EVEN IN THE QUIETEST MOMENTS ...

Supertramp is not exactly the definiton of prog itself,but there are,indeed,many elements of the latter in their music.They managed to pull a mixture of pop and prog wich often leaded to good resulsts in the shape of consistent albums.And this is one of the best. Although is doesn't rate as high as Crime of the Century,it is still absolutely unique.Unfortunately the pop tendencies appear more stronger here than they did before.This is particulary noticeable in the opening track,Give a Little Bit.Due to this pop sounding,it managed to make it's way among the fans' favourite songs in the band's career.Is it good?You will probably like it from the first listen.Then again you will later come to think about the band's repertoire,rich in misteryous,sometimes disturbing compositions(take Crime of the Century's opener,School,for example)and this just may seem a bit dull.That of course,due to what one can expect from such a stunning group as Supertramp.From there on,the album evolves to a clearly more lighter direction than it's dense predecessors,but without loosing at any moment the band's magic arrangements wich lead to that nostalgic feeling well-known by those who listened to the band's early work(even if you never heard it at all before).Here are some of the bands most popular tunes,such as Lover Boy and From Now On.It all flows naturally throughout the album's lenght,and you can aprecciate the music while staring at it's mind-blowing cover.Unlike their previous statements,the best moment waits you in the very end.Honestly,Fool's Overture just takes you away.Throughout nearly eleven minutes,you will carefully hear this piece evolve from one stage to another,starting off from an amazing piano prelude.Possibly the most stunning song the band ever wrote,and it pleases me that it is a well-kept secret in this album.Crime of the Century is a more contemplative album,wich ultimatley leads it to the masterpiecee status.However,i would recommend,for those who never heard the band,to start over here.I also would like to state that this album acomplished something it's predecessors didn't:it was a comercially sucessfull album in a time when it's basic structures had collapsed to the ground,and punk rock was now mainstream music.That's quite amazing.Only three years separated it from Crime of the Century,still the musical scene was now completely changed,and what was once a favourable market had now turn their faces against the band.That was over 30 years,and punk is also long dead nowadays.What's left is the band's charming sound,and a very nice album to be listened over and over,as you will hardly get tired of it.