Supertramp - Live In Paris '79

Supertramp's Breakfast In America was the biggest selling album in the world in 1979. It spawned several hit singles and went on to win two Grammy Awards and sell in excess of 20 million copies. Following the album s release Supertramp embarked on a 10 month world tour which arrived in Paris at the end of November. This show from the Pavillon de Paris was both filmed and recorded. The audio went on to form the basis of the 1980 live album Paris but the film was never released. Now for the first time, transferred and restored to full HD from the original 16mm film, this footage is available to Supertramp s legion of fans worldwide. The concert features the different song-writing styles of Roger Hodgson and Rick Davies, who each composed the songs on which they sing lead vocals. The sound has been remixed by Peter Henderson and Supertramp s original sound engineer Russel Pope from the original multi-tracks and is presented in both stereo and 5.1 surround sound. This is a legendary show by a legendary band performing at their absolute peak and is a must for any Supertramp fan.

TRACKLISTING: 

1) Introduction 2) School^* 3) Bloody Well Right^ 4) The Logical Song* 5) Goodbye Stranger^ 6) Breakfast In America* 7) Hide In Your Shell* 8) Asylum^ 9) Even In The Quietest Moments* 10) Give A Little Bit* 11) Dreamer* 12) Rudy^ 13) Take The Long Way Home* 14) Another Man s Woman^ 15) Child Of Vision* 16) Fool s Overture* 17) Two Of Us* 18) Crime Of The Century^ 19) From Now On (credits)^
All Songs written by Rick Davies (^) & Roger Hodgson (*)


By Gadget Man
I've been fortunate to see a couple of preview tracks and this Blu-ray promises to deliver what all Supertramp fans have wanted to see since the 1979 World tour. As Supertramp have said Crime Of The Century marked their creative pinnacle and Breakfast In America marked their commercial pinnacle. Filmed in the months after the release of Breakfast in America this concert captures the classic line-up with Roger Hodgson and Rick Davies bringing together their rich talents to form the nucleus of what many regard as one of the best ever British rock groups. Sadly, the early 1980s marked the eventual parting of the ways between Roger and the rest of the group and things were never the same for Supertramp after Hodgson's departure. Therefore this concert represents Supertramp at their best.
Although the Paris concert was filmed and recorded on 1st December 1979, it wasn't until July 2006 that the original master tapes of the album were rediscovered in the barn of the band's drummer Bob Siebenberg, along with video footage, not seen since the time of recording. The tapes were sent to Cups 'N Strings Studios in Santa Monica, California, for digital remastering. The tapes were initially in bad technical shape, but were successfully transferred. The video was sent to Peter Clifton, the creator of Led Zeppelin's 1973 concert film The Song Remains the Same, in New Zealand, for further editing. To read more about the discovery and restoration of the original film and audio master tape check out this link from 2006 when the restoration project started on this release:[...]
It is amazing to learn that "the condition of these tapes was appalling," according to Russel Pope, who co-produced the original project with Peter Henderson, the live engineer for the Paris concerts. "And the film footage has been sitting in the vaults since the day it was shot. Everything was stashed away and now it's all being reassembled... The 2-inch analog tape masters were a bio-hazard. They were covered with cow dung. We cleaned them up as best we could before putting them in the convection oven for baking, which produced some very penetrating odors. Luckily, we were able to salvage all of the tapes and transfer them successfully to Pro Tools" according to Bruce Maddocks, chief engineer at Cups N' Strings Studios.
Given the age of the film, this disc has great picture quality (restored from the original 16mm stock film) and an amazing 5.1 surround sound mix undertaken by Supertramp's Peter Henderson and the original sound engineer, Russel Pope, from the original multi-tracks and both the DVD and Blu-ray contain the soundtrack in both stereo and 5.1 surround sound (although the Blu-ray sound is uncompressed).
To quote Supertramp's former manager, Dave Margereson: "Finally released after all this time, the only footage of Supertramp at their very best. For me, as their old manager, watching the film was like coming home, any bitter-sweet memories from the intervening years swept away as I was transported back to that special band and those special concerts of 1979...Man, they really were that good!"
Note: Since posting this review Roger Hodgson has issued the following statement:

