Sean Palmerston reviews Saucerland for Label Obscura

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Simply Saucer – Saucerland 2LP

July 24, 2016 in reviews

Album Title: SaucerlandArtist: Simply SaucerLabel: Logan HardwareRelease Date: May 2016Artist Website: www.simplysaucer.com BUY THE ALBUM

Before I review this, I feel I should put a disclaimer on this article. As some may or may not know, I was the project co-ordinator for the 2003 reissue of Cyborgs Revisited that Sonic Unyon Records released. I have a long running professional relationship with members of the band. However, I paid my hard earned cash for this two-LP set and would recommend that you do the same too.

Saucerland is made up of rarities and songs that have never been released on vinyl before. Some of these songs are previously released – both as bonus tracks on the Cyborgs Revisited expanded reissue CD and on a Black To Comm CD compilation – but none of them have ever been on black wax before. A number of the tracks here come from the band’s legendary copyright tape, a cassette they recorded in their practice space and then mailed themselves so that they’d have proof of copyright of the songs back in the mid-70s.

The key track on Saucerland as far as I am concerned is the live take of “Clearly Invisible”. Recorded live at Carleton Place Arena in 1978, bassist Kevin Christoff says the song was the only song to get applause that evening: “one person actually applauded.” It is an absolutely mind-melting live version that really has to be heard to be believed. Another favourite on this double LP is “Brain Shock”, a song co-written by singer Edgar Breau and long-serving drummer Don Cramer. The song has a twisted edge to it that sounds to my ears like it could be a classic Roky Erickson song. However, these are just two of the great songs on this record.

As a compilation, Saucerland works well. Galactic Zoo Dossier zine publisher Steve Krakow has done a good job with the tracklisting and it is very nice that the label let Christoff write a paragraph or so about each individual track. I also like the page of liner notes given by both Pig Records’ owner Gary Pig Gold (who released the original SS 7” way back in the seventies) and journalist Jesse Locke, who has just completed a book on the entire history of the Saucer that is intended for release soon.

Rumour has it that later this year LA’s In The Red Records will be reissuing Cyborgs Revisited once again, something which should bring the legendary album to the ears of even more music listeners once again. This 2LP compilation is a great accompanying piece to the original album and it is well worth owning if you are even a little bit interested in this legendary, groundbreaking Hamilton, Ontario band. Search it out, you won’t be disappointed.

(Logan Hardware)

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By Sean Palmerston

Sean Palmerston is a vinyl loving music nerd who also loves NHL hockey, Godzilla movies and hanging out with his kids. A former contributing writer to a number of publications, including Exclaim!, Metal Maniacs and VICE, Sean also runs the all metal webzine Hellbound.ca

Simply Saucer

Sean Palmerston reviews Saucerland for Label Obscura

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