EVEN IN THE QUIETEST MOMENTS ...

Despite Greater Moments

After the deceiving Crisis album, the quintet regrouped in America and recorded this album in LA and most of you know the legend of the piano artwork gracing its cover. They needed to confirm the Century success and this album would break them big time in the US and while not as successful as Crime, it sent Supertramp in the major leagues.This album is another fine moment for bassist Dougie Thompson and confirms he is one of Supertramp's strength.

Aside the mega-selling but completely unrepresentative single that opens the album, the rest of the tracks are not quite as poppish and certainly have none of those whiny wanker melodies that the otherwise outstanding songwriter Roger Hodgson gives once an album, here with Give A Little Bit. Definitely not my fave and my dislike is enhanced by the over-exposure of this track. Often overlooked by fans, but so cynically Trampish, Loverboy is an excellent Davies track, where there are few excellent sound dynamics, even if the reprise at the end is maybe overstaying its welcome. But this opening side's apex is the absolutely marvellous title track with its guitar arpeggio and clarinet leading Hodgson's plaintive vocals into a slow but inexorable crescendo midway through with Davies and Helliwell underlining Roger's slow wailings. A poignant tune. Closing up the A-side is a moving Downstream, where Davies remains on the piano and handles it solo. This where one can see where Hodgson had it easier as he could compose both on piano and guitar.

The flipside opens on the charming Babaji, a tune that seems to hint at a guru, but aside Thompson's almost hypnotizing bass riff, it is a genteel and inoffensive track that epitomizes the group's typical song. The great Davies-penned From Now On is a fine moody piece, but as with Loverboy, unnecessarily long, especially with that never-ending sing-along finale. But of course you guys are waiting for that epic Fools Overture, depicting the hard times of the UK during the WW2. An awesome spine-chilling, goose bumps-growing song, where the band paid a full symphonic orchestra in the studio, only to send them home after their warm-up; all they needed was just these few minutes of tuning, to end the track and the album in a frighteningly beautiful manner.

Definitely worth owning for the title track and the finale but there is much more than those two numbers. From the first exhilarating arpeggios of guitar of Quietest Moments until the very last symphonic orchestra musician warm up tuning in of Fool's Overture so much has happened on here and so many different moods explored that this leaves the listener speechless. Only Give A Little (with this wanker plaintive vocals) irks me as this has no place in here. But then again this is the song that broke them internationally, so who am I to say that?

The first and last tracks (yet again) are two of the strongest, but the title track is the best SUPERTRAMP song ever. "Downstream" is gorgeous and "Babaji" has a great minor-key feel to it. "Lover Boy" is fine for a while but goes on too long and "From Now On" is decent as well. But this is just a resting point before the masterpiece.

There's Winston Churchill (not dressed in drag)

Originally released in 1977, this album gains a whole new lease of life with the remastered CD released in 2002. The CD brings to life many of the passages which on the LP tended to sound rather lifeless.

The familiar Supertramp sound is very much in evidence, with Rick Davies and Roger Hodgson sharing vocal duties as usual. The first track "Give a little bit" was the hit single from the album. It is commercial right enough, but its also a highly credible work, with fine instrumentation.

The next few tracks are pretty laid back, with Davies more jazz orientated vocals to the fore on tracks such as "Downstream" and "From now on". "Babaji" is a Hodgson special, which seems to be trying hard to hold back, before finally bursting loose in a sax driven ending.

The final track, "Fool's Overture" is wonderful. At almost 11 minutes, the band have room to expand into a full blow piece of classic prog. It starts softly, sounding very similar to Barclay James Harvest's "Summer Soldier". Winston Churchill (sic) then introduces the main keyboards theme leading to Hodgson's pained piano backed vocals. As the power of the vocals increases, the main keyboards theme returns to bring the track to a triumphant close.

"Even in the quietest moments" is not quite the complete album "Crime of the Century" was, but then that would be a challenging target for any band. A great album though, which saves its best for last.

This Supertramp album is among their most progressive ones. All the tracks are excellent. They produced here very well known songs, like "Give a little bit", "Lover boy" and "From now on". There are some excellent, melodic and expressive electric guitar solos, like on "Lover boy". "Give a little bit" contains a surprisingly straightforward rhythmic acoustic guitar, delightful & expressive sax parts and catchy lead vocals. "Lover boy" is an excellent catchy track, slowly starting with inoffensive piano, then having very addictive lead & backing vocals through very pleasant moods. It seems "Even in the quietest moments" has some beautiful clarinet parts; a rather delicate acoustic guitar supports well the lead singer; some ambient organ in the background gives some colour to this melancholic track, especially in the end. "Downstream" is a good & simple track, mainly having piano and lead vocals. The rhythmic "Babaji" has an excellent sax solo, but it could be more catchy and addictive. "From now on" is maybe the best track of this record: it starts with an almost saloon-like piano; the bass is louder than usual, the lead & backing vocals are VERY catchy; some keyboards, like the organ, give a little atmosphere to the whole; a couples of nice sax solos occur around the middle of the track, followed by an accordion bit I think; the end of this track has a real Gospel ambience, as reveal the excellent backing vocals. "Fool's overture" is one of their most progressive track; it contains excellent piano, powerful rhythmic and floating keyboards, strong wind effects, angry choir-like parts and memorable melodic sax parts: the debut sounds quite like the intro of Rush's "Witch hunt"; there are many passages from powerful textures to delicate ones and vice versa; this track is very mind troubling.

Rating: 4.5 stars

My initial exposure to Supertramp was 'Breakfast in America' - an album which I thoroughly enjoyed, from start to finish. I was particularly thrilled with the brilliant songs, 'Lord Is It Mine' and 'Casual Conversations', and had you asked me then whether there would be an album, Supertramp or other, that I would enjoy to the same degree I would have been extremely doubtful. However, after playing the album 'Even in the Quietest Moments' one or two times through, I fell head over heels in love. Even the title is intriguing, as far as I am concerned. The song, "Even in the Quietest Moments" and the epic track "Fool's Overture" are unreal. 'Fool's Overture' is both lyrically and musically fantastic, and "Downstream" is in my humble opinion, easily one of the most beautiful love songs of our time.

With no disrespect intended to Supertramp's 1973 release "Crime Of The Century" or 1979's "Breakfast In America," 1977's "Even In The Quietest Moments" may well be Supertramp's best, most accomplished album. With its consistently inviting, somewhat delicate textures, it's not as rockin' a record as its more widely praised peers, but for profound substance and artistic brilliance, it is unsurpassed. All seven of its tracks are remarkable, thoughtful constructions; highlights include the mega-smash "Give A Little Bit," the beautifully plaintive title track, the pulsing rock energy of "Babaji," and the 11-minute epic masterpiece "Fool's Overture," which may be the best song in the entire repertoire of these art-pop superstars. For more introspective-leaning listeners of prog-pop or classic rock, it is a deeply memorable, addictively compelling listen. Do not overlook it.

The fine remastering on this newly released reissue makes some difference in its impact, but for most fans, it is not clear that the improved sonics merit upgrading one's original CD to this new version. There are no bonus tracks on this reissue.

I would have to say Even In the Quietest Moments is Supertramp at their most creative peak. Not their most commercial peak, you understand.There is a fine balance between the Hodgson and Davies sound. Sure they are a group but I think to understand their seperate creative energies is to understand the direction and history of the group. So this energy for me merged perfectly to create this masterpice of 1977. The title track arguably their finest song but ' Downstream' and ' Fool's Overture' are both epic in their own unique ways. ' Downstream' is a four minute beauty which encapsulates the Supertramp sound in every way.Check out also ' From Now On' and ' Loverboy'. The Hodgson lead ' Babaji' and ' Give a Little Bit' are stunners as well.

For this album, Supertramp went to live to the U.S. This album is more "commercial" than previous albums, but "commercial" with good quality. "Give a liitle bit" is another acoustic guitar song by Roger Hodgson, and it was a hit in several countries. This song also has a piano played along with the guitar chords and a very good sax solo. "Lover Boy" is sung by Rick Davies, with not very interesting lyrics but with a very good "Progressive rock" arrangement. Roger Hodgson wrote (at least) two "spiritual songs" in this album: the song "Even in the Quietest Moments" has acoustic guitars, and very good wind instruments (two clarinets?) arrangements. "Downstream" is a song played alone in the piano and sung by Rick Davies, showing his brillant skills as piano player. "Babaji" is another "spiritual" or "religious" song by Roger Hodgson. "From Now On" is a song by Rick Davies, with an arrangement which includes two instruments which sound like a "melodica" (I don`t know how this instrument is called in English, but it is a little keyboard which is played with the fingers while the player blows air with his mouth into the instrument using a short tube) or accordions, sounding very "Italian" or maybe "French" too. "Fool`s Overture" is the most Progressive song in this album, but I can`t understand the meaning of the lyrics (is it another "Religious" song? I don`t know). This is a very good album, but it started the International commercial success of this band, being more accessible than the "Crisis?What Crisis"?" album.

Very atmospheric and wonderful album and their best after "Crime of The Century". Here we are surrounded by a good selection of many different, but still extremely well fitting to the album tracks. Some incredibly beautiful sections, especially in the title track, mixed with some playfulness, like in the catchy opener "Give a Little Bit". The dramatic album closer is perhaps Supertramp's most unusual, yet one of their best tracks ever. The fine build-up and construction of the song fits very well and the melodies are heart-breakingly beautiful. Technically speaking, this album is (like any other Supertramp album) very competent and solid. No difficult time-signatures here, this album is focused on the songs. A wonderful and incredible release from Supertramp. Among my top albums! 5/5

SUPERTRAMP Reissues Part I

I have many fond memories of SUPERTRAMP and their music. I remember it like it was yesterday when I first heard "Crime Of The Century". I was visiting my brother in Boston (at the time I was around 15 years old) and the guy next door invited me in to listen to this cool new band. He proceeded to roll up a big fat one and give the record a spin. I was amazed at how different the music sounded; I had not heard anything like it before. "Bloody Well Right" really stayed with me for a while after that virgin listen. Although I can recall fondly all the great music that would come after that, I never got into the band as I did others of that time. It is now 2002 and nearly their entire catalog is available in the remastered form. I feel more like the new audience rather than the old classic rock fan after hearing these amazing recordings with the crisp and pristine sound.

The listeners that were previously gained prior to the impact of "Crime Of The Century" became disappointed with the bands more mainstream rock direction. I personally feel it made them a better band and allowed for more diversification, thereby reaching a much larger audience. "Crisis? What Crisis?" was an earful of the prog-rock-pop combination, and a very strong statement that could have easily gained some hardliner prog heads back and bring onboard some new fans as well. "Sister Moonshine" served notice that they were not about to rebuild their foundation just to make it commercially ... well, not yet. "Even In The Quietest Moments" started to hint around that they were beginning to soften up a bit and change direction with more acoustic guitar flavorings, although it was a very strong release and good follow up to the previous release. "Fools Overture" was a masterstroke of musical genius clocking in at over 10 minutes. In fact, there were so many great songs on these four albums it is hard to keep track of them all. Some tracks would be become FM radio staples (and remain so today) and others huge hits on the AM radio side of the dial. There was enough mixture of genres in their sound for them to satisfy a large mix of admirers. The usage of piano, acoustic and electric guitars, soaring vocals, and all-around outstanding musicianship is brilliant on all four of these albums. The sound has become simply phenomenal with the remastering process.

The combination of progressive rock and pop would prevail over the course of the first three releases. When the multi-platinum (by the 90s 18 million units were sold) "Breakfast In America" was released they became a full-blown rock-pop sensation, leaving all of their progressive influences behind. The featured instrument was the keyboards, when previously the guitar and keys had an equal measure of influence on all of the other releases. Roger Hodgson and Rick Davies voices played off each other beautifully, and their harmonies were so sweet and melodic. I think that they reached their peak working together on this album.

After the huge triumph of their most successful album, the aftermath would result in creative burn out. I can see how it would be difficult to match the string of successful albums that they produced over the course of a five-year period. They were a literal musical juggernaut, but all good things must eventually come to end. These four albums stand as the most prolific and significant of the group's catalog. Each album stands on its own as classic renderings of rock, progressive rock, and pop.

SUPERTRAMP - The Supertramp Remasters - "Crime Of The Century", "Crisis? What Crisis?", "Even In The Quietest Moments", "Breakfast In America"

Rating: 5/5 (all four)

What an album, I think it is the best supertramp album. Even in the quietest moments and Fools overture are the best of this album.They have a special touch to it... Give a little bit is a nice ballad type-song, its catchy. Excellent, as always we would expect from supertramp.