"Dear friends and fans,
Many of you have asked me about the status of the Paris DVD, so I wanted to write to you directly with the latest news. Unfortunately many laws, both legal and moral, were broken and the Paris DVD is now about to be put out using illegal and unethical methods. It is now in the hands of attorneys to resolve the legal dispute between the publishing company and the labels. I don't know which side will win, yet what I've learned in the music business, it's usually whichever attorneys have the most funding, not necessarily the ones who are in the right.
What Eagle Rock and John, Bob and Dougie (who are calling themselves "the Supertramp Partnership") are trying to do is to take away our songwriters rights. Legally, a label needs songwriters' and publisher's approval to put this type of product out and instead they are twisting some kind of legal loophole trying to say they don't need the required licenses. Songwriters are given legal rights and yet in the industry, they are getting ripped off in all kinds of ways and if this goes through, it is going to make things even more difficult for songwriters. What they are trying to do in claiming they can take away the songwriters and publishing rights could make it possible for other labels to do this to other songwriters in the future.
An attorney friend of mine who has been in the music industry 40 years who is also a publisher and has worked a lot with the Beatles catalog said he has never heard of anyone doing this in the music business - for a label to try to put out a DVD without the publishing company and songwriter's approval. This whole issue is much bigger than this one DVD. They are not only trying to take away rights from Rick and myself as songwriters, they are affecting the rights of songwriters all over the world with what they are trying to do.
Back in the spring and summer of 2011, I was working with the band and Eagle in a spirit of cooperation to release the Paris DVD. I spent many, many hours reviewing and giving artistic feedback and edits - and this was only at the very beginning of putting together the DVD. There were many things I compromised on, yet we told them I would give my songwriters approval and other rights that I have as a founding member of Supertramp as long as they incorporated the minimal things I asked for - and that they agreed to in writing and then I heard nothing else about it.
Last summer we were told that the DVD was shelved because of whatever quality issues Rick had with it, he did not approve of the release. And we were told Eagle would not release the DVD until they got approval from the publishing company, who represent the songwriters - so I thought the project was dead. Then a few weeks ago I found out the band guys had been working on the DVD all this time secretly behind my back, completely violating the spirit of cooperation I had been in with them up until then.
The only reason I even received a copy was because a fan let me know it was coming out and I asked Eagle to send me one, which I received just a few days ago - after it has already been shipped to distributors. I was shocked receiving the DVD completely manufactured and shrink wrapped before I'd even seen it! There is a whole montage of pictures, bonus materials and liner notes which I have never seen and have never been given the opportunity to comment on. They are putting out a product that is supposed to be representing all five of us, and it's not. It is only representing the three of them.
Bob, John and Dougie are representing themselves to Eagle as the `Supertramp partnership' and the contract is just between the three of them and Eagle. Whether you are a Rick fan or a Roger fan or both, I feel all fans would agree that it's not right for the three non-songwriters to control the Supertramp catalog, claiming I have no artistic voice, no input, no say at all in the creation of any Supertramp products, and yet they want to use my performances, my image and likeness and my songs.
To have received this DVD all packaged at the very last minute feels very out of integrity. They have not kept their agreements and have not honored my artistic, creative, technical or editorial inputs at all. For example, I wanted the songs to have correct writer's credit and for it to be delineated who wrote which songs. And instead they have gone so far as to completely bury who the songwriters are from the public. There is no credit being given to the songwriters or the publishers on the packaging or the film yet credit is being given to the merchandisers, the trucking company and who dressed up in a monkey suit. They don't list the songwriters at all, giving the illusion to the public that Supertramp wrote the songs, which is not true at all. And they know how important it has been to me as a songwriter to have my songs delineated. That is the only thing that I had to help me continue on with my career beyond Supertramp.
I know the three of them are going to say they are doing it for the fans, but that is not what is really going on. If they were really thinking about the fans, they would know that fans would want me to have input on the DVD. This isn't about the fans or about the music. This DVD is about a power play, it's about money, control, envy and underhanded music business tactics and I want nothing to do with it.
For me I truly was getting involved because so many of you have said you wanted a DVD from one of the concerts when I was with the band. And I hope you can understand that while I always wanted something like this out there, I cannot approve of a product that is created with this kind of manipulation and deceit because I believe that the energy and where you come from when you create something is very important.
The other reason I wanted to work on the DVD was to ensure that all five members could share their experiences from that tour, and I wanted to make sure it would be the best quality product possible. Unfortunately, I also cannot endorse the DVD because of its technical shortcomings, editorial inaccuracies and poor quality.
So I don't want any fans out there to be fooled, and for anyone who decides to buy the DVD, I wanted you to know this DVD was created out of very questionable legal maneuvering. The band that you see playing on the DVD has not existed for 30 years. Now it's all about business and the business part of music can be ruthless and backstabbing, just as any other business can be. That is one of the reasons I left LA and wanted to get out of the music business all those years ago. It's not how I want to live my life and it's not why I do music.
This is one of the reasons that I'm happier now than I ever have been touring the way I'm touring - not caught up in the music industry and all the ugly parts of the business. No record label owns me, no publisher owns me, no managers own me, no agents own me. I can stay true to myself and tour when I want, how I want. I can play to 3000 or 85,000 or anywhere in between - I'm ok not playing huge arenas anymore, it's about playing music to help make people happy, it doesn't matter what size the audience is.
I became a musician when I was 12. It's what I love to do and it's what I'm good at. And I will continue for as long as I can travelling around the world doing concerts. For me, one of the most important things as an artist is to play music for the art, for the magic that's possible with music to help lift people's spirits, help open their hearts to receive some healing and relief from all the troubles in this world.
I want to keep this Paris DVD issue separate from what I've been striving for all these years as an artist, my reasons for touring and playing music. I know many of you wanted to know my thoughts about the Paris DVD, so that is why I'm just sending this to the fan sites and you're welcome to leave any comments there on the sites.
For something more positive and uplifting, you can visit my Facebook or website guestbook and read some really amazing and touching stories from fans around the world. I so appreciate you all and am fully aware that if it wasn't for you loving the music or my songs I wouldn't be out here performing like this. Reading your stories and experiences from the shows is my inspiration.
With love,
Roger"

