Supertramp - The Very Best Of Supertramp
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Free Music Notes for The Very Best Of Supertramp
Free Music Review: Bloody Well Right You Should Own This!
Hit: 4 Stars
I wasn't really aware of Supertramp until they were considered classic rock. A good portion of the songs on this compilation were released before I was even born, so it's not hard to imagine how I could have missed them in their earlier years. So, bless ..., my classic rock station. I had gotten used to hearing songs like Breakfast In America and The Logical Song on a regular basis. I remember thinking that Supertramp was a prog band, based on the few songs I was familiar with. A friend told me otherwise, but I've heard them referred to as `pop-prog,' so I couldn't have been too far off. So, I became a relatively casual fan. Sure, I'd go see them live if they came around, but I wasn't sure I wanted to invest in their entire catalog. And that's why I was excited to find out that they would be remastering their Very Best Of, and releasing it in December, 2001. It was originally released in 1992, and covers 1974 to 1985, which are considered to be their best years.
I consider this to be a pretty definitive collection. I admit that I'm not a hardcore fan, and I don't know enough about the band to point out songs that should have been included. However, this covers just about everything I'm familiar with, and it would be a great introduction for those who aren't too familiar with the band.
Supertramp
The Very Best Of
Remastered
1. School - from Crime Of The Century,1974
2. Goodbye Stranger - from Breakfast In America, 1979
3. The Logical Song - from Breakfast In America, 1979
4. Bloody Well Right - from Crime Of The Century,1974
5. Breakfast In America - from Breakfast In America, 1979
6. Rudy - from Crime Of The Century,1974
7. Take The Long Way Home - from Breakfast In America, 1979
8. Crime Of The Century - from Crime Of The Century,1974
9. Dreamer - from Crime Of The Century,1974
10. Ain't Nobody But Me - from Crisis? What Crisis?, 1975
11. Hide In Your Shell - from Crime Of The Century,1974
12. From Now On - from Even In The Quietest Moments, 1977
13. Give A Little Bit - from Even In The Quietest Moments, 1977
14. It's Raining Again - from ...famous last words..., 1982
15. Cannonball - from Brother Where You Bound, 1985
Supertramp is...
Rick Davies: boards, vocals
John Helliwell: saxophones
Dougie Thomson: Bass
Bob Siebenberg: vocals
Roger Hodgson: guitars, keyboards, vocals
Hodgson may be the most recognizable name in the band, as he has a few solo releases, has done some co writing with the popular prog group Yes, and has most recently been touring on guitar with Ringo & The All Starr Band.
The CD itself includes liner notes by Doug Haverty, a known name when it comes to art direction and design. The notes include reflections on each Supertramp album, discussing the direction of the band, musically and otherwise for each endeavor.
Sometimes it seems as though best of, or greatest hit collections turn out as a choppy list of randomly placed songs. In this case, Supertramp could have easily released this as an original album. Though spanning 11 years unchronologically, the tracks flow smoothly without smacking the listener in the face as the phase changes.
Presumably, the most recognizable tracks will be cuts like Give A Little Bit, and not only because of that now retired Christmas Gap commercial. It's mostly an acoustic guitar and vocal track, which isn't what I typically think of when think of Supertramp. But most people I know can at least hum this tune, if not sing along, even if they claim to have never heard of the band.
....
I'm pretty sure you were able to catch Mellencamp, Gray, or Morissette singing that one over the holidays. You may also be acquainted with The Logical Song, which I believe was my introduction to the band. It's more keyboard oriented, with beats that really hinted at prog for me.
....
Something about the way these lyrics flow that really drew me into it. I suppose Supertramp is really just a rock band, but I think they definitely straddle a line. It's something in the mix of brass and keyboards, and the full, melodic vocals that ties the band in with prog groups. And Hodgson did write with Yes, so making that comparison is pretty safe, I think. I don't know if I would say "If you like Yes or other prog bands of the like, you'd like Supertramp," but it's a definite consideration. These guys don't have that huge dramatic sound that dominates the progressive scene. I find them to be closer to a rock band, but the piano interludes, and full vocals tend to push the boundaries.
On that note, I should add that most of the prog bands I'm into are on the border. A song like Crime Of The Century could have easily been Jethro Tull, Genesis, or ELO. Allmusic lists similar artists to be Styx, Yes, Alan Parsons Project, and others in that musical area. If you're into any of the above bands, I think Supertramp might be a worthwhile investment, of only for this Very Best Of.