This is so far my Favourite Supertramp album. There are some really good tracks on this CD my favourites include "From Now On", "Give a Little Bit" which gets a lot of radio play!! and finally the best track on the album "Fools Overture". This album to me has a Poppy Prog appearance, nothing wrong with that!!. Give it a listen "Fool Overture" really stands out and is an true Opus track the best since "Rudy" on the COTS album which is another killer track.

A truly nice effort. After the excellent but very underrated Crisis ? What Crisis ?, Supertramp ran into a more late-seventies-rock-sounding approach and developed their sonority, that would reach a peak (not only in sound quality but also commercially) in the next album, the platinum Breakfast in America. Even... is a beautiful album, with lenghty and inspired tracks. There is a spiritual mood in some aspects, that differs from the seventies-rock'roll-like Crisis... Hodgson and Davies appears equally troughout the album and their compositions seems to be equal in many technical aspects (altough some Davies' lyrics look much more well structured). The pianos and the drums are sounding much more late-seventies, and it means more pop-oriented prog than in the previous albums. No problems with it. The tracks are really solid and there are lots of fun among the seven tracks of this pearl. The opening and very catchy "Give a Little Bit", a 70's classic, show us Hodgson at his best, as a singer and as a pop-rock composer. The track is a big hit to open the album and roll the carpet to the follow-up track, "Lover Boy", a typical Davies piano- driven track that is not that much but it's almost impossible to avoid the nice lyrics. The majestic "Even in the Quietest Moments" is the third track. A delightful tune, with a bucolic atmosphere (birds, water..) followed by a nice acoustic guitar and a very 70's-prog-like rhythm that allow all members to join Hodgson's acoustic-basis and build a powerful track. A masterpiece. "Downstream" is a piano-bar tune by Davies, very gentle and harmful. Babaji is simply intense in its spiritual context and Hodgson's emotive vocals fits perfectly in this mood. "From now On" is one of Davies-favorite-fan-tunes and it's really good. A hit and a Supertramp obligatory-live-act. Nice piano and winds. "Fools overture" is a lenghty track with some different sections and good moments. There is a synthesizer here and there and the vocal in the middle, leaded by Hodgson, is superb. The track is a strong effort to make a basic pure progressive tune but it seems to be a little bit repetitive, altough having two or three moments of pure virtuosism. Even... is a definitive Supertramp record and a essential step to start knowing the discography of this excellent band.

In prog terms, this is the best Supertramp album. Hodgson and Davies , despite their personal animosity (or just because of it !) brought here very fruitful, interesting material resulting in rich and mature sound, with highlights in the title track and Fool's Overture. Strongly recommended.

Even in the quietest moments is the first Supertramp album I got into. Not the first one I bought(that would be Crime of the Century), but the one I found easier to appreciate as a whole. No bad songs, even if some are not that excellent, and some great progressive moments get extremely well along the nice little poppish moments such as the album opener, ''Give a little Boy''.

This is pure Supertramp, melancholy in the piano parts, a big fat sound to the bass and a rythmic-only drum., especially on the second song on the album: ''Lover Boy''. Really if I had to describe Supertramp in one song, wich is about impossible, I would probably go for ''Loverboy''. Everything is what you would expect from the Tramps!

Following this song is the excellent title track. The acoustic guitar is absolutely beautiful, and the addition of the flute makes this moments , a really quiet one! The song is all in all great and pleasing, and at some point you will find yourself sing the first couple of lines, if not the whole song!

Downstream is absolutely a Richard Davies song, him along his piano, singing about his life. Not necessarily the strongest song on the album, especialy prog wise, but really pleasant anyways. A good way to close a side too.

And the side two starts wit hthe same instrument: the piano. Once again, pure Supertramp from start to finish! From now on is for me the weakest track on the album, as it is some weak lyrics, some weak feel to it and it can even be described as a bit on the cheesy side. But it does not prepare weel enough for the last song of the album: the great Fool's Overture.

Now, what a song it is! AIg you have listened once to a classic rock radio station, chances are you heard this song! Without a doubt the most beautiful song on the album, maybe even in Supertramp's career, this is a song with so many emotions, so much feeling. You need to listen to it, if it is not already done of course!

All in all, this is a brilliant album, maybe not as consistent as constant as Crime of Century and not as praised as Breakfast in America, but definitely a must for any fan of classic rock and art rock. 4/5

...before the storm

Supertamp has a great knack for titling their albums, and this is no exception, foreshadowing the commercial success to come with Breakfast in America.

It has all the hallmark traits of the Supertramp album:

1. ultra pop: Give a little bit 2. heartbreaking ballad: Downstream (this must rank with the Beachboy's God Only Knows as greatest rock ballads) 3. nods to progressive rock in Fool's Overture and the title Track

But the one song pointing to Breakfast In America is From Now On.....When Supertramp expressed simple emotions in their lyrical way and combined with their distinctive sound and saxophone solos, they are most effective. This could have been mistaken for a Breakfast piece: a big "orchestral" sound, and harmony that doesnt overwhelm but invite you into the piece.....and most importantly knows how to finish off rather than trail off.

As good as Fool's is, the simple quick instrumental introduction followed by the voices, and the intermingling of sax solos, is better suited to Supertramp.

Pop/rock/jazz poetry at its whymsical best....ah the little guilty pleasures.

4.5/5

I like solid albums. Not brillant - but "only" solid, like - Even in the Quietest Moments.... Ideal ballance between leaders. Supertramp without Hodgson ?. hmm. Hodgsons solo albums ? (better). There is no SUPERHITS on Even in the Quietest Moments.... But solid tracks - ALL. And some pearls. A very intelligent material.

4/5

This album doesn't captivate me the way Crime of the Century or even Breakfast in America do, but it sure comes close. It's still hard to grasp these nearly thirty years later just how good these guys were at making artistic, yet at the same time highly accessible music. Supertramp's 70s output is like a secret indulgence - sometimes dripping with sugar but always worth it.

"Give a Little Bit" was the band's second big single, but while this one reached higher in the charts, it managed to largely avoid becoming temporarily annoying like "Bloody Well Right" off Crime of the Century. The simple opening acoustic guitar riff is progressively layered through a number of iterations with drums, piano, and saxophone, all wrapped inside Roger Hodgson's John Lennon-like humanitarian lyrics like "see the man with the lonely eyes, oh take his hand - he'll be surprised". This was one of the finest feel-good songs of what was a supremely satisfying and memorable year (for me at least). A top- notch backdrop to the spring of 1977.

Rick Davies' piano and vocal lead-in to "Lover Boy", like many of his tunes, smacks heavily of a Randy Newman tune. This one perhaps more so considering the sarcastic character sketch of a rather shallow guy who is apparently looking for validation in pop culture and self-help books. The backing vocals and whistling keep the mood light and make this an engaging but somewhat inconsequential ditty. Hodgson's guitar and melodic accompanying vocals make for another pleasant, artsy pop tune that would not be out of place on a 10cc album circa around the same timeframe.

The title track is one of Supertramp's least appreciated art rock numbers in which everyone in the band gets in the act in the buildup to a signature 70s-sounding finale. Here again the acoustic guitar and piano combine for that clean, crisp, melodic sound for which the band was so well known in the latter 70s. The clarinets give an added dimension that is both idyllic and rather nostalgic at the same time. With the possible exception of "Fool's Overture" this may be the best track on the album.

By the time "Downstream" rolls around the tone of the album is pretty much set as a rather laid-back work, much less angst-ridden than their previous offering Crime of the Century. Davies' vocals are not unlike some of the contemporary works from Dan Fogelberg in the same period.

"Babaji" perhaps hints at the more jazzy direction the band would take as they rode into the 80s post Breakfast in America. The composition is highly repetitive with apparently spiritualistic lyrics that apparently pay tribute to the Himalayan yoga master of the same name. I'm not familiar with the percepts of that faith, but apparently Hodgson was. Not one of the stronger songs on the album, but an interesting diversion nonetheless.

"From Now On" is another track with Davies leading the vocals, and not unlike "Downstream" in tempo and construction, although a bit longer and with a slightly more erratic tempo. This one feels awkward at times, but once again the piano and mild guitar work make it work for the most part.

The closing "Fool's Overture" would become a concert staple for a while, with the band taking the closing lyric "let's go crazy" literally by dragging costumed characters and ancillary musicians on stage for a decadent display of gleeful madness. The quiet opening piano chords give way to a myriad of musical forays over the ten minutes or so the song runs, combining with what appear to be nonsensical lyrics and vaguely discernable sound effects. At one point guest musician Gary Mielke kicks in some goofy variety with an oberheim keyboard riff behind Hodgson and Davies' competing vocals before Hodgson heads off on an acoustic guitar and vocal rant about 'Sister Moonshine', whoever the heck that is. Kind of a strange tune, especially for the highly pop-conscious Hodgson, but again an appealing diversion and overall one of the band's more unusual works.

This is not a masterpiece on par with Breakfast in America or Crime of the Century, but it is certainly a highly accomplished bit of musical history that would be welcome in just about anyone's collection. Four stars does not seem out of line.

peace

"Even in the Quietest Moments" follows two very successful and enjoyable albums by Supertramp in "Crime of the Century" and "Crisis? What Crisis? Once again the band had managed to create something very melodic and perhaps more progressive than their previous albums. The song lengths are generally around the six minute mark so there is a lot of content to each song, as there always is with Supertramp. Indeed there are some very interesting moments contained here, as well as some very impressive instrumentalism. The album features one particularly great song in "Fool's Overture" which is most notable for the extended instrumental sections.

The album opens with the all-famous song "Give a Little Bit" which carried on the legacy of the earlier "Bloody Well Right" in the avenue of hit singles. The song is a great listen and it "flows" wells through the chord progressions. It is made even more impressive by the Saxes from John Helliwell which gives the song that little bit extra push. "Give a Little Bit" was, as mentioned earlier a hit single in the UK and to a lesser extent the US. It did well to promote the album!

"Lover Boy" is next. It begins with a piano melody before the vocals begin, at which time the whole band comes in. The song changes slightly around the second minute to be slightly reminiscent of the beginning of the song. Throughout this section there can be heard the squawking of the trumpet. The next four or so minutes is predominantly instrumental with some sax spotted here and there.

Next up is the title track "Even in the Quietest Moments" which is the most progressive song on the album save "Fool's Overture. The song starts off with birds singing quietly in the background, before an acoustic guitar and saxophone comes in. Vocals follow, with the acoustic guitar maintaining the underlying melody. I'm very fond of the lyrics, especially the line "don't you let the sun fade away." The middle section of the song is superb and it is a major highlight of the album. Great song all up, my favourite from the album.

"Downstream" is quite a mellow song and the only instrumentation is that of a piano, backing the vocalist. The song is basically just you standard boiler-plate love song I guess, nothing too intriguing or special about it. That said there's nothing wrong with the song either.

"Babagji" begins with vocals accompanied by a piano, before the main melody comes in around the 1:20 mark. It may just be me but the melody reminds me somewhat of Russian folk music. Some of the short instrumental passages are quite interesting and the saxophone and other woodwinds light up the song somewhat.

"From Now on" is next, and it begins with, yes that's right a piano! It is kind of similar to "Downstream", although it is more interesting. Again, it's quite a mellow song but there are a few interesting sections here and there.

Last of all is "Fool's Overture." The first two minutes is a piano solo backed by what seem to be a synthesizer. Around the second minute the growing sound of a crowd of people can be heard shouting with a brass band and bells in the background. Then there are spoken words from who sounds to be Winston Churchill although I may be wrong about that. These words make me believe that the song is based around World War 2. The song then moves into a very intense an interesting song featuring many progressive elements. A brilliant song!