Retrospectacle - The Supertramp Anthology

by Dave Thompson
Considering their career spanned close to 30 years, it's amazing how condensed most people's vision of Supertramp has become. Or maybe not. Few listeners, after all, would disagree that their prime period encompassed the mere six or so years that divided Crime of the Century (their third album) from Breakfast in America (their sixth), and that the pile of vinyl on either side of that is more or less padding. Certainly Retrospectacle has no problem with that scenario. A completist's eye for affairs does permit the first two albums to enjoy a quick look-in, with one song apiece; and similar treatment is meted out to the seven albums that took the band through the '80s and beyond. The meat of the moment, however, arrives with "Land Ho," the first vinyl manifestation of the so-called "classic" 'tramp lineup, and a lost 45 from early 1974. And, from thereon in, it's all plain sailing -- five songs from Crime of the Century, four apiece from Crisis? What Crisis and Even in the Quietest Moments. . ., and a whopping six from Breakfast in America, all selected to depict the band at the peak of its creative and musical powers -- the haunted harp that opens "School," the staccato percussion that powers "Lady," the lurid harmonies of "From Now On," and on to the sheer illogical madness of "The Logical Song" -- in fact, the only weakness here is the substitution of a live "You Started Laughing" for the vastly superior studio B-side. That aside, though, Retrospectacle tells its story with as much panache as the best of Supertramp could ever demand.

By WTDK "If at first the idea is not absurd, the...

