means that it's a very odd title. Light Years Away takes us back into high flying Quarkspace "Spacefolds" territory, and then we wind up with the more lethargic (but still heavy) trip Mind Mechanic which has a feel that reminds me of the legendary Mythos, as if they'd had Steve Hillage on guitar! I'm trying to use my imagination here, as describing such music is no easy task.
It's an interesting album also musician wise, especially in that no one is on the whole album. Steve Hayes (synthesizer, guitar), Dave Hess (synthesizer), and Greg Kozlowski (synthesizer, ebow guitar), each feature on all but one track. Ted Bobuka (drums) and Billy Spear (bass) appear on the four rock tracks. And various others feature here and there. No doubt this variety is what makes it more interesting, with a steady succession of ideas from different people at work, and not at all the hotchpotch jigsaw that such a way of working could result in. In that way I'm reminded of the Cosmic Jokers albums, which would have been similarly put together.
In all, it's another great one, and it's good to see that they decided to break their own mould, and surprise us all.
From Audion #57, page 32 (Autumn 2012)
A web p.s. Unfortunately all the three classics by Secret Saucer are sold out (although you can still find some on Discogs). At Ultima Thule we do still have in stock the excellent cosmic synth album by Greg Kozlowski under the name Antrilon.
This is my last web post from Audion #57. These have been all my articles from the issue, plus selected reviews. There's much more in the actual magazine, including a load of reviews by Andy G. (including his second Agitation Free reissues feature) and an article on world music fusion by Jules Conway, and a page about Djam Karet & related releases by myself, etc., etc...
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