1.Give a Little Bit (4/5) 2.Lover Boy (4/5) 3.Even in the Quietest Moments (5/5) 4.Downstream (3/5) 5.Babaji (4/5) 6.From Now On (3/5) 7.Fool's Overture (5/5) Total = 28 divided by 7 = 4 4 stars

Excellent addition to any prog music collection

All up a very worthy album and save a couple of songs the album is very progressive and should satisfy any prog fan. Seriously some of these songs are very addictive, especially "Even in the Quietest Moments" and "Give a Little Bit." I'd recommend this album to everyone looking for some hooky stuff. 4 stars from me. s

While not equalling the najesty of the "Crime" album nor bearing a similar dynamics as that of the "Crisis" album, Supertramp showed with the release of "Even in the Quietest Moments." that they were still able to create an excellent musical opus. Their signature sound is now redefined with a more obviously stylish vibe, and it is also obvious that their material tends to be more accesible regarding both writing and arrangements, but you can tell that their standards for performances and expansions of the musical ideas by Hodgson or Davies remain high and interesting for the average art rock melomaniac. The album kicks off with the easy going number 'Give a Little Bit', a simplistic yet candorosly captivating hymn to friendship and solidarity that reminds us how influential were McCartney's and Harrison's songwriting for the development of Hodgson's musical vision. One of those Hodgson-penned hits that allowed Supertramp to perpetuate their place in the business. 'Lover Boy' sounds like the continuation to 'Poor Boy' from the previous album, although with a cleaner spirit and a rockier coda. Interesting, but not as great as other legendary Davies compositions. His piano ballad 'Downstream' is more emotionally charged in comparison, but it is when we get to the amazing mini-suite 'From Now On' that we can enjoy the best of his dark vision about life and mankind in an inspired musical frame. Almost matching his top track 'Rudy' (from "Crime of the Century") in terms of existentialist obscurity, 'From Now On' depicts in a very majestic way the weird fantasies of richness and solace of an average simple- minded boureaucrat. Alternating with these pieces are some of the best Hodgson compositions ever. The namesake track is based on acoustic guitar arpeggios, augmented with exotically driven clarinet lines by an ever amazing Helliwell and complemented by subtle ornaments on synthesizer and organ. Hodgson's lead singing keeps itself very faithful to the gradual emotional climax tha tthe song intends to create: this song is a perfect example of how a simplistic composition can be efficiently enriched by a constraint use of clever complexity along the way. 'Babaji' is more decidedly symphonic, bringing powerful piano chords in a perfect marriage with the rhythm section, while the extra keyboards, the sax solo and the string arrangements effectively help Hodgson to provide his message to the divine powers that rule the Universe and our lives. But the icing of the cake is the splendid closer 'Fool's Overture', the most genuinely progressive song in the album, and a definite gem in Supertramp's career. Based on the starring role of the grand piano, this 10-plus minute suite delivers a series of varied sections fluidly coordinated all the way through until the final reprise arrives in an ultimate explosion of rocking fireworks and controlled orchestral chaos. Lirically speaking, 'Fool's Overture' is the bitter counterpart to the optimistic vibe of 'Give a Little Bit', also inspired by the pacifist subject but this time focusing on the terrors and horros of war and destruction - the sounds of politica speeches, mysterious chorales, whirlwinds, etc., are really creepy, in a very coherent way. Hodgson gets really emotional as he sings his first lines during the middle section, and no other sax solos as the ones delivered by Helliwell could match that passion so well, even enhancing the drama of the lyrics. An excellent ending for another Supertramp jewel: "Even in the Quietets mOments.", not being a genius album, contains enough musical quality as to deserve the label 'excellent'.

WE WILL NEVER SURRENDER

Supertramp continues to produce high quality albums... They needed a bit of time for this one (two years) but who can blame them since this one is another great piece of music !

The piano from the cover was hauled up a mountain side and left out over night to become covered in snow. It's not a trick shot.

In this album, Tramp will investigate more into pop directions ("Give A Little Bit"). Still, the harmonies (vocals and piano) are superb. Only one weak track here : "Downstream" which sounds as a hotel lobby song. Just average.

A few highlights like the wonderful "Lover Boy" : great melody (Jeff Lynne could have wrote it), probably too long to make a hit single, but what a great song. Emotion at its peak. The band performs really well.

I like quite a lot "Babaji" for its harmonized vocals and great background keyboards. Sax solo is also very pleasant. Hodgson is, as always, very convincing and emotional. Another poppy highlight. Babaji is an Indian "Saint" who will influence a lot of Indian philosophers throughout the ages. Maybe Rodger was under his influence while he wrote : "I can see it's not too good to me, To be afloat in the sea of glory, Babaji, Oh how you comfort me, By showing me it's a different story"

"From Now On" is a nice and mellow ballad : full of keys and sax. A great Davies song and a good way to reach the last number.

"Fool's Overture". This is a true epic (forget about "Try Again" from their first album). Long keyboard intro (raise the level of your audio system to capture all the elements) !). This is a pure British (prog) song : Big Ben and Churchill on the same track ("we will never surrender") ! The song really kicks after this three minutes quiet intro. The beat goes on you are transported into another dimension from then on : glorious bass and keys work. Vocals start after 5' minutes 20" : probably the most beautiful 'Tramp vocal session. So delicate, intimate : one has the impression Hodgson sings just for you. I was lucky to see him live (in solo) and the emotional feeling one gets in his concert is HUGE. It is perfectly rendered here in this song.

After those wonderful three minutes, the song goes quietly to its end and the only remark I would make is that the finale should have been of an extra level : more generous, more pompous, more ... ?

Four stars.

Davies and Hodgson may have shared in the song writing credits, but they each wrote their own songs seperately from each other. They also sang the songs they wrote and on this album as on "Crime Of the Century" they take turns with their songs. So on "Crime Of The Century" Hodgson sings his songs 1, 3, 5 and 7 while Davies has 2, 4, 6 and 8. And on this album Hodgson's songs are 1, 3, 5 and 7 and Davies are 2, 4 and 6. Pretty cool eh !

"Give A Lttle Bit" features strumming guitar and Hodgson's wondrous vocals.The sax as usual sounds great in this song that is like a warm, sunny, summers day.This is the song that caused me to buy this Lp back in 1977. "Lover Boy" opens with a piano melody as vocals come in. I love the sound 3 minutes in and after with the guitar that comes and goes.The song speeds up after 5 minutes with more guitar. "Even In The Quietest Moments" opens with birds singing as the acoustic guitar plays. Sax comes in, then the vocals as the drums slowly pound. Great tune !

"Downstream" is a ballad with piano and vocals. "Babaji" starts off slowly but becomes very passionate. A very catchy song. "From Now On" has some amazing piano melodies from Davies. The ending is quite uplifting as sax, piano and drums are joined by everyone on vocals. "Fool's Overture" opens with piano and samples of children playing, church bells and Sir William Churchill. The song starts to accelerate. This is what we in Canada call the W5 section, this was the theme music for this investigative news program called W5 that was on TV up here that I used to watch sometimes. I love the vocals after 5 minutes especially when Hodgson cries "I know, I know, I know" as his vocals trail off into the soundscape. Then we hear a sax solo followed by the wind blowing. Nice.

Although not as good as their masterpiece "Crime Of The Century" this one is still a very good record and well worth checking out.

It's very easy to forget just how great these guys were as an ensemble but when you really pay attention to their songs you realize how truly intricate and detail-oriented their music was. Without question they produced some of the cleanest-sounding albums of the 70s that continue to hold up incredibly well even by 21st century standards. The top-notch vocals, flawless musicianship and immaculate production all added up to concoct some of the most impressive prog rock to endure from that boundary-expanding decade.

But all of those enviable characteristics wouldn't mean much if they weren't coupled with the necessary skill for writing good tunes and this album opens with a great example of their penchant for that art. "Give A Little Bit" is an exemplary composition in every aspect. Starting with the full strumming of an acoustic 12-string guitar beneath Roger Hodgson's charismatic singing, this innocuous song hit the airwaves at the perfect time with the perfect message of hope and sent this LP soaring into the top 20. Its subtle, infectious energy and superbly-crafted structure ensures that it will still be heard regularly 50 years from now. "Lover Boy" is like many of the tracks on this album in that it begins with piano and lone vocal and builds upward from there. Here the rich orchestral score and the fat electric guitar tone make this cut stand out. It's about a cad whose sole ambition in life is to be some kind of macho chick magnet and I'm wondering if Rick Davies isn't describing the same scoundrel he was to write his memorable "Goodbye Stranger" for on their next release. After a sneaky false ending the band roars back and lays down a driving beat to the fade out.

The hypnotic "Even in the Quietest Moments" is one of the group's most mesmerizing tunes ever. It starts with birds chirping, and then a 12-string guitar plays softly over a droning note and soothing clarinet runs before Roger opens up his troubled heart with lyrics like "even though the sun is shining/well, I feel the rain/here it comes again, dear." Hodgson has a knack for expressing his perceived estrangement from God, but always in a way that the listener can relate to. He seems to be saying "Lord, if I'm so enlightened then why do I still feel empty and sad?" There's not a lot of chord changes involved here, just a steadily increasing intensity of sound that peaks with Bob Benberg's crisp drums falling into step. It's a great track. "Downstream" follows and it's a real surprise because of its sublime simplicity. Rick delivers a basic piano and vocal performance of a tender love song without enlisting any assistance from other members of the group. The shock comes when you realize that you don't miss them at all. The stripped-down production works like a charm and Davies' honest delivery is endearing.

"Babaji" features the trademark Supertramp atmosphere where the dominant bass/guitar riff boldly prowls unimpeded below the chording piano. Here Roger once again expresses his personal longing for spiritual fulfillment as he pleads "is it mine, is it mine, is it mine to know?" and voices his growing disillusionment with life as a rock star with "I can see it's not too good for me/to be afloat in the sea of glory." However well-intentioned, though, the tune never reaches its potential and I think it's mainly due to the fact that John Anthony Helliwell's admirable talents are underused. The track begs for the spark that his wind instruments consistently provide but his allotted solo is far too brief and calculated. The next song, "From Now On," remedies that situation immediately. Written about a fellow who utilizes his vivid daydreams to escape the drudgery of his uneventful life, this cut showcases Supertramp's uncanny gift for creating musical landscapes. After a scintillating sax solo from John they detour into a segment that mimics a soundtrack for some kind of stereotypical 1960's Italian secret agent movie complete with tremolo guitar and accordion. Helliwell's sax returns to dance around Davies' cool voice on the memorable chorus of "Guess I'll always have to be/living in a fantasy/that's the way it's got to be/from now on" as he is joined by a full, glorious chorale that sounds like they came to the studio straight from church service. Quirky, to be sure, but excellent fun nonetheless.

The almost 11-minute "Fool's Overture" is terrific. Once again they start with piano but this time it's accompanied by a synthesizer playing a beautiful melody. What follows is a Pink Floyd-ish collage of noises and voices before a new, bouncy theme emerges. John's saxophone then broadens the sound parameters as Hodgson's expressive voice enters, singing mysterious lines like "called the man a fool, stripped him of his pride/everyone was laughing up until the day he died/and though the wound went deep/still he's calling us out of our sleep/my friends we're not alone/he waits in silence to lead us all home." I'm not at all sure what that means but Roger's vocal range is astounding. Helliwell's sax returns with a sizeable orchestra rearing up behind him as they descend into what seems to be a distant choir singing "Jerusalem" on a windy hilltop. The bouncing melody returns with Hodgson singing in front of a strangely affected chorale before the epic dissolves into the cacophony of a symphony tuning up. It's an interesting journey, no doubt.

While I believe they were still trying to match the excitement and enthusiasm they captured on the phenomenal "Crime of the Century" album from three years earlier, this band continued to put out high quality material with regularity throughout the 70s. They were consummate musical craftsmen possessing an inquisitive sense of adventure. "Even in the Quietest Moments" isn't as consistent as their next release would be, the wildly popular "Breakfast in America," but it still entertains and delights the aural neurons and makes you wish every prog album could sound this good. A very solid 4 stars.

Even in the toughest times...when prog's movement was slowing down and many groups over their creative hump...

Supertramp comes out with one of their finest albums. This is even more piano-driven than "Crime of the Century". This is also much more brighter and delicate than the relatively powerful "Crime". It is also much like "Crime" in the sense that all the songs are for the most part equally good. The title track sticks out a little more than the rest and, of course, the (deceptively) brilliant "Fool's Overture". It is perhaps Supertramp's best song. I particularly love the last two minutes because of the vocals and the wind instruments adding arpeggios against the keyboards and bass. In closing, this is a fantastic group of material.. It is as good, if not better than "Crime of the Century".

Big disappointment

First I must explain that my review is not written from a position of experienced fan. Several years ago I was just one of those liking to hear "Logical song" or "It's raining again" on the radio, without even knowing the band's name. One day, when I at last knew the name, I quite occasionally bought "Crisis? what Crisis?" on a sale and, after first amazement, I got to really like this album. So I started to look for another, and (as I had no idea about Progarchives then) it happened to be their first one, which was, after all, quite interesting. No wonder I had a big appetite for more. This time led by Progarchives ratings I bought this one and...it occurred one big misunderstanding, and for me personally - a big disappointment! Let us be frank: this is not progressive music at all - this is a mere compilation of six straightforward, banal songs and one a bit more elaborated "suite". This album was released in 1977, right after my favourite "Crisis? What crisis?". And it sounds like a failed parody of this album, which was much more varied, complex and manifold. "Even in the Quietest Moments..." certainly lacks ideas and energy the previous album had. All songs with Rick Davies' voice are either boring (Downstream) or just...embarrassing (From now on, Lover Boy), giving the impression of some cabaret mixed with barroom (piano, sax, Rick Davies' voice) and...gospel song (choir on From now On). The rest of the songs (with R. Hodgson voice) is much better, specially the tittle one (clarinet theme, taken almost directly from the previous album) and the last one - "Fool's Overture", which could be truly good, if the crying voice of Hodgson wasn't so irritating and even false (sic!). Last but not least - the title - Overture at the end of the album - indeed a foolish idea!