Unlike the previous releases, "Retrospectacle" focuses on material from the band's entire career including their poor selling first two albums and the single they released prior to "Crime of the Century". The first disc takes 1 track each from the band's first two albums. We get a rare single the band released prior to "Crime of the Century". "Crime" deservedly gets five tracks while "Crisis? What Crisis?" has four from this fine album. "Even in the Quietest Moment" also features four strong tracks including the hit single "Give a Little Bit". For fans of the band the real highlight here is the release on CD of the band's virtually unheard single "Land Ho"/"Summer Romance". This was the first single recorded by the band's most successful line up and the same one that would record every album from "Crime of the Century" to "Famous Last Words". If you've leard Roger Hodgson's solo album "Hai Hai" you've heard "Land Ho" as Hodgson did a virtually identical remake of the original version but with different production touches. A note to fans who may have purchased the single--this is not the original 1973 mix of the song but, instead, a previously unreleased 1975 remix when the song was being considered for inclusion on "Crisis? What Crisis?". The flip side of the single features Rick Davies on lead vocals on the R&B inflected "Summer Romance".
The second disc opens with six tracks from "Breakfast in America" ("Another Nervous Wreck" should also have been included but that's just my personal opinion). We get "You Started Laughing" the only new song on "Paris" and then three tracks from the most popular line up's swan song "Famous Last Words". The second disc goes on to document the post-Hodgson line up including the marvelous "Cannonball", overlooked "Free as a Bird" (the best song on the weak "Free as a Bird" album even if it had too much of a techno element to it), "You Win, I Lose" (which was originally supposed to be a reunion album featuring Roger Hodgson. It didn't work out) from the band's first studio recording in a decade "Some Things Never Change" and the big bandish "Over You" from the last release by the current line up "Slow Motion". While "Over You" is a marvelous song I would have gone for the marvelous jazz inflected "Tenth Avenue Breakdown".
The booklet has comments from Davies as well as a discography for the band and which songs were culled from which albums. It's not a complete discography though as there's nothing mentioned about "Extremes" a soundtrack the band did in 1973 which I've never heard. A very nice job all around this is the anthology to get if you want all the hits and some additional pleasant stuff as well.
Davies and co-producer Bill Levenson (who has done some marvelous reissues by the way. My hat's off to Bill who has continued to be a guiding force behind a series of excellent remastered/reissued albums and new compilations/boxed sets) have picked the cream of the crop for the band's albums. Sure, you could argue about songs NOT being included but just about every song on this anthology DESERVES to be here.

Slow Motion

by Aaron Badgley
Supertramp struggled after the departure of Roger Hodgson to be seen as a viable, creative band and prove that it could exist without Hodgson. Although the albums released after Hodgson's departure were interesting, they never managed to capture the glory days of that classic lineup, nor did they reach commercial popularity. That is not to say the releases were bad -- far from it -- but they tended to lack the variety and strong song structures that Hodgson brought to the band. For this studio album, Supertramp's lineup was almost identical to that of 1997's Some Things Never Change, with the exception of the addition of Jesse Siebenberg and the departure of Tom Walsh. The change in lineup meant little, as the music was very similar to the band's last studio release (there was a double live CD released between the studio CDs). Here, Rick Davies took control of production, and it proves the album's downfall. The songs were very good, but the production was muddy and cluttered. The mix did not do justice to the music. The songs themselves had shades of classic Supertramp songs, but there were hints of world music and prog rock, which kept things interesting. The songs were basic pop/rock songs with ever-familiar alienation themes. The two longer tracks ("Tenth Avenue Breakdown" and "Dead Man's Blues") crossed over into the realm of prog rock and harked back to the Crime of the Century album, but each was about three minutes too long, and could have used some editing.

By WTDK "If at first the idea is not absurd, the... 