Another early favorite of mine is Breakfast In America. The song doesn't even last 3 minutes, but it has a kind of elephant marching beat with saxophones that make it quite memorable. The lyrics also became imprinted in my brain. I suppose they were just kind of random when I first heard them, and I never forgot.
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Here's something fun for you to try out. If you have a copy of Breakfast in America, play the intro to the song. Then, get yourself a copy of Don't Speak by No Doubt, and play the intro to that one as well. It won't knock you off your chair, but my friend has an entire CD of songs that sounds like other songs, so making this connection was a thrill for me.
This compilation also turned me onto some songs that I had been previously unfamiliar with, such as It's Raining Again, which is, uh, kind of cute. Of course it has to end with some kids singing the universally known "It's raining, it's pouring" song. The first time I heard this track, it sounded so familiar, but I'm pretty sure I'd never heard it before. It just has such a familiar beat and riff that I could easily place it somewhere in the 1950's. Not that it actually sounds that way, or dated at all. It just has a reminiscent familiarity to it.
For established Supertramp fans, I'd clearly recommend The Very Best Of Remastered. I find it to be quite a complete collection, and the tracks have all been digitally remastered. The liner note commentaries are also a big plus. I would also strongly recommend this for those who have a lighter interest in the band, and want a general overview and highlights. And as for those who are into those `similar' artists, if you want a broad spectrum of a collection, get this. I'd also recommend the following albums for starters:
Crime of the Century - 1974
Even In The Quitest Moments - 1977
And most of all:
Breakfast in America - 1979
This one, in my opinion, has the most hits, and contains most of the songs that will ring a bell, including Take The Long Way Home.
However, this compilation contains those songs, plus other popular songs from other albums, and I'd really urge you to pick this up if you're unsure. It's a best of that's certainly worth you time!
Free Music Review: Supertramp. A creative sympho rock band in the quality department
Hit: 4 Stars
This is a great intro to Supertramp hits from the 70 ths and 80 ths. Most of the hits here were "mega hits" in Europe, and they where also well known all over the world. Track 1 School, is a very "Supertramp", with it`s wide open soundpicture with lots of air and ecco from the different instruments put in where it fits. The harmonica in the beginning, and the vocal creeps sloooowly in to the melody,
and then BANG, with a scream it moves into great "sympho rock". Track 2 Goodbye Stranger is more average with it`s minor funky beat, anyway it still shines, but it`s not realy up there because it spin`s too much around in the same themetrench. Track 3 The Logical song, is more "up there", with the piano and the saxophone solo which bring`s out a harmonic gem all trough. Weird and funny vocal sometimes, but that`s ok in this kind of song. Track 4 Bloody well right, has to much instrumental preludes before the vocal come`s in, and then you begin to loose interest. Track 5 Breakfast in America is the realy great hit song, which nearly every bit`s and pices is placed where they belong, to make a great song. Greatness shines on this one. Track 6 Rudy is more in the "Elton John" school of rock, with great piano play that makes it simple and quite effective all trough. Track 7 Take the long way home, has a very clear soundpicture and where back in "classical" Supertramp form. Here and there it works, but as a whole not everything is "up there". Average. Track 8 Crime of the Century, has a simpel narrative musical line with the piano, but then it goes over in somekind of heavy sympho rock. There are some nice bits and pices here, but as a whole is a letdown. Track 9 Dreamer, is experimental, and a weird listning experience as a whole. Some nice bit`s but to "dreamy" for my taste. Track 10 Ain`t nobody but me is in the "sympho blues/light heavy metal" department. It goes to much around and around with not to much creativity as a whole. Track 11 Hide in your shell, has a nice touch of a melody, but the theme spins out of gas before it ends. Too long, to slow build up in other words. Track 12 From now on has some flair all trough. It`s light weight but quite effective, as a slow song, but nothing very special. Track 13 Give a little bit, is a great "alcapella" song with the very effective refrain which creates as a whole a good listen experience. The saxophone play is put in the right places, an that also helps a lot. Track 14 It`s raining again, it`s nice, smooth, and a good "easy come easy go" song, but here the "easy way out" is a quality mark. Track 15 Cannonball is quite effective with a different beat as we have known Supertramp until now. More urban and fast funk in a way, and also more thight put together. Anyway. Supertramp is a creative symphonic rock band high on quality and flair. A good intro for newcomers this one on the "early" Supertramp sound.
