Simply Saucer - Cyborgs Revisited (2003)

Simply Saucer was a Canadian rock band formed during the late 70s. Though the proto-punk scene wasn't the talk of the time at the moment, Simply Saucer still managed to create a record that would defy all punk records that came before it, by showing a clear and worthy apprehension of the history of rock music. They leaped from style to style, from noise to noise, exemplifying what rock music is all about. Noise, sweat, dirtiness, and rawness, all into one package of free-form rock jams that fall under hard-to-classify.

They were criminally unrecognised during their span though later they would be known as "Canada's first proto-punk band". Their music was outrageous in the sense that they sometimes didn't know what they were doing, as well as it was innovative due to the intelligent guitarings and the uncanny song structures that were replete with catchy hooks as they were with uncontrollably wild noise jams. The mastermind behind Simply Saucer was Edgard Breau. Often considered a genius and a visionary, Edgard was one of those original people that bought VU/N and started a band, whose influence shows more than notoriously throughout Saucer's duration.

The 2003 remastered edition of "Cyborgs Revisited" is, without a minimal doubt, their have-it-all. Starting with the bouncy verses of "Instant Pleasure" and the sluggish vocals of "Electro Rock" we are more than convinced that Simply Saucer isn't just another one of those late 70s underground rock band. Simply Saucer gathers influence from every corner of the last two musical decades, amassing from Can's Krautrock, Les Rallizes Dénudés' brand of psychedelic noise rock and most importantly The Velvet Underground's song structures and musical uppercuts. The latter is perfectly demonstrated in "Bullet Proof Nothing" that starts out with a catchy riff that sounds like it's from some song that didn't make it to 1970's "Loaded", to later progress into a fuzzy yet charming rock anthem.

The psychedelic factor comes out spectacularly in the two parted "Here Come the Cyborgs" and in the masterful, enterprising, and absolutely energetic "Illegal Bodies" which may just be punk music's masterwork if it were allowed to have one. It involves the listener in this original quality of musical ecstasy that is noisy, chaotic, and untameable much like Can's early 70s work. This track is later followed by an impressive roster of demo and live tracks that demystifies the old "bonus tracks are never good".

This 2003 remastered edition of "Cyborgs Revisited" is a great instalment to any rock repertoire. It single-handedly resumed the course of punk music into one ambitious gem that is unfortunately not very recognised.