(Let's stop comparing Supertramp Mark 2 to Mark 3. This edition of Supertramp has recorded a fine collection of music that has a bluesy edge that was only hinted at on previous recordings. The shift to a bluesier sound actually works. Sure, there's the trademark Supertramp sound but that's missing the point. Every Supertramp album sounded a little bit different from the one before. The template that Davies (and Roger Hodgson for that matter) always used for Supertramp was the Beatles. None of The Beatles albums sounded quite the same.
Is Slow Motion a success? Partially, yes particularly on the numbers that don't look to the past. The closing track Dead Man's Blues manages to recall the extended prog rock closers by the band in both its length and the solos. Beyond that, though, this track (which is stunning and the best piece on the album)along with most of the record really doesn't have much to do with the band that recorded Breakfast in America. Slow Motion is an elaboration on the style and sound of Crime of the Century.
I have to give Rick Davies and his band mates credit for trying something daring and new. Yes, there are times it does recall previous attempts to go down the same road (Some Things Never Change, Famous Last Words or parts of Free As A Bird), but Slow Motion is at its most successful when it abandons the very things that made Supertramp successful in the past.

Some Things Neber Change

by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Rick Davies, Bob Siebenberg, Mark Hart, and John Helliwell re-formed Supertramp with a number of anonymous studio musicians in 1997 to record and release Some Things Never Change, their first album in ten years. And the title is correct -- nothing much has changed within Supertramp's world; they're simply churning out the same sophisticated jazzy, lite-funk-inflected pop as they did in the mid-'80s. The only thing that is different is that the group can no longer write ingratiatingly catchy melodies as they did when they called it quits in the '80s, but hardcore fans will still find the instrumental interplay a joy to hear.

By "progrock86" 

Unlike many people have suggested, alot has changed with Supertramp.
"It's A Hard World" opens the album, and it is anything but your typical Supertramp fare. The dark, smokey jazz track is something like Steely Dan on a cloudy day with more soul. Clocking at nearly ten minutes, the tune showcases chilled-out electric piano, atmospheric effects and plenty of little guitar and horn interjections. A much hipper, darker sound is displayed in this song that Supertramp has never touched upon before.
The next track, the light-heard "You Win, I Lose" is cute, but it wears off pretty fast, with its jumpy little guitar rolls and cheery electric piano. This track appears to be an attempt at reproducing the classic sound, but it doesn't work too well. The chorus is pretty decent, but overall, this song, instead of resurrecting the positive sound of "classic" Tramp, it only proves to be a bit embarrasing.
"Get You Act Together" has sort of a bluesy feel, but is far too clean to reallby be classified as that. The chorus, though, is pure Supertramp, which effortlessly shows us the feel that the previous track failed at. This song might be considered "easy-listening" by some people for its easy-going groove, but Davies' soulful voice knocks down all such accusations.
"Live to Love You," however, is easy-listening to the fullest, but who could help but indulge in the tuneful pleasures of Rick Davies' sincere voice? Not very good, but tolerable for a ballad.
The title track is a punchy jazz-rock number that features a mind-blowing, groove-a-licious chorus with a hip, jazz-funk feel that is one of the best things the band has ever done. Some cool but not-too-original guitar soloing is thrown in for good measure, but the real attraction is Rick's electric piano solo. The jamming is confident, sophisticated, and infectious, and the glassy timbre of the electric piano makes this nothing short of aural bliss, and the subsequent trippy sax/trumpet jamming is perhaps the Tramps spaciest moment in their history.
"Listen to Me Please" features some entertaining vocal interaction between Davies and Mark Hart, and while the vocals are a tad trite, the song has an icy, jazz-ish vibe to it that makes a real pleasure to listen to.
"Sooner of Later" has this bassline that is one of those riffs that _should_ have gone into the pantheon of greatest basslines ever, but hey, you can't win 'em all. Hart's breezy vocals carry this funky jazz groove for the first couple minutes, and then it reaches new hieghts of grooviness when the horn section embarks on a first-rate journey through jazz improvisation, not to mention the funky organ jamming, which is also quite delicious.
"Help Me Down that Road" is in the same vein as "Get Your Act Together," but scores significantly higher on the soul factor, due to its more sincere feel and spicy groove. Quite different from anything we've heard from this group before.
"And the Light" is a soft-sounding ballad, of a type which a generally shun, and yet I find myself enjoying this tune at last. I guess I am just a sucker for Davies' voice, since the composition and the lyrics are rather unoriginal and corny.
The next track is a secret track of sorts. If its on your CD, than lucky you. But otherwise, the next track should be "C'est What?" which is another jazz-rock tour-de-force, which gets quite ferociously groovy from time to time, in between mellower sections. This song is all about dynamics. Quiet, loud, quiet, loud, etc. Definetly the most rocking song on here, which borrows from jazz, rock as well as soul and classic R'n'B.
"Where There's A Will" starts of sounding lame enough, and the intentionally clicheic lyrics, but once it gets picked up, it actually has a pretty cool soulful sound, and you can tell that Davies is really playing and singing his heart on this one, despite the dumb lyrics. But dig the almost Gospel-ish sound on this track. It's pretty unlike anything that the band has ever done, like most stuff on this album.
After a close examination of this album, it appears that more has changed than the title suggests. In fact, this album is a prime example of the drastic evolution a band can undergo in a lengthy 30 year career. Sure, the style has changed quite a bit, but the unique spirit of Supertramp remains intact. It's just a matter of finding it in this interesting and unusual album.