So if you are a beginner with Supertramp's music my advice is stay out of this album! As to the fans, let me return to what I've pointed at the start - obviously I can not include myself to them, especially when I notice the number of fans this album has here. From this follows my rating - fans/collectors only.

Even if it won't be like this from now on.

Flaunting a varied discography that never shows one album the same from the next, it's no surprise that Supertramp's ''Even in the Quietest Moments is a unique work of art. While the album had huge commercial success it still showed a progressive side that proved that any band could still be progressive while trying to come up with hits. In that same respect this is one of the Tramp's most progressive works, it's lush melodies entrancing to any listener that thought that Crime... or Crisis... was too poppy.

Indeed, this album still has it's pop moments. The opening track GIVE A LITTLE BIT is likely one of the most profitable non-Who, non-Beatles songs on the market due to all the companies it's right have been sold to by now (recently -- cleaning detergent). However this is forgivable thanks to Hodgeson's clean delivery and the soothing acoustic guitars that are what make the song so profitable in the first place. Again, it's probable that some people think that an album with a song title like LOVER BOY on it must surely not be very progressive. However, in that classic Supertramp fashion so recognizable in songs like ''Dreamer'' and ''Take the Long Way Home'' this song's upbeat tempo and mood hide the very human lyrics behind it. For me this was a song that I wasn't about to take seriously just based on the title, but after a few listens it sunk right in. Supertramp have always been at their best with that kind of deception.

Some of the songs on this album are just so beautiful that it's beyond belief. EVEN IN THE QUIETEST MOMENTS, the title track, is one of those songs. Hodgeson's vocals come in right after some sounds of nature and wilderness before the guitars and pianos take the audience to a whole other plane. Again, a darker song than the surface leads one to believe, but (again) what would Supertramp be without those songs. DOWNSTREAM is in the same vein, if perhaps a bit weaker. Davies takes the vocals for this one, following the trend of the album (and indeed many Supertramp albums) of Hodgeson and Davies leap-frogging between lead and backing vocals between tracks.

Of course Supertramp can't do an album without having a fast song. On this record BABAJI is that song. It starts out slowly just like most of the other songs on the album, but soon explodes into motion -- okay, so it's not that fast, but driven by the bass and drums it certainly seems like it is. A great piano and sax solo near the latter third of the song make a very welcome addition. Following that, Hodgeson's vocals light up the skies and make this song one of the standouts of the the album.

FROM NOW ON is an interesting track. Nicely opened by piano and welcomely Davies voiced this is a song that has a lot of promise. The first half of the song is very well performed with some great parts and pacing and even features a very nice sax solo right near the middle of the song. The problem is that halfway through it kind of runs itself out and the repetition of ''That's the way its got to be/from now on'' starts to become tiresome and redundant. The chorus of people singing in the background also doesn't really support it's argument too much. A good song that unfortunately falls under the nitpicking of this listener.

Ups and downs aside there's no doubt that the song that steals the show here is FOOL'S OVERTURE. One of the Tramp's few long songs along with the excellent ''Brother Where You Bound'' and the experimental ''Try Again'', this is a song that's very pleasing for the prog-heads of the world. This is the song that epitomizes the album and truly captures the band at this moment in life, bringing in all the elements that make the album great and pressing them into one wonderful track. Synth driven and even opening with a segment of Churchill's speech, this is a song that immediately catches the progger's ear. It's not long until Hodgeson reaches glass breaking proportions with his voice as he delivers a chilling prophet's tale that is led out by a couple minutes of wonderful instrumentation and vocals mixed at last into a spine chilling conclusion. The album's highlight and one of the band's greatest moments, FOOL'S OVERTURE is one track that can't be missed.

While not the band's best album it definitely is one that can't be missed. They would certainly take a different road after this album and would never be the same again. A turning point for the band that is very unique and very worth listening to. Interestingly, the Hodgeson voiced songs are what dominate the album. While not too surprising, Davies usually has similar or equal output to his peer, but here he's a bit weaker. Luckily, Davies would up his vocal performances in later albums to make the best of his voice (See my review for ''Brother Where You Bound''). All in all this one's 4 stars. This abum will make an excellent addition to your prog-rock collection.

I bought this album shortly after Christmas on a whim. I really enjoyed Crime of the Century, but I figured Supertramp probably couldn't do any better and was really just curious about their sound. And at first I thought I was right. I really didn't give it the time of day on its first few plays through, focusing more on the familiar Give a littler bit more than anything else. As time has gone on however I have come to appreciate the rest of the album to the point where it has become one of my most cherished albums.

After Give a little bit comes Lover boy, which is the only track I really haven't found myself warming up to at all. It's witty, but rather dull. Down Stream is a slow but enjoyable Rick Davies crooner of a tune punctuated by Hodgson's staccato piano playing. Babaji and From Now On often get ignored when compared with the two much more powerful pieces which frame them. The first is Hodgson and the second is Davies. Both are a little bit jazzy but Babaji one has a little bit more of an urgent feel compared to the almost complacent From now on. The melancholy closing lines to From now on are excellent. The album's closer Fools Overture is Supertramp at its finest. Having not heard the entire Supertramp discography, I'd say it is an anomaly among their songs. It is as close as they get to symphonic prog in my opinion.

As I am sure most of you noticed; I left one track out: Even in the Quietest Moments. The first time I listened through the album I couldn't even remember listening to it. It was on about my third or fourth time through that I really stopped and paid attention to it. With out a doubt this song is by a very wide margin my favourite Supertramp song. The pace slowly builds over the course of the song. Beginning with the faint chirping of birds and finally coming to a low climax with Roger Hodgson's impassioned vocals before they he is overtaken by the rolling drone of the song and fading out again. I can't say how many times I have listened to it now, but I just can't seem to get enough of it.

On the whole this is Cross-Over prog master piece, on par with ELO's El Dorado.

When good Prog-Lite goes bad.

SUPERTRAMP are an interesting and occasionally brilliant blend of art-rock and pop-rock and, as they progressed through the 1970s, leaned more and more heavily on the latter. 'Give A Little Bit', this album's opener and their breakthrough single, is pure pop, which in my book is not automatically a bad thing. However, unlike 10CC, David Bowie and other prog-related purveyors of intellectual pop, this song has no redeeming features. Banal lyrics, a oh-so-repetitive hook and a structure that loses momentum halfway through the song suggest this is nothing more than a shallow number, and so it proved. 'Babaji' is a far more impressive single, though of course it did far less well as a consequence.

'Lover Boy' is equally as inconsequential as the song preceding it. The title track has more substance, and features a solid, though understated, build to a satisfying finish. 'Downstream' is filler, a piano ballad without dynamics. 'From Now On' is one of the album's better tracks, almost worthy of a place on an ELTON JOHN album (some will see this as damning by faint praise, but to my mind 70s JOHN is the standard to which piano-based art rock should be compared). All of which leaves 'Fool's Overture', a ten-minute epic - of sorts. Actually, it's far more a pastiche of material than a strong epic prog number: those looking for a standard prog epic will be disappointed by this. Yet it has charm and meaning on its own terms, as it sets out to encompass the follies and triumphs of WWII Britain. To my mind it doesn't quite work, failing to fill the canvas devoted to it by a band eager to achieve commercial success without shedding all their prog-loving supporters. Nevertheless, it's by far the best track on this album, and the sole reason to purchase a copy.

SUPERTRAMP made their fortune on the album after this one, and in my opinion the public were right on the mark. This falls between the proverbial two stools, the pop not strong enough, the art not clever enough. Well-performed as ever, but empty as a hollow drum. To my mind the nadir of 70s SUPERTRAMP.

I got really into this album upon first listen. It doesn't top Crime of the Century, but a very good album it is. The opening song, Dreamer was a big hit of theirs, a poppy song, but a good one. Lover boy is good, but like others have said it's a bit long. Every song thereafter is great. The title track is the highlight, quintessential Supertramp. I really like Babaji and From now On as well. I really dig the Saxaphone in general, but I especailly love it on this album. Fools Overture, the closing track is a great finale. This is one to have, not essential or anything, but if you like Supertramp you need to have this.

After the disappointing Crisis... they took two years to deliver a follow up, and it was well worth the time. Of course we are not talking about a new album in the same vein as a Crime Of The Century, but it is a great work anyway. It did sent them to international stardom with songs like Give A Little Bit and Babaji, but there is more to it than jist those two cuts.

In fact, contrary to the previous release, this one is full of inspiration and good ideas. And they are superbly done. Some of the stuff is very simple and effective (Downstream is a good exemple, one fo my favorites), some are quite elaborated (the title track and Fool´s Overture) and some are somewhere in between (From Now on). The overall quality of the album surprised me a lot at the time. The songs were quite accessible most of the time and some tunes are more to the funny side (Lover Boy), but there also some more progressive leanings. All leads us to the longest and best track of the whole CD, Fool´s Overture. This is their magnum opus and has a fine lyric, excellent arrangements and one of Roger Hodgson´s best vocal perfomances ever. The instrumental parts are just amazingly bold and bombastic for a band that seemed so out of ideas and inspiration just two years before. It´s a pity they never really would do something in that vein again.

Even At The Quitest Moments was the right CD in the right time. It is no masterpiece, ok, but it proved they were far from dead (as I thought) and even if they were somewhat more commercial, they were still good and interesting, in a way few classic rock bands at the time were able to be. 3,5 stars.

The similarities to magnum opus Crime of The Century are of course noteworthy on this fifth album from Supertramp, given the strong identity and characteristic sound of the band and the Hodgson-Davies duo.

But with that in mind, the '77 edition of Supertramp have taken a few sidesteps from that acclaimed effort. While I still recognise the lean, at first glance innocent and carefree panache superimposed on every song, I miss the defining edge and hunger of Crime Of The Century. All that anger and frustration resonated so well with the lighter musical themes, quirky tweaks and perfect mastery of accentuating orchestral arrangements. On most of the songs here on Even In The Quietest Moments, only the basal ingredients remain, making the experience hollow and lacking in profundity.

So it's a step back. Songs like the hit-single Give A Little bit, with lush guitars in a sweet melody and a lyrical hook that is repeated ad nauseam never really affects you as a listener, being just slightly too sugary and eager to please. Where COTC in general is a bleak cry for help, EITQM is a sunshine-story; inconsequential and flimsy. Loverboy stands a little taller, in having some instrumental muscle, but the composition and progression is once again disappointing with its linearity. Downstream and from now on is much in the same vein, benefiting from the same strengths and suffering from the same weaknesses, sax solos and nice piano aside; they are fleetingly pleasing - especially as relaxing background music - but fail to engage.

They all have two important redeeming features though - they're never done without heart, and you can feel that this is an active choice of direction towards poppier music that will 'culminate' on the popular Breakfast In America.

The three songs that are left are all what I'd call classic Supertramp, and as such highly enjoyable. Crisp and mellow guitar beauty with soaring background organ and some great bass work in a discreet but effective build-up create a rich and warm track that surprises as being so powerful in spite of what it should be.

Babaji is just extremely catchy, revolving around and about a couple of motifs that are impossible to dislike, even with the reflective nature of the song. Great group effort that gives the arrangement quite a punch, clinging to that restlessly wandering bass. First track that gives me the same feelings of restrained panic as some on COTC, even though it doesn't deal with the same sorts of lyrics.

And then we have Fool's Overture. A welcome return to the orchestral grandeur and arguably Hodgson's crowning achievement as a composer, this mini epic moves through many a notion after the great melancholic piano part that serves as its humble beginnings. Interesting blend of some sturdy electronic sounds from the synthesisers and more classically oriented sounds make for a defining song of the late part of the '70s. Traces of Rudy (oh.and Dreamer) can be found for the attentive, and Hodgson's vocals are nothing short of spectacular.

So it's a mixed album, not guaranteed to really please those who expect Crime Of The Century, but neither those who expect Breakfast In America funnily enough. But I don't expect it to truly disappoint a fan of aforementioned albums either.

3 stars.

