INDELIBLY STAMPED

This is Supertramp´s guys second effort. Surprise is over, they are not beginners anymore. For the better, they are more mature (at least a little bit), but for the worse creativity accumulated through many years cannot be surpassed by the pressure of composing in a fast way. But, ok, it happens to all bands ! Results for some of them are positive (Genesis, Jethro Tull); but it was not for Supertramp.

This new album brought a new line of musicians; only the core composed of Rick Davies and Roger Hodson lasted. The best of the changes was the appearance of David Winthrop, a wind instrument player. Nevermore the group would be without this kind of musician and their sound would be always dependent of this kind of instrument. Even if the songs doesn´t have the brilliance of later album, David Winthrop was responsible for a taste and a colour that was absent prior to his presence.

The songs presented here are not so well composed and brilliant as before (and would be many times in other albums), but on the other hand they are not weak and are also helped by a better production. But the two main qualities of Indelibly Stamped, that made me give it four stars, are the facts that even after thirty years listening to it, it still grows on me; and this is not a common quality for a musical work. The other characteristic I do appreciate here is the variation between the songs, we can see the band explored to many musical directions here ! This is the complete opposite of Van Morrison´s Astral Weeks, an acclaimed album which has bunch of songs in a same way until getting listener bored about it due to its lack of variation. We have some songs that must be commented. Melancholic moods in ballads like Rosie Had Everything Planned and Forever make us think about last album. A song like Remember rocks very well, and is very interesting to see how its heaviness is provided by Winthrop´s wind metal instruments. This is one of highlights here. We cannot forget a country taste in Coming Home To See You and the unexpected way a song like Aries takes.

For conclusion, consider this and underrated album and give it a try in order to discover all those little secrets and nice surprises masters Davies&Hodson hided here?