Secret Saucer ~ USA ~ Cleveland, Ohio

Element 115 (2001 / 2005)

I was reviewing the notes below while listening to the first few tunes on Element 115. This was Secret Saucer's debut and is much more geared towards pure space rock than Second Sighting. In this way, Element 115 ties closer to Tri-Angle Waves. Mostly the album is slow paced spacey blues rock with loud psychedelic lead guitar and swooshing synthesizers. Imagine mid 70s Pink Floyd as strictly an instrumental jam band. I quite like the processed organ sound on track 11. 

Secret Saucer were carved out of another space rock collective from the area known as Quarkspace, who had a similar motif. That band were more improvisational in nature, so their albums were more hit and miss. Secret Saucer, while certainly not conservatory styled composers, do seem to have a beginning, middle, and end in mind before entering the studio. Recorded in 2001, it is documented that this album was indeed purely improvised. Pretty impressive then. As a debut, I find the album refreshing as we are treated to a new set of sounds from a unique mix of musicians. Tri-Angle Waves was "too much of the same thing" for me, thus it didn't make the cut.

Both ProgArchives and RYM have very few ratings for Secret Saucer's albums, but strangely PA has Second Sighting considerably lower. For my tastes, I prefer it to other two I've heard. See below as to why.

Ownership: 2005 Dead Earnest (CD). Booklet with recording details.

8/27/10 (first listen); 3/7/11 (acquired); 9/15/25 (review)
 

Second Sighting (2007)

Second Sighting is Secret Saucer's second album (quite alliterative I'd suggest). It took me a long time to digest this one. Though I first purchased the CD seven years ago (a few years after initial release), it's not one I had absorbed at all. When I began to tackle it a few days ago, I didn't think it would take me a week to grasp it. But sometimes that's what it takes. The reward is I raised the rating, and Second Sight definitely is a cut above your garden variety modern space rock album. Though ironically it doesn't start that way. 'Lift Off' is a prototypical Ozric Tentacles styled opening with whooshing synthesizers and ripping guitar solos. After that the album shows a wide array of influences. 'All the Way to Outer Space' has a strong bluesy hard rock twist, that is unusual in this type of setting. 'D-Walker' introduces the key ingredient to the album's success: Piano. There's something magical about the sound of the grand old dame of acoustic keyboards juxtaposed against modern synthesizers and electronics. 'Tranquility Base' introduces yet another form, that of electronica, though still very much rooted in space rock principles. 'Untitled Dream' sounds like an outtake from Edgar Froese's Ages album, and is heavily drenched in discordant mellotron (sampled I'm sure, but very well done). The album peaks on the 'Disintegrator' / 'Integrator' duet where the piano is quite prominent while the intensity is raised. By now you'll find yourself fully immersed into their sound. 'Reflections' adds electric sitar to great effect. Every track is great, and most feature well written compositions and melodies. This is a far cry from your garden variety jamming space rock band. If looking for something different in the space rock field, give this one a shot.

Ownership: 2007 Dead Earnest (CD)

3/13/11 (acquired); 5/11/18 (review)

Tri-Angle Waves (2009)

Secret Saucer are an Ohio based group (not far from Cleveland), who've been around more or less for about ten years or so. Tri-Angle Waves is their 3rd album. There's little here you haven't heard before, but a good space rock jam is still exciting to hear, that moment when it all comes together, and the fiery guitar solo sends you over the edge. All the genre's norms are on display here: Swooshing synthesizers, blazing guitars with as many effects applied as possible, constant heavy bass and drums - and with very little attention paid to meter shifting or dynamics... or melody. With Secret Saucer, you're getting exactly what you came for. When you go to In-N-Out Burger, you want a good cheeseburger, not foie gras. And Secret Saucer serves up a mean cheeseburger.

Former ownership: 2009 Salad Farm Studio (CD)

2/8/11 (acquired / review); 7/27/22 (update)

Secret Saucer went on to release four more studio albums. I certainly would be up for hearing any and all at some point. Four on the Floor seems to be the consensus favorite to date.

2/8/11 (new entry)