Live '88

By PHILIP S WOLF

Back in 1989, I was a bit of a bootleg junkie and a couple of record store owners in Providence, Rhode Island kept my phone number on speed-dial and called me up whenever a new rare boot arrived at their shops. It was fun to find bootleg CD's of: The Beatles, Bruce Springsteen, The Who and Dylan tucked behind the checkout counters at these little stores waiting for my dollars. I was quick on the draw to adopt more than a few of these less than legal discs.
"Supertramp Live '88" is no bootleg but, it's so rare it might as well be called a bootleg. The story behind this disc manufactured by A & M Records in Canada, goes like this: "Live '88" is a 60 minute CD that features 13 tracks from Supertramp's early tours of winter/spring of 1988 in South America, Canada and then on to Europe. In the middle of the European dates Rick Davies had a two track cassette tape recorder plugged directly into the mix board for his own personal listening experience. Rick, was quite pleased as how good his band sounded on this low-fi cassette.
"You Started Laughing" opens the show and it flows directly into: "It's Alright." Old favorites: "Bloody Well Right" "Breakfast in America" "From Now On" "Oh Darling" "Just Another Nervous Wreck" "The Logicial Song" & "Crime of the Century" are found right here. Newer songs: "Not The Moment" & "Free As a Bird" share space in the set and sound just as great as the older material found here. The big news to report about here is that this disc features music not writen by Supertramp members as the blues numbers: "I'm Not Your Hoochie Coochie Man" & "Don't You Lie To Me" (by Willie Dixon and Hudson Whitaker) are a part of this set and as weird is this may sound they are a special highlight as they are so diferent from the normal Supertramp tunes that you would expect to hear.
So why isn't this a five-star review? It's simple...SOUND QUALITY!
This is as close to flat-recorded board tape as you are ever gonna hear. The band sounds distant and the dynamic range is not very wide. The qualities of this tape are much to Rick's liking as he compares it to a Jazz or Blues field recording from the 1940's and it's raw form appeals to him over any digital recording that Supertramp would use in a pinch to capture the might of their live shows. I transfered this CD to a casette tape back in 1989, and played in my Walkman where it sounded great. Today, on my home stereo on Bose speakers it's a much different story as it leaves a lot of sound to be desired that ain't gonna reach my ears due to the low audio of this un-doctored two track source tape.
The simple fact is that if this were recorded on 48-track mobile recording truck and the entire show has been included we would be listening to a five-star double disc set of a really tight edition of Supertramp playing at their peak live. This is a band that kept going after many line-up changes (no Roger Hodgson found here!) But, it shows that drive and spirit that took this band to the top of the pop charts in the late seventies. I still like this set but it's best played on a cheap boombox for the best audio results.
Three & 1/2 Stars!