//LinusW

This is a good representation of Supertramp's blend of proggy art rock, pop rock, and piano compositions. It is not their masterpiece (that belongs to COTC), but it is a very solid offering from the group that is well worth your money.

1. Give a Little Bit- I'm sure you've heard this one, especially as it's been covered by other artists an infinite amount of times. I much prefer this original version; it's a decent acoustic song with catchy hooks and a good structure. This is one of Supertramp's best upbeat poppier songs. 8/10

2. Lover Boy- This is a Davies jazzy piano composition which I could imagine is really fun to play. This is another classic Supertramp composition that is extremely enjoyable and always interesting, despite being centered mainly on the piano. It flows very well and it's hard to find too many faults with this. The best part is the best of the album has yet to come! 8/10

3. Even in the Quietest Moments- Starting with a serene sound of birds chirping, this song progresses with a gentle acoustic part, steadily building further and further to then unfold into being another very good song. This is definitely one of my favorites on here and it is quite proggy. 9/10

4. Downstream- A very touching piano ballad that is one of the first Supertramp songs I had ever heard as a child. I have a lot of memories tied to this song so it's difficult to be objective. This is extremely well-written and continues the chain of fabulously crafted songs that go way beyond an average rock song. 9/10

5. Babaji- This track also strikes me as being more progressive in structure like the title track. This has some jazzy influence in the piano once again and it works very well. The feel is a bit dark though, and that makes sense coupled with the lyrics. Once again, Supertramp manages to compose a very good song with unique qualities. 8/10

6. From Now On- Opening with a more upbeat piano progression, this appears to be in immediate contrast from its more reclusive predecessor. I simply love the piano work again on this one; it is genius. The ending is seemingly blissful, but the lyrics allude to something similar to Asylum off of Crime of the Century, elucidating complete irrational seclusion. The saxophone and the choir adding to the building climax of this song is SO effective. 9/10

7. Fool's Overture- This is the most perfect track on this album and shows why Supertramp was a progressive band. At one time, this was actually one of my favorite songs of all time. It is truly a progressive masterpiece, combining artistic genius structure, wonderful instrumental playing, and very intriguing themes. From the haunting intro all the way to the samples of an impowering quote from Churchill to the windy climax towards the end of the song, this is absolute magic. Flawless. 10+/10

Because of the role this album played in my developing love for music, I feel a bit odd not giving this full masterpiece status because it is so close and holds so many memories for me.

A magical album from Supertramp that showcases all of their aspects effectively and easily their second best offering. easily an excellent addition to any prog collection.

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.

01. Give A Little Bit
A treasure! The song begins with the guitar and vocal it's a pearl of Rock. Melody extremely simple but extremely captivating. Roger Hodgson have such a voice that becomes unmistakable. The intersections with the sax of John Anthony is one of the trademarks of the band. A song for you to whistling while wlak around, sensational. And the 12 string guitar is perfect.

02. Lover Boy
Man, this is a row of sensational hits. Lover Boy's a Rick Davies song and not call this one sensational is heresy for sure. After a nice beginning with piano and voice, the 'chorus' of the music is just exciting, with a strong and timeless melody this song has a mood which is hardly seen in popular groups. Excellent vocalizations of the band. Guitars throughout the second part, all without any distune. And do not fooled yourself, when you think the band is finally back with everything with a part a little more dancing but without forgetting the whole melody. Absolute highlight for the magnificent bassist Doug Thomson.

03. Even In The Quietest Moments ...
An absolute classic, with deep melodies, perfect voice and a huge climate involving the entire song. And once again pay close attention to the bassist Doug, what killer lines that this guy created. When the drums of Bob comes in this guys already win my ears. Excellent also are the parts with double vocals between Rick and Roger.

04. Downstream
Almost a solo song by Rick, a powerful ballad and without a shadow of a doubt one of the most beautiful songs already written. Very, very beautiful.

05. Babaji
Many of you must say 'this is horrible". You know what I mean? This is a great song. Since the initial split piano part with the voice of Roger and orquestrations while the weird drums of Bob makes the difference, the melody at any time let me down. The final section is a full pressure.

06. From Now On
The way which the band share the tracks between its two principal writers is excellent! IN this way is difficult to be tired of the album and the band. A ballad of brand and emotional, including a sax solo before becoming a progressive monster, full of sound. The last part is a chorus sung in exhaustion and the coral at the end is great.

07. Fool's Overture
Firstly, this name just deserves some respect. But we also have the piano and string quartet lightning the song. Then a shy synthesizer gives the guys a sublime melody. Surprise! Surprise! It is a witch hunt? I'm not sure, but the effect is devastating. The band comes back and a synthesizer is the responsable for the entire melody in this particular part full of emotion, a kind of soundtrack. What amazing track. The vocals? I need to say something? The voice of Roger Hodgson is always very beautiful and melodic, with melodic lines always so beautiful, only the voice and piano. And it is not needed much more than that. The emotion that causes at the end when all the band enter into action is a case for some study. The final orchestration reminds me a lot from Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles, which isn't bad, never (laughters).

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This album is slightly inconsistent in song quality, and it all depends on who's singing which track. All of the song Roger Hodgson sings are still of a certain good quality even if ''Give a Little Bit'' is a little too poppy for my tastes. ''Fool's Overture'' suffers from too many sound bites in the beginning, but once the synth riff gets going, the track gets going excusing Hodgson's vocal limitations. The title track is a quiet highlight here as it's dynamic changes make it well worth listening to.

Unfortunately, we're also treated to a boring piano ballad in ''Downstream'' that we never really needed to hear. The Rick Davies-sung tracks are really where the inconsistencies lie. ''From Now On'' is up to par with the rest of the album even if the chorus goes on longer than we needed, but ''Lover Boy'' sounds incredibly awkward and overdramatic, even for Supertramp. Despite its shortcomings, EVEN IN THE QUIETEST MOMENTS is one of the better albums of prog with that pop crossover.

'Even In The Quietest Moments...' - Supertramp (4/10)

'Even In The Quietest Moments' is Supertramp's most overrated album without a doubt. Don't get me wrong, I love this band, and Rodger Hodgeson is one of my favourite rock vocalists. There is no prejudice here in saying that this is a mediocre, boring album. It just feels like besides the final track (which is epic beyond belief), which stands as being (beyond the shadow of a doubt) the best Supertramp song ever done, the album is incredibly lackluster.

The best way to define 'Even In The Quietest Moments' is 'boring.' With the exception of a few parts, the album is essentially a piano album. I don't have any problem with pianos or the essence of 'being mellow' and I'd even probably like this album as a whole if Rodger Hodgeson was the only one that sung on here (instead of basically sharing the vocal input 50/50 with someone else) but 'Even The Quietest Moments' would honestly be a good contender for a 1.5 star album, if it wasn't for the epic 'Fool's Overture' which is worth a complete star on it's own. I'm sure there was effort put into it (and every pop fan under the sun seems to love 'Give A Little Bit,' which I found irritating after three listens) but the end result is something I cannot see myself ever really listening to again, besides the one good (read: mind-blowing) song.

Steering away from the reasons I really don't like this album, let's focus on the positive aspects now. The positive aspect is 'Fool's Overture.' It is a brilliantly written composition, and has the best vocal performance from Rodger he ever did, which is beyond beauty and full of sincere emotion. There's some piano/mellow parts here too, but it's done in moderation, in between a symphonic intro, and a dramatic finale, complete with it's own saxophone solo! I really, really wish 'Even In The Quietest Moments' could have had more material like this.

I am a fan of Supertramp, but it's basically just a bunch of boring lounge music songs sandwiched in between an appeal to overbearing commercialism, and something actually worth listening to. If 'Fool's Overture' wasn't on here, I wouldn't even be able to give this a 'fans only' rating. I consider myself a great fan of the work that Supertramp does, and I cannot bring myself to be interested in this album. The only saving grace is the gem in the rough. Find some other way to get the song if you can; I don't condone downloading but if it's the only idea you can think of to save yourself the money on the actual product, than go ahead.

Even one great, classic song can't make an entire album worth recommending. Two stars

Besides the Crime Of The Century, this album is second great Supertramp classic album. I took some years to accept this work for me as almost masterpiece. Usually I don't like mellow, soft ,pseudo-symphonic forms of art-rock (often it is even quite difficult to name it progressive). The reason is simple - it is very old trick how to attract sentimental people: just try to touch their sentimental soul. With tears on their eyes they will love any product you're going to sell them and never will pay too much attention to the quality of the product ( 'cos it's so pretty...).

So, still from late 70-s, time of vinyl world, I liked this album and hated it at the same time. It took years for me till I realize, that there are some exceptions in my rule. Just mellow and melancholic (or even slightly sentimental) music should be of excellent quality, than it is really great!

So - usual very melodic, melancholic sound, characteristic vocals, plenty of sax (I love it here), mid tempo very textured music. Possibly, the right name for it is European art-soft-rock, but not the labeling is important.

You will get there great soul - almost documentary of its time ( in some places). Very tasteful, elegant music. A bit sad... It's just a picture from the time, which is still not so far from you, but will never return back...

"Fool's Overture" is almost 12 minutes long excellent composition, all the album is concentrated in it. Possibly, if you missed this album in time, you can hardly catch it in full.

But for many fans, who woke up one morning in late 70-s and discovered this melancholic beauty for themselves, it will stay great album for years, may be forever. No way less than 4,5.

Supertramp seemed to reinvent themselves with each new album and Even In The Quietest Moments... was not an exception to that rule. Out of all the albums that I've heard with the band I'll mark this one as the hardest to get into. With the exception of a few tracks, these songs aren't all that memorable at first but give them time and you'll be amazed at how much they grow on you, I know that I was!

Give A Little Bit, Lover Boy and Babaji might seem like the material's initial highlights which is definitely understandable considering that these songs have those excellent Supertramp hooks that the band have been know for in the past and will continue expanding on with Breakfast In America. I just love Babaji for being such a wonderfully cheerful sound to it while Roger Hodgson's vocal brings a sense of sadness into the mix creating a highly unique music experience to say the least!

The title track, Downstream and From Now On are probably those quite moments that the record's title seems to suggest. These songs were pretty difficult for me to gasp at first due to their low key arrangements and lack of prominent hooks that would make them easy to distinguish. Even to this day I still struggle to remember Downstream and usually need to hear at least the first 10 seconds of the piece before I can recall the lead melody. Fool's Overture plays a little bit in both of the two realms that I mentioned so far. It does take long for the composition to transition itself between the two portions of the piece but this ride definitely gets better with time! In conclusion, Even In The Quietest Moments... may not be as accessible as the next release, but in the end the result is greatness all around. Give it a couple of spins and hopefully you'll know what I mean!

***** star songs: Babaji (4:51) Fool's Overture (10:54)

**** star songs: Give A Little Bit (4:11) Lover Boy (6:50) Even In The Quietest Moment (6:29) From Now On (6:22)

*** star songs: Downstream (4:01)

Great album, in the same level than Crime of the Century. Hodgson was even proggy, and Davies was inspired too. The album opens with Give a little bit, a pure pop Hodgson number, in my opinion the weak side of the album. Very catchy, but I'm just tired of this song. After that things gets better with Davies's Lover Boy, a good and long track with this particular Supertramp feel. Even in the quietest moments is one of these typical annoying ballads from Hodgson, which becomes really bored. Downstream is a little masterpiece from Davies. A soft piano based ballad but really atmospheric. Babaji is one of the best tracks composed by Hodgson. A dynamic track with great feeling. Really good. From now on is the jazzy one, of course by Davies. Just a non conventional track wich moves from a second half wich a great chorus with John Hellywell in a superb job. Fool's Overture is the best of the album and surely the best Hodgson track within Supertramp. An epic of more than 10 minutes with many changes. The melody lines are great and this keyboard pattern in the half and the end is truly epic. An excellent addition.

My mother thought these guys were women. She obviously never seen a picture of them from the 1970s. Must have been the name and Hodgson's vocals. This album was an improvement over Crisis! What Crisis. If it wasn't for the pop fluff of "Give A Little Bit" I would probably like this more. I never really cared for "Downstream" either, basically just piano and vocals. Alright but nothing special. The rest of the album is good to great.

I have to admit that before I listened to this again, I was almost going to write off the title track and "From Now On" going on memory. They are both better than I remember although both songs get played a lot on the radio, which probably influenced me to not think much of them. "Lover Boy" was a song I always liked. Hodgson has some good girly-man vocals in the chorus. I like how the tempo picks up at the end. Nice guitar in this song too. The two progiest songs here are "Babaji" and "Fool's Overture". The former was always one of my fave Supertramp songs; the latter is one of the best 'epics' in prog.

