BROTHER WHERE YOU BOUND

I don't know what was going through Davies' mind after Hodgson parted ways with the rest of the Supertramp guys, but one thing is for certain, his state of mind and determination led him to write some of his finest songs ever, and in fact, Brother Where You Bound is arguably the best Supertramp album in the 80s (this despite the fact that Hodgson's melodic genius was still present in some of Famous Last Words best moments, overall an uneven album). In fact, if earlier davis songs such as 'From Now On', 'Asylum' or 'Rudy' had not been enough proof that Hodgson's portrait of Davies as mainly a love song writer was inaccurate, this album will provide the ultimate argument against this portarit. The band's sound is now exclusively focused on davies' leanings toward R'n'B and jazz with added touches of art-rock. And yes, this time his emphasis on the art-rock element was explored thoroughly. And that's not the only positive item for this album: the musicianship is as tight as ever, not revealing any hints of exhaustion or post-Hodgson crisis. The addition of guest musicians helps to fill the hole, but you can tell that the guests are here not to copy Hodgson's approach but to offer a tighter factor in harmonies, riffs and solos. While Helliwell is still the most featured soloist, as refined and dynamic as he has ever been, the augmentation of flute and reeds brought in by other guests helps Supertramp to enhance their sonic possibilities. And let's not skip the fact tha Davies applies his enthusiastic discovery of digital keyboards (Kurzweil, PPG, Fairlight) very wisely, mostly as background orchestrations, complementations to the piano phrases, or stylish atmospheres (mostly on the namesake epic). The album kicks off in a very catchy fashion: 'Cannonball', the first song, was also the first single. It is an appealing R'n'B song set on a funky- rock groove, incorporating vigorous variations in the instrumentla bridges: the band didn't rely on the main motif's easy catchiness, but enriched it with cleverly crafted interludes that never get to break the groove. Track 2 was the third single, and we find yet another obviously catchy tune, this time, a heir of 'My Kind of Lady' but less corny and with a more muscular vibe. 'No inbetween' is a delicious ballad, better than any of those Davies-penned in the Breakfast and Famoues albums, arguably as majestic as the ones included in the Moments album and backwards. The sad atmosphere provided by the lyrics is provided by Davies in his reflective-yet-distant singing style, and Helliwell's solo is the perfect companion to that. The only way to conclude a vinyl album's A-side after such a moving song is with an amazing rock piece, and that's exactly what we get - 'Better Days' is an uptempo sarcastic criticism of presidential campaigns. You may suspect that this song bears progressive similarities to late-70s Kansas and Genesis, but all in all, the fact is that this song comprises inspired motifs and clever arrangements. The jamming closure is really great, with those gradually augmented keyboard textures and jazz-rock dynamics building the perfect shelter for the sax solo. The 16+ minute namesake epic is a progressive zenith in Supertramps 'history. Comprising distinct sections which alternate rocking, orchestrated and cinematographic atmospheres, plus weird ideas (read portions of Orwell's 1984, a quote from l'Internacionale, a free-jazz jam and a referee's whistle, etc.), this one will bring comfort to those Supertramp admirers who thought that the spirit of 'Fool's Overture' was like a lost harvest on a barren land. No, it wasn't. The lyrics reflect Davies' skeptical glance at the usual Cold War topics as adressed by the powers-that-be, and you can feel some of his anger at his sung parts, but the best reflection is provided instrumentally by Gilmour's solos. For this guest appearance, you can tell that Dave Gilmour found a wider room to express himself than he had found in the Final Cut album a few years earlier. After this epic fades out, the sund of footsteps entering a room serve as a prelude to the closing ballad 'Ever Open Door' - being as emotional as 'No Inbetween', this is more candid at portraying the writer's vulnerability, a poignant climax in itself and for the album as a whole. This is an appropriate, compelling closure for an album that took most Supertramp skeptics by surprise (me included - I think I will listen to this record at lunch, 1 hour after I post this review).