By Pau Bielsa "music mad" 

As it seems for great Rick Davies not to have been pleased in years of this recording and have banished it from the hands of the future supertramp fans, in fact, at the first time, as it appears written on the record, he was so pleased of the true color of sound emerging in this compilation: many years have passed and I still find amazing to listen to the vinyl recording and the cassette recording: the vinyl appeared in Spain is a bit lower in speed than 33 revolutions, and the cassette includes all the songs in the cd that doesn't appear in the other (Not the moment, especially, which is one of my favorites for ever and ever): and it does a pleasing effect to the ears. In addition, hearing a Supertramp album that insinuates the music emerging from a not annoying sound of continuate screams of the people, makes, as I see it, a mysterious effect that becomes a real experience, a new one, in all the known and unknown little and big "tricks" of wisdom in this band.

Free as a Bird

by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Lacking the pop sensibilities of Breakfast in America and ...Famous Last Words..., as well as the jazzy fusions of Brother Where You Bound, Free as a Bird is a colorless and tuneless collection of prog rock meandering distinguished only by the fact that future Crowded House guitarist Mark Hart was featured on the recording.

By Just Fell In "Just Fell In"

This much maligned Supertramp realease was the follow up to 1985's BROTHER WHERE YOU BOUND. It was the late 80s and there was either electronica or hair metal to choose from in the top 40. Supertramp is a progressive rock group from the 70s, and that kind of music was definitely not in vogue. This album is like nothing they put out before, and therefore fans hate it. On BROTHER they had a hit with Cannonball, which also enjoyed some success on the dance circuit. On this album it seems like they decided to incorporate some dance and electronica into their style. BROTHER's subject matter was dark and heavy. On FREE AS A BIRD we hear a much lighter sound and there is a return to lighter material in the lyrics. It seems like they were trying to reinvent themselves to keep up with the times and/or to go in a direction that may have been suggested by their record company after the success of BROTHER. In any case, this is an enjoyable album that grows on you with time. They revisit the sound of their seminal album BREAKFAST IN AMERICA on track 3 It Doesn't Matter, but it is not as immediate as anything on that album. There are several tracks that incorporate danceable rhythms and latin percussion, but it only works as a novelty variation of the Supertramp sound rather than a reinvention that could be marketed to the dance circuit that Cannonball enjoyed success on. Regardless or what the motivation was for their radical change in direction for this album, it is a good listen; albeit after a few listens more than their older albums took to take hold. This is more of a transition album for them. It sounds more like adult contemporary than pop/rock, a sure way to alienate a fan base. The later sound that they adopted for SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE and SLOW MOTION is audible here. Mark Hart from Crowded House replaced Roger Hodgson, but Rick Davies doesn't let him in on the fun. His presence is barely distinguishable and instead he becomes a bit player. The rest of the band is stellar as usual, but Hodgson is missed on the songwriting. If you are new to Supertramp, I recommend in order from best to least:

BREAKFAST IN AMERICA
CRIME OF THE CENTURY
CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?
BROTHER WHERE YOU BOUND
EVEN IN THE QUIETEST MOMENTS
FAMOUS LAST WORDS

FREE AS A BIRD is not Supertramp in their most famous and effective incarnation but it is worth buying as a blend of adult contemporary, jazz and world music. Rick Davies is a master of the blues and of blending the mentioned styles. I did not expect to like this album as much as I did, but it made me wish (as with all Supertramp fans) that Roger Hodgson had never left.

