Saucerful and Ummagumma

Hey, I just bought Saucerful of Secrets and Ummagumma. I've obviously listened to them, but I didn't own them. I just listened to Saucerful in its entirety, pretty sweet, however, the first time I had ever heard Ummagumma's studio version, I wasn't too impressed. I haven't really looked into it much, but what are everyone's favorite parts in Ummagumma. For a lot of albums, I hear it at first and don't really get into it. But then when I really start listen to it more and more, the greater I appreciate it, for example, Animals. So please share if it was worth getting Ummagumma, other than the live version, which is awesome, especially CWTAE.

Ummagumma is shite, the live parts are acceptable but there are much better live versions of those songs available if you dig around a bit. The studio bit is awful, Sysyphus gives me a headache everytime I listen to it - which is never, Grantchester Meadows is ok, Several Species is ... interesting, the first couple of times you hear it, then it just becomes annoying, bits of The Narrow Way are passable and Grand Vizier is Nick taking the piss, surely.
I've owned it for over 20 years, it was shite when I got it, it's still shite today. IMO of course. There are a few tone deaf weirdos around who claim to like it (yeah right) and I'm sure they're about to pop up and disagree with me.

Hi, I'd like to pop up and disagree with you. However, you're right. Damn.

The evidence of your own ears is irrefutable.

Because they're so fuzzy.

I got Saucerful for Christmas and it kicks ass. Is Ummagumma really that bad?

Not really - it's WORSE!

Ok, I'll take your word for it.

May I stroke your fuzzy ears, Gerald?

Cheers!

GeeDub#1
<who loves fuzzy things, after all...>

Don't listen to 'em, they're wrong, Ummagumma, while it is hardly not the best album, it is not bad! I like it.

On the whole ummagumma studio disc is not too hot, though i LOVE Grantchester Meadows :grin: and when you take into consideration GM's brilliance, the awesome live disc and the cool poster, i think its worth the money. Though as the studio disc comprises solo work only and not the guys working together its okay to hate it if you do.:grin:

VV

Then again that depends on how much you pay for it, amazon.co.uk want more than twice the what tesco.com do so......

VV

Well said...I can't stand Ummagumma.

Haven't taken it off the shelf for many years.

Ummagumma is worth having cause of live album. Don't waste your time looking out for bootlegs, they can easily be just shit, so check out official releases and save your money for albums of other bands/artists rather. Btw, Umma studio is interesting but nothing more, an experimental album should be inspired, so that if everybody says it sucks you can at least claim that you were expressing something. But for their own admission they had no idea of what the heck they were doing.

ASoS is a great album, and the title track is one of their masterpieces. Those were the days when they really were groundbreaking, then they quickly choose the commercial way until Animals.

although 'Grandchester Meadows' is a beautifully calming acoustic song, i believe that Capitol Records, Harvest, or whoever, owes me around 15 bucks for the Ummagumma copy that i bought.

i give SFoS 5 out of 5 stars. its weird, but nice. "let there be more light" "see-saw" and "jugband blues" are the best on it though.

i give Ummagumma 1 out of 5. its just plain horrible. i understand that it was something creative to do, but its just nothing worth listening to. except 'Grandchester Meadows' of course.