PARIS

The unexpected success of Breakfast In America made Supertramp a hot item for over the next few years and the band's label A&M made sure to make the best out of the situation by suggesting a live album release. This idea did make sense considering that Supertramp had so far not released a single live album. The live concert was recorded during the Breakfast In America tour in November 1979 Paris, France and depicted the band performing a show consisting of mixed material from their past few albums.

The final product is quite decent even though I can't help but wonder how the record would have turned out if it was released following Even In The Quietest Moments.... I know that it would mean that tracks from Breakfast In America wouldn't be included, but the possibility of including a few tracks from the debut album does appeal to me more than just performing an uninspired rehash of the studio takes from a success record just to please the mainstream audience. In fact, the only moments where I truly feel a sense of inspiration on the part of the band is where they perform compositions from Crime Of A Century and they perform seven out of the total of eight compositions featured on that release. If that isn't considered a tribute to that album then I really don't know what is!

Paris is a sad album for me since it marks a conclusion to the magnificent chapter in Supertramp's history, a fare well to the '70s sound if you will. With the departure of Roger Hodgson meant that the band would also lose at least 50% of their writing talent and the great soprano voice. All this makes this album all the more noteworthy even if we take into account the promotional aspects of this release and the fact that Supertramp aren't really known for their spectacular live act.

***** star songs: The Logical Song (3:57) Hide In Your Shell (6:55) Take The Long Way Home (4:57) Two Of Us (1:25)

**** star songs: School (5:42) Bloody Well Right (7:23) Breakfeast In America (2:57) Dreamer (3:44) Rudy (7:09) Asylum (6:51) Fools Overture (10:58) Crime Of The Century (6:31)

*** star songs: Ain't Nobody But Me (5:24) You Started Laughing (4:02) From Now On (7:05) A Soapbox Opera (4:51)