50 years ago: Crime of the Century

yesss, it's mind-blowing and I take it around with DSOTM (along with a couple other jazz albums) to check new audiophile material

Crime of the Century has some Progressive elements, but to me it's also definitely mostly an Art Rock album. So indicates the coverart too, and so has it mostly been considered over the years.

I don't get that hung up on labels, good music is good music whatever but I still hear a clear distinction between the rock scene in general and a more art school approach that was not about turning the volume up and occasionally (at least) rocking out. 10cc, Roxy Music, Steely Dan (although early days they were 'classic rock' before becoming something else) and Supertramp were a different breed. For starters they were often predicated on writing music and not so much about the personalities involved. There were loads of crossover, as musicians (in those days at least) were interested what the other guys were doing and learnt from it. Genesis were perhaps almost halfway between an 'art rock' band and a 'progressive rock band' when Gabriel was in the line up. He had that art school mentality but after he went on to his solo career, Genesis were much more a traditional 'progressive rock' band as I see it.

BTW back in 1974-5 the phrase 'progressive rock' was in usage and the punks of 76-77 coined the phrase 'prog rock' as a put down , but it stuck!

The first Supertramp song I ever heard was "Give a Little Bit", which was a huge hit in 1977. Two years later, Breakfast in America became one of those defining albums that was "everywhere", and I became a fan. After buying the most recent albums, I slowly worked my way back through the older albums before finally encountering Crime of the Century in its entirety. I had already heard "Bloody Well Right" and "Dreamer" many times, and songs like "School", "Rudy", and the title track received occasional late-night FM radio play. But to hear the entire album all at once elicited emotions that were almost spooky. While the band has denied it, I'm mostly convinced there is a veiled concept (thematic if not literal) that links the entire program together. Musically, the Beatles/Pink Floyd/Beach Boys/jazz/gospel influences gave them a sound unlike any other band I've ever heard. Most of Supertramp's albums receive regular playing time with me, but Crime of the Century remains "unique" among the band's oeuvre.