Although the band's first album from 1970 has some proggy moments, they never did anything as 'progressive' as "Fool's Overture". It starts off with piano before we hear Churchill's "We will never surrender" speech. There's some brass which always reminds me of ancient Rome for some reason. Some bells(Big Ben I guess). All this before we get any vocals. The song really starts to pick up when the bass and drums come in. Some nice saxophone. Of course, the best part of the whole thing is the main synth melody. Hard not to get this stuck in your head. I remember as a little kid there was a show on Canadian TV that used that synth melody for the show's theme song. When I first heard this album years later, when I heard the synth part I went "WTF, where have I heard this before?"

Some of Davies and Hodgson's best songs can be heard here. They would never do anything as adventurous as "Fool's Overture" again. Because of the success of "Give A Little Bit" they went in a more singles oriented sound on the next album. 3.5 but I'll round it up to 4 stars because this is actually better than I remembered it being.

My first Supertramp album and still a favorite. I loved every song on it--the least of all the big hit, "Give a Little Bit." The cinematic "Fool's Overture" and crowd-engaging "Even in the Quietest Moments" were big concert highlights for me when I finally saw them in 1979. And "Dowstream" remains one of those songs that reaches straight into my guts everytime I hear it (it's those maj7 chords--I'm a sucker for major seventh chords). "Babaji" and "From Now On" still sound good though I don't seek them out like I do the aforementioned. It's just hard to top the vocal duo of Hodgson and Davies. Rock may never know such a duo again.

A solid 4 star representative of Crossover prog. Probably my second favorite Supertramp album, next to Crime of the Century.

Second best rated Supertramp album. After a masterpiece like Crime Of The Century and a strong follow up which was Crisis ? What Crisis ? ; there could be expect something good, maybe reaching even an excellent level. But this was not what happened, to some points of view (mine included), Even In The Quietest Moment was a dude. Let´s try to see why.

Supertramp is considered to be crossover prog band due to its proximity to pop issues. Even having good compositions, excellent songs structures and well made production which made them to be so well regarded among us, their poppy side was always like a shadow threatening the taste of a progressive music appreciator. Until Crisis ? What Crisis ?, they managed to keep poppy stuff in a low level, releasing admirable works. But unfortunately the changes to the new album were for worst, because what happened was a reinforcement of their poppy side. Best example of this we see in the hit Give a Little Bit , a song that all pop listener appreciates. Even a so well composed and performed song, a favorite of mine like From Now On has too much poppy characteristics.

Ok, the work has also strong material no one could be cold to a song like Fool´s Overture. This is why I easily consider this album good, but not essencial. I would expect another COTC or something at least close to it?

The calm before the storm...

Supertramp had many albums and tours under their belt by the spring of 1977, so I doubt these were truly quiet moments in day to day life. But two years before the smash of Breakfast in America and the internal strife to follow, there was a certain calmness about this album. 'Even in the Quietest Moments' is an aptly titled release which finds Supertramp patient and introspective-adventurous in the sense that they were willing to stretch out and let things go where they would go, but often those places actually gave off a rather reserved, restrained aura. Thus not only is the title great, but the album cover could not be more fitting. Here we are on a mountaintop, all of the adventures of the world right in front of us, and there's the contrast of the grand piano's symbol of being grounded.

Aside from the typically annoying Hodgson single leading off the album, most of the album is pretty good stuff. Both 'Loverboy' and 'Downstream' are classic Davies and what I love about him, the former showcasing the playful swagger side of his personality, while the latter is mournful and just a beautiful vocal. Both feature those wonderful piano melodies and the punch of the band only when appropriate. Hodgson does especially well in the hopeful title track which could easily be one of those spiritual quest tracks from a Jon Anderson solo album, with the chirping birds, acoustic guitars, and desire to find the Lord. The lyrical theme continues into 'Babaji' but the music is not as compelling, it is interesting how much it sounds like Logical Song in certain places. Davies' 'From Now On' has some great piano and bass presence but the cheesy ending chorus gets tiring really fast. The album closes with the fan favorite 'Fool's Overture' which is also why it fails to get that 4th star from me. I'm just not convinced this is the amazing Supertramp classic that many do, to me it has a few good ideas bloated with some sound effects and stretched way too long. But I certainly recommend it for the highlights mentioned. It's another good Tramp album that for me falls short of being excellent.

This album was surprisingly bland to me, with good, varied compositions but repetitive textures and a mood that treads the line between calm and boring. This is the point where I begin to prefer Davies to Hodgson, whose inventiveness is declining into either moody pop- rock or spiritual acoustic-ing, both of which appear on this album (but nothing in the likes of 'Dreamer' or 'School'). The fun side of Supertramp has gone, but the serious music doesn't deliver what it ought to... well, Davies does.

The single 'Give a Little Bit' is perhaps a happy song on the album, but it is only interesting for a few listens until it sickens you. 'Lover Boy' has some cooler themes and dramatically re-appears after a fade out, but is possibly too long with only a couple of different sections. The title track is a winner, capturing the mood that this album probably intended to create. It builds into a thick, pounding crescendo, and is a very mature composition. The first side closes with the melancholy 'Downstream', a beatiful piano ballad and easily Davies' most emotional vocal performance. 'Babaji' sounds like it would be similar to the title track from its name, but it is a dull rocker that, on this album, suffers most of all from the unexplained lack of Wurlitzer electric piano. 'From Now on' has a continental, jazzy feel, led by piano and fairly progressive with different themes telling a sad story. This song also fits the album's style, but that only makes three of six so far.

The much talked-about (in prog circles) 'Fool's Overture' is a bit of an experiment. The introduction has a lot of emotive moments and build up tension with a sampled Churchill speech, but the song turns into a synth-rocker and juxtaposes whatever mood it was aiming for. The synthesizers (which appear a few times on this album but very little on previous ones) are a bit too disco for me; perhaps Supertramp should have stuck to their trademark electric pianos. 'Fool's Overture' has it's moments but isn't particularly cohesive as an extended work, maybe given the expectations, it is this song that has dissapointed me the most (it's still pretty good!).

So, despite an above-average length, this album feels rather short due to it's consistent lack of development in instruments and song-structures. Helliwell's sax is not as present as it used to be, replaced by poorly-programmed synths. But more importantly, 5 of the 7 songs are good compositions with nice themes, just not quite as amazing as people have told me. 'Crime of the Century' has deservedly recieved more praise, but this album is potentially the band's second best.

On this 1977 release, Supertramp recovered from the relatively average Crisis, What Crisis?, and produced an album that gave us all that very rare beast - an album dripping with classic prog yet instantly accessible. It also garnered commercial success for the band, including a hit single in the album opener, Give A Little Bit, a Hodgson track which is wonderfully catchy and relentlessly upbeat. It is, actually, a nice way to open as a comparison to the contrasting downbeat mood on the predecessor album.

As per usual, there are the entirely separate Davies & Hodgson compositions, and, equally as per usual, it is easy to dismiss the former as being the throwaway compositions. That would be unfair. Lover Boy is an amusing, and very well performed, piece of whimsy about an erstwhile playboy. Downstream is a lovely piece of music, taking the listener on a quiet barge down a lovers river trip. It is, of course, quintessentially English, somewhat ironic given the band's now permanent residence in America.

However, Davies saves his best for his last track on the album, From Now On. This is an utterly superb composition, and right up there with his best from Crime. It proves once again that Davies is at his best when writing and performing tracks rooted in real life social experiences, in this case the drab reality of working class life and worthlessness in 1970's Great Britain, but twisted with a wonderful irony of the subject dreaming of a life of luxury and riches. Davies sings his heart out, especially when stating that he will be losing everything he has. As with a lot of classics, this is a simple song brilliantly executed, and is up there with the band's best. Helliwell's solo is wonderfully mournful, and the climax builds to a huge crescendo.

So, to Hodgson. As stated before, the opening hit single is a joy. The title track is beautifully produced and performed (get the remastered CD for the full effect), with one of the best oboe performances in the history of prog. Its mood is in complete contrast to Give A Little Bit - Hodgson drips with mournful regret at his lot in life, although I really do think that Davies is more convincing in the fact that his contributions are rooted in real life, as opposed to this being a mere fantasy whinge.

Babaji is fun without coming anywhere near classic status, and is, I believe, the result of Hodgson moving onto his religious cult camp stage, where he met his wife. Hippies are us, I suppose.

However, he, too, saves his very best until last. Album closer, Fool's Overture, is a genuine prog classic, a powerhouse of a track which gives a lie to those who believe that all the band did was short nonsense. Right from the first, bluesy piano opening, to the electric finale, this track oozes class, brilliant orchestration, and symphonic joy. It is also one of those pieces of music which really allows the listener to take from it whatever meaning he/she wishes. My take on this is the folly of politicians, their wars, and general preponderance to make life miserable for the ordinary person, but, whatever it means, Churchill makes a grand entrance in the Never Surrender speech, and Hodgson proves that he, too, is at his very best when he sings with real passion and conviction. The band never sounded better backing him, especially Thomson on bass during the "rip it up, let's go crazy" sequence.

This is not an easy album to rate. It is, overall, an excellent piece of work, but, in my opinion, the throwaway nature of Babaji and the slight disappointment of the title track render it short of a masterpiece. It does, however, quite easily rate as an excellent album, and a very important one in the band's and genre's history.

If you don't have it, then this one comes very highly recommended. Four stars.

While "Crisis? What Crisis?" was a good album, it was a sharp turn away from the proggy pop that made "Crime Of The Century" such a joy. There were good songs, but not much to feed the prog fans in their audience.

Here, Hodgson and Davies brought that back into their music. The songwriting is better, and as many have mentioned, bassist Dougie Thompson shines on the album, adding punch to each track.

The poppy songs are pretty good. Give A Little Bit is not bad, From Now On is better. But the title track, Even In The Quietest Moments stands as my favorite of their hits. This track builds from a quiet pastoral beginning, into an eerie and beautiful melody, with nome nice multi-layered vocals.

Foold's Overture stands out as well, an epic piece (that Davies seems to evoke on the later Brother Where You Bound), that brings us back to the proggies moments of "Crime Of The Century".

"Even in the quietest moments" was a slight disappointment with the masterly masterpiece "Crime of Century" . Of course, Supertramp has always been known for his crossover style, but I think this album they are leaning toward the pop side. That is, this album is too pop ... even to me.

Ironically, the two songs I like best here are the more commercial appeal, "Give a Little Bit" and "Downstream". Actually I have an appreciation for the part performed by Davies - I like him more than Hodson. Regarding the last track, the epic "Fool's Overture", was somewhat frustrating - the vocals were really cool, but when I thought the music was starting to look good it ends!

3 stars

After the transitional Crisis? What Crisis?, Supertramp went back to the drawing board and came up with Even In the Quietest Moments, which is a bit closer to the worthy followup to Crime of the Century that its predecessor should have been. That isn't to say the band simply turned their backs on the commercially-leaning art rock trajectory they'd added to their music in Crisis - just that they were able to blend it with the soft prog style of Crime much more adeptly this time around, finding a balance which was missing from Crisis. From Give a Little Bit - possibly the poppiest song on the album, but also one of the most moving - to Fool's Overture, which is just as emotionally powerful but turns the prog crank up to Crime of the Century levels, the album presents slickly produced track after slickly produced track, and each one is a carefully polished pop-prog number. Not quite a full-on masterpiece, but another strong addition to the Supertramp discography nonetheless, though at the same time the often saccharine and syrupy tone tends to make me miss the extra bite that Crime of the Century offered.

"See the man with the lonely eyes, oh take his hand, you'll be surprised" ( "Give a little bit" - lyrics by Roger Hodgson )

"Even in the quietest moments" is an album hard to describe, but other than the previous ( and following ) Supertramp - releases it is clearly dominated by the compositions and lyrics of Roger Hodgson. Not only did Rick Davies seem content with only 3 ( out of 7 ) contributions being his own, for once he's been leaving most of the album's running time to Roger, who with "Fool's Overture" provided the 10'52'' epic at the end that is an absolute stand-out in the Oeuvre of this band.