Free Music Review: What you get here and what you get on Volume 2
Hit: 4 Stars
The Very Best of Volume 1 and 2 are not chronologically sequential. Volume 2 which came out later is a suppliment to volume 1. Between the two you get the bulk of certain albums.To begin with neither album features anything from the groups largely ignored first two albums, Supertramp 1970 and Indelibly Stamped 1971.
Volume 1 features six of the eight songs on Crime of the Century 1974 while a seventh appears on Volume 2. The only thing not featured is 'Asylum'. [7/8]
Only one song from Crisis? What Crisis? 1975 was put on volume 1. Volume 2 meanwhile has two tracks of the ten songs on the album. A cassette version of volume 1 also included Sister Moonshine, but this is not on either CD. Despite only featuring three songs, Crisis is still as good an album as the other heavilly featured ones of this decade. Aside from 'Sister', the other major overlooked track is 'Another Man's Woman'. [3/10]
Even in the Quietest Moments 1977 is represent by two tracks on Vol 1 and four on volume, leaving only 'Lover Boy' of the seven tracks excluded. [6/7]
Of the 10 tracks on Breakfast in America 1979 four are featured on volume 1 and another three on volume two. Of the leftovers the greatest omission is 'Child of Vision' - which is unfortunate. [7/10]
Volume 1 featured only one track out of the nine from Famous Last Words 1982. Volume 2, meanwhile features three. Of the remaining five, the main one that sticks out as being overlooked is 'Crazy'. [4/9]
Only volume 1 features a track (out of six) from the first post-Rgoer Hodson album, Brother Where You Bound 1985. This is not a particularly great album, though 'Still in Love' would have been a good addition. [1/6]
Likewise, only volume 2 features a track from the medicore Free As a Bird 1987 (which was also on the tape version of Volume 1). Another song out of the nine they could have considered was 'It's Alright'. [1/9]
Given the date of their release the Very Best ofs feature nothing from either Some Things Never Change 1997 or Slow Motion 2002.
So basically with these two best ofs you are getting virtually all of two albums, most of a third, half of another and just token selections from three others. You may prefer to just get the albums for the stuff you aren't getting on the less featured ones and get the others anyway since you'd be pretty much getting the whole albums on the Very Best ofs.
All in all, save a few overlooked tracks, the two volume together give a very generous representation of Supertramp's 74-82 work.
Free Music Review: Supertramp...
Hit: 4 Stars
"The Very Best of Supertramp" is a 15 song compilation of Supertramp's hits and better known songs, from albums spanning 1974-1985. I'm a casual fan of Supertramp, pretty much. I never had any of their albums, but I've always kept an ear out for them on the radio. I'm pretty glad to have this.
I didn't know until I got this CD that Supertramp had two lead singers. There's the high voiced Roger Hodgson (who sings on tracks like "Dreamer" and "Logical Song") and there's the lower voiced Rick Davies (who sings on tracks like "Bloody Well Right" and "Goodbye Stranger"). I tend to like Roger's songs more than Rick's, though there's a decent selection of both their songs here. They've got rather different personalities, but it all holds together. Supertramp's music is very keyboard driven, with a fair bit of piano and Wurlitzer, though there is some decent guitar work as well. "Give a Little Bit" is a beautiful acoustic ballad, for instance. There's also a couple of other surprises in the production department from time to time, (sound effects, synths, etc) which are always nice.
Worth getting for fans of classic rock, I reckon, and it has practically everything a casual fan could want on it. Four and a half stars.
Free Music Review: Loved it
Hit: 4 Stars
This album is near perfect. It's loaded with hits and is very fun to just sit back and listen to. I bought it for some key songs, such as "Take the Long Way Home" and "The Logical Song" which gets lots of radio play. Ever since I got it I can't stop listening to it, its just an all around great CD. Supertramp's music is both unique in the melody and vocals alike, and none of their songs are annoying and tiresome like many other artist out there. But one thing you have to take into consideration with a greatest hits album is how the tracks are put together. That is why I gave this a 4 out of 5. I would have mixed the tracks differently, I thought "Goodbye Stranger" should have been closer to the end and maybe "Breakfast in America" should have been one of the fronts. But that stuff isn't that important, and it doesn't really take away from the CD at all. In closing, this compliation was very pleasing and a delight to listen to.