Brother Where You Bound

by Bret Adams
When vocalist-guitarist Roger Hodgson left Supertramp after 1982's ...famous last words..., few could have guessed that the band would continue and solidify its pop-oriented songcraft, let alone re-embrace its progressive-rock roots on 1985's underrated Brother Where You Bound. With vocalist-keyboardist Rick Davies firmly in control -- he wrote all the music and lyrics -- the album examined tensions at the tail end of the Cold War. In a thematic sense, Brother Where You Bound is dated and hasn't aged very well -- Davies' politically oriented lyrics are heavy-handed -- but the music is a pleasure. The crystalline sound of the album, particularly Davies' piano, is breathtaking; kudos to co-producers David Kershenbaum and Supertramp and engineer Norman Hall. The hit single "Cannonball" is a jazz-rock delight, especially in full-length album form. Lyrically, it can be interpreted as Davies' feelings of betrayal at Hodgson's departure, but the piano, percussion and horns are superb. Saxophonist John A. Helliwell, bass guitarist Dougie Thomson, and drummer Bob Siebenberg all contribute vital parts, as does guest trombonist Doug Wintz. "No Inbetween" begins with a lovely, bittersweet percussion (or synthesizer?) and piano melody. "Better Days" is a rather bleak look at the unfulfilled promises of the "good life" in Western society; the dramatic music is highlighted by guest Scott Page's flute solos. The fantastic title track examines Cold War paranoia and clocks in at more than 16 minutes; after the creepy opening narration taken from George Orwell's 1984, the song becomes a composite of several complex prog-rock "movements." Pink Floyd's David Gilmour contributes the searing, distorted guitar solos. Unfortunately, Brother Where You Bound never received the attention it deserved; it isn't a perfect album, but it was a gutsy project for Supertramp to take on.

By Alan Caylow

Supertramp's 1985 album, "Brother Where You Bound," drove a big wedge deep into the group's fanbase, which was not too surprising, as this was the band's first album without singer/songwriter Roger Hodgson, leaving co-singer/songwriter Rick Davies solely at the helm. Some fans balked at the mere *idea* of Supertramp carrying on without Hodgson, while the more open-minded Tramp fans (like me) decided to give Davies & the rest of the group a chance. Let me put it to you this way: if you truly believe that Supertramp are nothing without Roger Hodgson---even though Davies DID write 50% of the band's Hodgson-era material---then there's no point in me recommending to you "Brother Where You Bound." But if you happen to know better, and you know that Rick Davies is just as great a musical genius as his former partner, then you're in for a real treat. Just six tracks long, "Brother Where You Bound" is a stunning album, one of Supertramp's very best. Davies, sax man John Halliwell, bassist Dougie Thomson, and drummer Bob Siebenberg take a bold, daring turn into full-on progressive jazz/rock (with Pink Floyd-like voices & sound effects thrown in for extra measure). The album contains longer songs and thrilling extended jams, allowing the group to really stretch out. Although Roger Hodgson is missed, what could have been a major problem for Davies & company was turned into a great musical opportunity. There's no need to worry: "Brother Where You Bound" is pure, powerful Supertramp from start to finish. The album speaks for itself.Obviously, with Hodgson's departure being a big hurdle for the band to jump over, Rick & the boys had something to prove, and they had to throw down the gauntlet right at the start of the album. What better song for Supertramp to kick off "Brother" with then the slammin', take-no-prisoners track, "Cannonball" (edited down to single length, it was the group's final Top 40 hit). A rough & tough 7 1/2 minute jazz-rocker about betrayal, Rick Davies & the band tear up the place with great relish. It's an instant Supertramp classic (and a great crowd-pleaser live in concert). After the dust settles, Davies reminds us of his affection for 50's flavored pop with the fun tune, "Still In Love." Then it's back into prog-jazz territory once more, with the atmospheric "No Inbetween" & "Better Days," both excellent songs. But without question, the album's centerpiece is the sprawling, 16 1/2 minute title suite, guest-starring none other than Pink Floyd's David Gilmour on lead guitar. This piece is simply a mindblower, THE most epic work in the band's catalog. Davies & company really take the listener on a great adventure with this one, and they play it to pure perfection, with guest-guitarist Gilmour serving up some very classy lead guitar licks along the way as only Gilmour can. Finally, there's the brief-but-beautiful coda, "Ever Open Door," featuring just Rick Davies, his piano & synths, ending the album on a very poignant note.The group's album sales may have gone down another notch with Hodgson's defection, but not the quality of their music. Supertramp is completely safe in the capable hands of Rick Davies & company, and "Brother Where You Bound" is the testament to that. Supertramp rides again! :-)