Nonetheless at least two of the songs by Davies, namely "Downstream" and "From now on", rank amongst the band's all-time-classics as well, while "Loverboy" had somehow got neglected ( but as a funny story about a boy who, only by reading a book, became a "ladykiller", it's still made to wonder if there's really a pattern or recipe to make a "winner" out of a man, if only he would follow... I think that there's not a few male contenders out there still who'd curiously embrace such a sort of "secret" lol ), well, this doesn't mean that it's a lesser song... but, yep, "From now on" is absolutely outstanding, telling us the story of a man who's dreaming to escape his 9 to 5, robbing a store and start anew in Italy... but, of course, he won't do so, instead of it he's asking his lover to "live in a fantasy" with him. Great one. I remember whenever I got the "monday blues", working in that music store in the 90s, I chose to put on that song if only to hear the embarrassing lament when Rick's voice starts yowling in frustration: "Mooondaay... is comin' round again, I'm in the same old place, with the same old faces always watching me !" Thanks for the empathy. Love it to bits. And "Downstream" is a piano-ballad that, in all its romantic glory, I have dared to adopt for acoustic guitar so I can sing it for myself occasionally ( sorry, no recording of that yet, perhaps because I know I simply can't compete with or emulate Rick's Piano ).

But here we go, no matter how impressive these tunes are, as I said, this album hugely belongs to Roger. If I were to compile a "best of" Supertramp I would not leave out any of the 4 - and if, it would be a horrendous move with omitting the "Hit", something that none of the record-buyers would forgive me, cause, yes, "Give a little bit" is a signature-tune and it's been a hit to accompany us since the 70's.

"Even in the quietest moments" had one of my English-teachers bringing the album to school and making us listen to the song over and over again, analysing the lyrics together. To him, as well as to many others, it was a lovesong from man to woman. And, although there are quite some signs that tell me this was right, I still end up thinking it was a prayer to god. Perhaps it's a mixture of both. It may be a goddess then. Wonderfully woven around the 12-string guitar picking, the arrangement is a stunner as is the melody.

But there can be no doubt that "Babaji" is a prayer. And although that song clocks in at 4'51'' it leaves the impression of a well constructed epic... to me, this was a "Hit" since the first time I've heard it on the radio, one of the reasons that tuned me onto Supertramp. I simply thought: "Man ! This voice stands for songs beyond imagination, how many good ones are there ? This band must be awesome !" Of course, they were. Anytime I'm listening to this album the feelings of my childhood days ( I was a 13-year old in 1977 ) return, the memories drop in and the feelings stay the same. I'm biased, of course. I'm a fan.

But what "Fool's Overture", the one track to which it all comes down in the end, is REALLY about... I think that we can only speculate as long as Roger doesn't tell us distinctively. Some say it's about Neville Chamberlain's politics of appeasement towards Hitler in opposition to Winston Churchill. Some rely on Tarot Cards in order to find a strange description of Jhvh as the "Fool" and say it's all due to an apocalyptic plan of higher design. Well, to me it's got a slightly different, even personal meaning I don't wanna report about in public. But in general, I think, it's a story about humanity failing against ignorance and the need of mankind to get back, learning from that failure. Otherwise it's a mystical tune anyway, one for which all-bountiful interpretations must fail as long as we can't see through the eye of the writer, and every listener ought to simply feel what the song is saying to himself. It's such a dazzling piece of music, and, of course, the one on this album that prog-lovers ought to embrace as a masterpiece.

What's keeping me from giving the album a 5-star-rating is... well, the sound-production is very cold, it could have been a little warmer and more lively. This album is full of emotions but those emotions, depending on your state of mind, seem to have been sterilised a bit in favour of perfection... I can't say. But song-wise... it's surely been more cohesive and mature than its predecessor. Some say that, after "Even in the quietest moments", Supertramp lost their prog-appeal. I think that they were right to not overstretch the serious side that they had explored to the grounds with this album and come up with something more "positive" next.

But in terms of quality, this one isn't far behind "Crime of the Century". It's only lacking balance a bit, compared directly. In the end, "Give a little bit" was a very necessary inclusion to keep it from being "too depressive". But being blessed with a strong affection to Roger Hodgson's "inner world", it will always remain a personal favourite of mine.

Whenever I am so tired listening to prog music with high degree of complexities, I sometimes turn my playlist into softer one like this Supertramp 'Even in the Quietest Moments...". As the album name implies, this album is good for those of you who want relaxing as there is basically no complexity offered right here. As far as Supertramp I always enjoy the combined vocal quality of Roger Hodgson and Rick Davies. All songs contained here in this album a very good and all of them have good melody. Musically, this is something like an unplugged album with piano and acoustic guitar as main instruments. Give a little bit (4:07) is a nice opening with good piano work and sax solo. Lover Boy (6:49) flows in similar style with good insertion of electric guitar solo. Even in the Quietest moment (6:39) starts beautifully with acoustic guitar fills in an atmospheric nuance. The guitar fills remind me to the opening part of 'More Than a Feeling' by Boston even though the two songs are completely different in style. From now On (6:10) was quite popular in my country at that time.

Overall, this is a good one for a change. Keep on proggin' !

Peace on earth and mercy mild - GW

On their meticulously programmed transformation to mass popularity, SUPERTRAMP became masters of disguise. At the end of the day, we knew less about them, especially musically, than we had at the start. No conventional turn of phrase or simplistic musical idea was beneath them, and their penchant for the campy and strident nursery rhyme level melodies was exceeded only by their insistence on artificially elongating the few worthwhile ideas that surfaced on each album. This was usually achieved with the sort of aimless and dispirited vocal and musical doodling that appears to pass for progressive in a shocking number of us. "Even in the Quietest Moments" in no way buck these trends.

One need look no further than the opening cut, the flaccid "Give a Little Bit" to expose oneself to all the above elements at doses well beyond the tolerable. On the surface a charming pop ditty, it utterly lacks in ardor and potency, and the last minute and a half meander to the extent that any residual moxie can only limp backstage. The title cut is less overtly pandering and has a pleasant acoustic quality, but fails to shake its stolid demeanor. "Lover Boy" and "From Now On" trade in their signature flaky opportunism and are quite dull besides. The only (almost) enjoyable song is "Babaji", with a fascinating rhythm and creative sax, even if, once again, the fade out is horrendous, but I guess it would be too much to ask SUPERTRAMP to be concise. "Fool's Overture" is the group's approximation of a prog epic and, to be fair, at the time we weren't hearing a lot of this on the radio anymore, but it pales relative to what we weren't hearing at all back then, like the symphonic and spacey prog just hitting its stride in Europe. Still the last few minutes are quite satisfying.

Like all peak period Supertramp with the mild exception of "Crime", "Even In the Quietest Moments" is an album not worth making noise about. I expect that future generations will regard the group's sales figures with reverence, but not much else. .

Apart from infectious and honeyed melodies repeated ad nauseum in his day for many of the radios, Even in the Quietest Moments is a relevant album. Times were changing and the relationship of the members of the band, apparently too. The product, therefore, it is still a little uneven.

However, contains iconic songs as Fool's Overture (creative and innovative), Babaji and Even in the Quietest Moments. Downstream is nice too. From Now On starts from good ideas and lyrical, but the arrangements are not successful and is somewhat repetitive. Give a Little Bit is indisputable as composition, an excellent pop song with an occasional progressive ingredient.

Because Fool's Overture should be in every decent progressive collection. 3.5 stars.

This album is the 2nd of Supertramp's masterpieces. Though it is not as amazing as "Crime of the Century", it is still great, but this time, instead of Rick Davies having the best songs, it's Roger Hodgson that carries the greatness of this album. Not to say that Rick's songs are bad, they are just not as well created and composed as Roger's are this time. That is strange in and of itself because Rick is usually the better composer especially when it comes to level of progressive rock.

This album is a lot more subdued and quiet than any of their other albums, as is hinted at by the title of the album. "Downstream" is Rick's beautiful ballad and is simply an amazing dynamic song with just him and a piano. Simple, yet beautiful and emotional. "Even in the Quietest Moments" is Roger at his best, even though this is the only song on the album that is written by both Roger and Rick, it is helmed at the vocals by Roger and it is a very original song with an amazing build up, climax and cool down. The centerpiece of the album, even though it is the last song, is "Fool's Overture" which is excellent song of multiple movements all sewn together by sound effects and etc. This is a rather dramatic song which utilizes Roger's amazing range to it's utmost effectiveness. It has a long double introduction before it even gets into the vocals and when it does, you are already at the point that you know this is a masterpiece of a song.

The rhythms and meters throughout the album are pretty much straightforward, but the genius in this album lies in the use of dynamics, orchestration, emotion and originality in the songwriting, and the beauty of the songs. I've only mentioned 3 of the 7 songs, and in reality, there is only one song on here that doesn't really click with me and that is Davies' "Lover Boy", which reportedly took him a long time to get put together to the point that he was satisfied with it. In my opinion, it is out of context here and just goes on way too long. It has a false fade out and then suddenly comes back at full volume when I wish it would just stay away. It's too bad Rick couldn't add another beautiful ballad in place of that return. But the other songs on this album are so well done, that this song just becomes forgotten when the entire album is over.

Supertramp was my favorite band at one time. I still love the music and they still hold that place in my heart, but I have other favorites now, so now they are more of a sentimental favorite. But I still hear the musicianship in their music, especially in their masterpieces I have mentioned before and including "Brother Where You Bound?" which was without Roger. I still consider those 3 their best albums and also complete masterpieces of progressive rock. I love the fact that they are piano/keyboard based, which is something that is usually rare. Being a keyboardist myself, I appreciate the talent and musicianship that is present in this band. The most amazing thing is how they were able to write music that is still relevant, that it doesn't sound outdated even with the emphasis on keys. None of the sounds are outdated, even (at least for the most part) in their earliest albums "Supertramp" and "Indelibly Stamped".

The music of Supertramp is still some of the best. Even the slower, darker songs are uplifting and make me happy when I hear it. It is extremely emotional, dynamic and complex at it's best and still enjoyable when it isn't. This is an album of beauty and emotion and should not be dismissed by any means. So many bands could learn a lot by listening to their music and learn how to better incorporate originality together with dynamics and emotion.

The album is a definite masterpiece, even with the song "Lover Boy" and even if it isn't as progressive and amazing as "Crime of the Century" or "Brother Where You Bound?" The songs on here are amazing compositions with the genius being in the production, delivery and emotion rather than in the complexity of the music, though it does have more complexity than most standard music. Beautiful album deserving of 5 stars.

My first contact with Supertramp was in the summer of 1988, when I was on a holiday English course at Torquay, Devon. My host family was a lot into progressive, so I was introduced to artists like Emerson, Lake & Palmer, The Nice, Pink Floyd and Supertramp there. As I had already enjoyed listening to Saga, Queen or The Alan Parsons Project before, I liked them, so I used a significant part of my pocket money on blank 90 minute cassettes and recorded most of the family's music collection.

I'm not sure which Supertramp studio album was my favourite then, as I can remember listening to the live album Paris most often, but with the time Even In The Quietest Moments.... emerged in the pole position. There are three reasons for this. Firstly, there is no weak song on the album. Secondly, From Now On and Fool's Overture were two of my three favourite songs on Paris. And finally, the title track has grown into one of those coveted six star songs. Add the great as usual sound of the album and the even more wonderful performances of Hodgson, Davies and company plus the absolute classic of an album cover (though this is not a standalone feature of Moments..., I also never let the cover influence the rating), and you have an album which deserves at least 4.8 stars.

1. Give A Little Bit ouh yeah; acoustic guitar, here we go, a simple tune, a measured riff and a sax, important at the time, that of John; a pop song to be played on the radio, ouch the easy criticism that we gave to SUPERTRAMP; prog no but pop crossover to annoy for the finale which suits well, dididing 2. Lover Boy for this perfectly Anglican intro, simple, piano... ah the choir and Bob's symphonic drums, clear, which cleans the speakers, a good memory; this latent piano with layers of keyboards and Rick who orchestrates, a famous voice play, a beautiful composition, ah a start of a guitar solo which is amazing, yes I have often loved these solos, harder than in many metal groups; a solo that drags on, tortures itself, languidly, one of the many trademarks; 4 minutes and then it's over; almost a minute before the symphonic, stratospheric, purely supertrampist reprise; yes the prog has indeed remained here with this convoluted title as it should, allowing only the substantive progressive marrow to pass through, in short 3. Even In The Quietest Moment for the eponymous title with its marker birds, the acoustic guitar which comes from elsewhere, which swells, this warm clarinet which swells; Come on, Roger puts a little enthusiasm into it and the pad follows him; title which is worth by this latent rise with the belched voice, I who do not like voices there I am captivated; the sounds vibrating behind and off we go for a second progressive crescendo, slow but sure evolution, it swirls everywhere, the sound is clear, the horn thrums; final on the intro to settle down 4. Downstream for the love song of the album, the weak link, because the piano is too present, the voice too much I hear only you; a jazzy bar suite that can please a pianist in need of solitude; bombastic classic pop rock art.

