The track's long double piano finale is out-of this world. Indeed the title track is a splendid album finale where Rudy commits his no-coming-back gesture, no doubt his idea of a Crime Of The Century. The self-explanatory If Everyone Was Listening is a emotional last-chance cry before-alienation-warning, before the no-return point of the closing track. This epic is equally impressive as Fool's Overture, and not just in my humble opinion. The Hodgson unconditional fans will have to recognize that Davies also managed some incredibly beautiful songs, like the album centerpiece Rudy, a fantastic trip through the estranged boy escape-route from society (listen to these amazing string counterpoints that gives so much depth to the track). The second chapter opens with the only song I like that features Hodgson's taste for wanker melodies choruses (see Lady, Give A Little Bit, the BIA tt, Raining Again), but the song itself is awesome, especially with the outstanding Thompson bass line and the establishment accusation lyrics. Before one knew it, it was time to flip the album over. But if that wasn't awesome enough, Davies counters with the blood-curdling and spine-chilling Asylum, a pure bombastic tune about losing grasp of reality. While a bit too-wordy, Hodgson counters with the spell-binding Hide In Your Shell, a flamboyant tune about shyness' implications. The blues-derived Bloody Well Right is a typical Davies tune that will boosts his confidence for the future endeavors. Indeed that song is the group's flagship with its constantly-changing patterns and many breaks and those schoolyard kids screams are spine-chillingly beautifully placed in the middle section. With that lone harmonica opening the wild School track (a rare Davies/Hodgson collaboration in songwriting), there are precious few albums starting so breathtakingly well. The album was also graced with an iconic artwork with the absolutely spellbinding jail in the cosmos illustration, thus enhancing the album's youth alienation concept.īut all of these details would amount to nothing, if the music on the album was anything less than flabbergastingly stupendous and the alternance of Hodgson & Davies song is one of the most inspiring ideas of the album. Just listen to Elton's Madman Across The Water album on the Levon, title track and Indian summer tracks' string arrangements to understand how important Ken's involvement is important to the album's sound. Scott had been around for David Bowie and Elton John, and produced a sublime sounding album, with outstanding arrangements. Apparently, and despite their delusions about their first two albums, the A&M management liked what they heard and gave Ken Scott a "carte blanche" and un-limited studio time to get the album the chance it deserved. Probably knowing that this would be their last shot, they returned to the more progressive fold of their debut album, but created a full-blown concept album that stood the test of time. This is the album that saw Rick Davies' rise as full-blown singer and his baritone vocals contrasts heavily with Hodgson and Helliwell's soprano voices, thus making this unique and instantly recognizable Supertramp sound. Benberg) on drums and this would become the classic line-up of the group for years to come. They also hired Bob Siebenberg (later Bob C. The duo hired two ex-The Alan Bown! members: saxman and free-electron John Anthony Helliwell who had a high-pitched voice very similar to Hodgson's and the excellent bassist Dougie Thompson, whose bass would quickly become a very important element of Supertramp's new sound. The sweetest of all the crimes of any century.Īfter their mentor and 's abandon, Hodgson and Davies had to re-start Supertramp all over from scratch, with the only assurance of a recording contract with their label A&M. Richard Hewson / string arrangements Releases informationĪrtwork: Paul Wakefield with Fabio Nicoli (Art Direction)ĬD A&M Records - CDAMLH 68258 (1984, Europe)ĬD A&M Records - AMLX63647 (1986, US) Made in JapanĬD Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab - UDCD 505 (1987, US) Remastered (?)ĬD A&M Records - 069 493 346-2 (2002, US) Remastered by Greg Calbi and Jay MessinaĢCD A&M Records - 0600753307885 (2014, xW) Remastered by Ray Staff w/ bonus disc (Live 1975) Christine Helliwell / backing vocals (3) John Anthony Helliwell / saxophones, clarinets, backing vocals Roger Hodgson / lead & backing vocals, guitar, pianos Richard Davies / lead & backing vocals, keyboards, harmonica Live at Hammersmith Odeon March 9th 1975
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