5. Babaji reassures me, direct vocal but latent entry, suggesting an evolution in this title, to believe that I prefer Roger to Rick; that's it, it's started, I wasn't wrong, babiji I hear you, babiji the piano can be beautiful, catchy, festive and progressive when it is used well; ponponpom ah how I love this sound, this typical orchestration, simple at first glance but deliciously constructed; here John gives you a blow and the choirs of the two guests who launch into a simple verbal battle here 6. From Now On oh piano maestro and let it roll; latency, effusion and explosion or how to construct a simple but devilishly orchestrated title... go sax of course and... this fat sound which rocks you suddenly, drum roll ah well done, yes it's my weak point I love Bob; the sax will chat with Rick for a languid finale; the chorus that follows like the end of an album that went by very quickly 7. Fool's Overture ... ah there was one title left, let's see, finally let's listen, listen; yes piano in classical arpeggio, yes good; latent ah perhaps something even better, who knows, this soaring side would only be missing an orchestration with sounds of war, see a call from a minister, in short I believe in it, a trumpet to warn, a Big Well, wow, I don't really believe Churchill; oh there the synth, clear, short, the screams, the ambulance, I'm waiting for your tom... you had to dare at the time to launch into this remarkable, perfect intro; a 5 just for that I can't do otherwise; progressive dreamlike, symphonic rise, put into trance, nowadays we would say put into PLS; come on drums, the instruments pile up for the most beautiful 5 minutes of introduction to a title; solemn tone of a potential military anthem about a cruel war, Roger who enhances his voice for the most minimalist verse possible, for the most sophisticated chorus possible, I know; well-placed sax before the finale; well a little wind we get dressed and we go; the wind, the choirs in the distance no dreamer that's what I hear no it starts again? Immense I tell you; the title that I replayed so often at the beginning that my sheets still remember it; Come on, let's adjust our instruments... no, that's the real end.

Review Nº 477

"Even In The Quietest Moments?" is the fifth studio album of Supertramp and was released in 1977. The album was recorded mainly at Caribou Ranch Studios, in Colorado with vocals, overdubs and mixing completed at The Record Plant, in Los Angeles. "Even In The Quietest Moments" was the third of four consecutive great albums produced by Supertramp in the mid of the late 70's. However, this album was unique in many ways, especially in terms of music. The album includes a couple of acoustic-fueled songs by co-songwriter and vocalist Roger Hodgson, both of which would climb the pop charts. Released three years after the band's breakthrough album "Crime Of The Century", in 1974, and two years prior to their popular and commercial smash success "Breakfast In America", in 1979, "Even In The Quietest Moments", in 1977, acts as a nice and interesting bridge between the two corners of the band's evolving music sound.

The album cover shows a photograph of a real grand piano covered with real snow on the top of a mountain at Eldora Mountain Resort, a ski area near the Caribou Ranch Studios, in Colorado, U.S.A. The sheet music on the piano, thought titled "Fool's Overture", actually plays the Star-Spangled Banner, which is curiously the national anthem of U.S.A.

"Even In The Quietest Moments?" has seven tracks. All songs were written by Rick Davies and Roger Hodgson. The first track "Give A Little Bit" which has lead vocals by Roger Hodgson is a song that was released as a single in that same year. It became a great international big hit for the group and helped them to promote the album very well. This is a very simple and catchy song. Basically, it's a song commanded by acoustic guitar with a good and impressive saxophone work by John Helliwell. The second track "Lover Boy" which has lead vocals by Rick Davies is a song where the vocals and the piano lead it. It's a song with great melody, very well composed with several musical developments along it, very emotional and where also the band performs very well. This is really a great Rick Davies' composition. The third track is the title track "Even In The Quietest Moments". It has lead vocals by Roger Hodgson. This is, without any doubt, one of the highest points on the album and it's one of my favourites too. It's also one of the most progressive songs on the album and is, in my humble opinion, one of their best musical compositions. Again, the acoustic guitar and the piano combine perfectly well and were able to do this melodic, idyllic and nostalgic sound, for which the band is so well known, even in our days. The fourth track "Downstream" which has lead vocals by Rick Davies is an acoustic beautiful and melodic ballad only performed by the vocals and the piano. This is basically a song with a very simple musical structure but with a great charm. It's interesting to note that there isn't any kind of participation from the other members of the band. This is a very good and surprising song. The fifth track "Babaji" which has lead vocals by Roger Hodgson is a song also released as a single in the same year of the album. This is a song with spiritual lyrics, very melodic and powerful, and with very good musical arrangements. I think this song reflects very well the both sides of Supertramp's songs. We may say that it reflects the perfect combination of two styles, the progressive music and the pop music. The sixth track "From Now On" which has lead vocals by Rick Davies was the song chosen to be released as the second single from the album. It's a kind of a similar song to "Downstream" but more complex, and this time, with the performance of all members of the band. It's also a nice and mellow ballad full of great keyboard and saxophone works. This is another great Rick Davies' song. The seventh and last track "Fool's Overture" which has lead vocals by Roger Hodgson is, without any doubt, the great magnum opus of the album. It's my favourite song on the album and it's also, for me, one of the best musical compositions made by the band. This is a lengthy song with almost 11 minutes, a truly progressive song and it's also, probably, their most progressive song in their entire musical career. It's a song about England in the World War II with collage of sound samples like excerpts of Winston Churchill's famous speech in the House of Commons, and sounds of police cars and church bells. This is a great song with a very intense musical ambient, absolutely unforgettable and definitely a gem in Supertramp's career.

Conclusion: "Even In The Quietest Moments?" is a great album and a real landmark inside the career of Supertramp. I even can agree that isn't as good and balanced as "Crime Of The Century", but nevertheless it remains, in my humble opinion, an album with the same quality level. As I said and wrote before about Van Der Graaf Generator, "Pawn Hearts" is for me better than "Godbluff", but I always said that "Godbluff" is my favourite Van Der Graaf Generator's studio album. With Supertramp it's for me the same thing. "Crime Of The Century" is better than "Even In The Quietest Moments.?" but, this is my favourite studio album of the band. Concluding, this is an amazing album which has, for my taste, two of the best songs composed by them, "Even In The Quietest Moments" and especially "Fool's Overture".

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

This album marks the third with the band's iconic lineup. This one takes more of a laid-back approach compared to the previous two. Most of the songs still carry over that anxious quality that defined the sound of the band. But rather than having the music talk about you, it's talking to you. This gives it a freer, less self-conscience feel and the music works along with that; shaving off a lot of the heavier prog-rock build-up for a softer sound.

Give A Little Bit is the album's big single. It's a very recognizable song, featured in horrible bank adverts that ruin any nuance this track hopes to have (you know which one), to coffee shops in Red Bank where some asshole who happens to have fingers decides to pick up a guitar and bastardize all of music in four minutes. It starts with this warm welcome "here we go again", it's a good way to tell fans of the previous two albums what sort of affair they'd be getting into. All of Supertramp's albums have this sorta start, telegraphing the sound of the record. It's very poppy, and as an album opener it's meant more to give people a bright first impression of the album with the song they probably bought it for. And in that way it secedes the best way it can. The lyrics are very sweet, aside from most of it being very cheesy Roger does throw in a lot of great lines, "There's so much that we need to share so send a smile and show you care." It's a prime example of how to use kitsch in music, which may turn off a lot of other prog fans who are more concerned with deciphering Supper's Ready than finding some bitches, but who cares about those nerds anyway.

Lover Boy is the 1970s version of a red-pilled sigma alpha hyper super proto-male. Instead of having Andrew Tate or whatever other YouTube rug-puller telling him how to objectify women, the lover boy gets all the things in his head from a book he's read. It's freaky how much this song relates to people who act this sorta way today. "It's from a book he's read, it's got a funny title, it tells you how to be vital"; the book having a funny title is like modern red- pill influencers (or whatever you would call them) having engaging content, it draws stupid people into the content but doesn't mean there's much substance to it. The entire song is built on lines like this, I'm not gonna explain my interpretation of all of them here, I'm sure you can interpret them on your own, I believe in you. It's clear the lover boy takes himself very seriously and wants others to also take him seriously. And that's what this song centers around, his ego. He's imagining someone singing a song about how good he is at being awesome. The guitar riffs that go about in the background make it really exaggerated, they're really stupid and rocky, and they make this song about such a stupid dude so subtlety goofy. The backing vocals all speak against what Rick is saying, and what the lover boy is thinking about himself. It's like his inner self trying to tell himself how wrong he is. And the lover boy's trying to ignore how bull[&*!#] his plan is, and how much of an asshole he's being.

Even In The Quietest Moments is a worried love song. About hoping your love comes back/accepts you back and shelters you from whatever horrible things are going on in your life. It doesn't do much on its own, but it's carried gracefully by the backing vocals, progressing instrumentation, and the acoustic guitar which circles this track, picks it up nicely at the start, and places it down nicely at the end. Not one of their most in-depth tracks, but a great sounding and nicely constructed one regardless. It also matches the cover art very well, aside from the sheet music. It has that nature feel to it, of course helped by the birds and other nature sounds at the beginning.

Downstream features only Rick Davies on piano and vocals. A love song much in the same vein as The Beatles' Octopuses Garden. His voice alone moves a lot of weight, every word he says has so much meaning, it's so personal and so pure. Being recorded in one take it was left out of much of the tampering and perfectionism that Supertramp where prone to. It matches the cover art even more so than the previous track. Being about finding comfort with your other, the winter landscape very much matches the idea of hiding away with them.

Babaji is the odd one out on this record. You'd expect a Supertramp song about using spiritualism/religion as a coping mechanism to be overtly critical and sarcastic. But no, it's genuine. The song is a bop and a great example of Hodgson's pop composing. But it's so hard looking past the lyrics when so much of their music requires you to focus on the lyrics to wrap your head around the instrumental.

From Now On doesn't get nearly as much appreciation as it should. It's got everything a song could hope for. The different parts collide and create such a bittersweet ending. The textures the song touches on throughout its runtime build up a detailed personality for our protagonist. It bounces around, looking for someplace to land but still ends up in much the same place where it started (sound-wise). This is a lot like what the lyrics are talking about, getting bored of life, trying to find an escape, and fantasizing about a different life not remotely as mundane, like being a robber who escaped the law and now lives in Italy. That Italy part is the only part of the song reaching for a different sound, but still comes crashing down on where it came from. The protagonist settles at the end, accepting that the only way to even hope to have a less boring life is wasting your current life dreaming of living others.

Fool's Overture is a behemoth. One of the great epics, rightfully so. The build-up it manages in ten minutes is mind- boggling. Starting off like In The Flesh? Being very calm and content, but unlike In The Flesh? there is an aura of something coming. The second part features Winston Churchill's "We shall fight on the beaches" speech. This points out what we do as a species to guarantee our safety against ourselves. Then the synths come in like some sort of fanfare starting off the next part. It continues to get more grounded and shaped until the piano and vocals start. The lyrics start off talking about how delicate your life is and how we should cherish it, "take to the sky." The next verse starts with "Called the man a fool, striped him of his pride" implying that whoever said that we should take to the sky was ostracized. I think that this was because the people who ostracized him were scared of change, scared of affecting the way of life they fought and died for. They couldn't see the good the fool was destined to bring. As dramatic irony, we know the good the fool was going to bring before he was cut out. The song is a revolutionary song about fighting for this dream the fool had. Instead of the plain "oh geez wiz, everything's bad, we should like come together, right now, over me" revolutionary song, at its core is a lot more delicate. The power of the track is carried by what seems to be a crowd of people hearing what the singer has to say and following him. The end of the song is super bombastic, most of the final verse is chanted, and the crowd has taken over and started carrying the message of the fool. The last couple of seconds are chaos as the orchestra comes to a halting stop, the instruments make some last squeaks and that's where the song ends. The amount of stuff that goes on in these ten minutes is unparalleled by anything else like this. An incredible ending to close another incredible album by this band.

The band continues their hot streak with another fantastic album, with this one having a new producer (Peter Henderson) and a bit warmer and gentler sound than previous albums. Filled with great melodies and appropriately proggy instrumental flourishes, the album produces lovely soundscapes and atmosphere. Highlights include Roger's beautiful Even in the Quietest Moments followed by Rick's personal solo piano and vocal love song, Downstream, so moving and pure, and absolutely captivating. The album concludes with the sensational From Now On, with it's evocative moods and atmosphere followed by the epic production of Fool's Overture, with its multiple sections and collages of sounds and styles. Overall, a more subtle album than the previous two, but just as magnificent. The only let-down is the just OK pop opener, Give a Little Bit. Best Tracks: Downstream, From Now On, Even in the Quietest Moments, Fool's Overture, Loverboy. Weak Track: Give a Little Bit. Rating:4.5 stars