Supertramp Week!

Plankton · 07-31-2015, 09:35 AM

by Supertramp (1979 AMI Records).

Gone Hollywood
We open with a fade-in. Beautiful sax, a bit of some melancholy to this as this tells the story of someone who moves to Hollywood in the hopes of making it big. Davies (or Hodgson, not sure which right now) does a fantastic job on this story. Some outstanding use of minor chord changes here that sit well. Some playful meanderings in outro fade.

Logical Song
A song that always had a personal impact on me for the fact that I had been "sent away" quite a few times in my youth. Very haunting and deliberate at times. Some of the most memorable sax playing here as Helliwell plays in and out, providing some horn stabs and a give and take with the vocals. Outstanding songwriting on this piece.

Goodbye Stranger
I've always loved the backwoods quality of the vocals on this tune. Playful keys paired with some delicate guitar voicings as the chorus marches forth with the cadence of the tune. The phased guitar scratches keep the beat as the bridge brings it around full circle. This is a powerful earworm. One can't help but boogie along as the tune picks up steam and eventually builds to a fantastic crescendo. The phrasing on the outro guitar is fantastic.

Breakfast In America
A playful ragtime beat that tells the story of someone who dreams of coming to America. Kind of a sinister quality to the entire song with a beautiful clarinet that accents the intrinsic quality of the lyrics.

Oh Darling
One of the tunes I've never heard. Some lovely keys/synth. Kind of feels like the tones may have been Stevie Wonder inspired. The vocal harmonies are nice, and then there's the sax hidden in there in the mix. The tune really rides on the strength of that root chord. Some Franky Valley style falsetto that seems a bit forced and a bit comical. No wonder I've never heard this.

Take The Long Way Home
My parents divorced when I was 3, and my Father used to pick my brother and me up every weekend. The trip was about an hour each way, and when this song came out on the local radio, I'd hear it just about every trip. Sitting staring out the window of my Father's van, this song always had me longing for something more, something unattainable, yet feeling like I was living in the moment. A beautifully haunting song. Now that I'm older, the lyrics really hit home as I feel Hodgson is telling me to enjoy life, and savor every moment. I try to do that everyday.

Lord Is It Mine
Haven't heard this one either. More melancholy here as it opens with a lone piano and voice. Beautiful chorus as Davies belts out his refrain. The lyrics tell me he's giving some sort of hope to the listener. Lovely clarinet solo in this piece as it builds to a bit of a crescendo here, then drops away to it's melancholy root. Very nice.

Just Another Nervous Wreck
Another first. More of the playful keys driving this tune as it opens with the singer/songwriter approach. A bit of an anthem here as the vocals charge ahead. Some beautiful guitar soloing give this a bit of a rock feel to it. For some reason this feels inspired by some Neil Diamond. I'm not sure why.

Casual Conversations
More new here. Laid back and mellow approach here. Reminds me of a bit of lounge music, especially with that phased out hammond plugging along while the sax fills in the gaps. Kind of groovy.

Child Of Vision
For some reason, I feel I've heard this. Ah yes. This has some elements of prog to it. Some great syncopated keys that take the lead as Hodgson comes in. All three vocalists peer through the chorus, which takes on a dreamlike quality, then back to the main beat. The piano solo is a nice touch as it bounces playfully in and out of the cadence. Some beautiful outro sax. I'm a sucker for any sax playing, good or bad. Great way to end an album.

-Summation-
I've always wondered what the rest of this album sounded like apart from all the hit's that get regular radio play and I'm happy I finally found the motivation to give it a listen. No rating or anything like that from me, so I'll just say I enjoyed myself. Supertramp were definitely a force to be reckoned with in the industry.

Trollheart · 07-31-2015, 10:09 AM

Nice review Plankton. Also like the way you made your avatar announce it (good to have him back too!) --- I always like it when people have a personal connection to an album; makes it more likely they'll do a, if you will, non-standard review, and yours did not disappoint.

One of my favourite 'Tramp albums and I'd just like also to point out the clever album sleeve, where the dishes are all piled up in a mockup of the New York skyline, to say nothing of the waitress striking the pose of the Statue of Liberty. The album that really broke Supertramp internationally, and like most such albums, also led to something of a decline in their fortunes commercially.

07-31-2015, 09:35 AM	#1 (permalink)
Plankton Just Keep Swimming... Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: See signature... Posts: 7,765	by Supertramp (1979 AMI Records). Gone Hollywood We open with a fade-in. Beautiful sax, a bit of some melancholy to this as this tells the story of someone who moves to Hollywood in the hopes of making it big. Davies (or Hodgson, not sure which right now) does a fantastic job on this story. Some outstanding use of minor chord changes here that sit well. Some playful meanderings in outro fade. Logical Song A song that always had a personal impact on me for the fact that I had been "sent away" quite a few times in my youth. Very haunting and deliberate at times. Some of the most memorable sax playing here as Helliwell plays in and out, providing some horn stabs and a give and take with the vocals. Outstanding songwriting on this piece. Goodbye Stranger I've always loved the backwoods quality of the vocals on this tune. Playful keys paired with some delicate guitar voicings as the chorus marches forth with the cadence of the tune. The phased guitar scratches keep the beat as the bridge brings it around full circle. This is a powerful earworm. One can't help but boogie along as the tune picks up steam and eventually builds to a fantastic crescendo. The phrasing on the outro guitar is fantastic. Breakfast In America A playful ragtime beat that tells the story of someone who dreams of coming to America. Kind of a sinister quality to the entire song with a beautiful clarinet that accents the intrinsic quality of the lyrics. Oh Darling One of the tunes I've never heard. Some lovely keys/synth. Kind of feels like the tones may have been Stevie Wonder inspired. The vocal harmonies are nice, and then there's the sax hidden in there in the mix. The tune really rides on the strength of that root chord. Some Franky Valley style falsetto that seems a bit forced and a bit comical. No wonder I've never heard this. Take The Long Way Home My parents divorced when I was 3, and my Father used to pick my brother and me up every weekend. The trip was about an hour each way, and when this song came out on the local radio, I'd hear it just about every trip. Sitting staring out the window of my Father's van, this song always had me longing for something more, something unattainable, yet feeling like I was living in the moment. A beautifully haunting song. Now that I'm older, the lyrics really hit home as I feel Hodgson is telling me to enjoy life, and savor every moment. I try to do that everyday. Lord Is It Mine Haven't heard this one either. More melancholy here as it opens with a lone piano and voice. Beautiful chorus as Davies belts out his refrain. The lyrics tell me he's giving some sort of hope to the listener. Lovely clarinet solo in this piece as it builds to a bit of a crescendo here, then drops away to it's melancholy root. Very nice. Just Another Nervous Wreck Another first. More of the playful keys driving this tune as it opens with the singer/songwriter approach. A bit of an anthem here as the vocals charge ahead. Some beautiful guitar soloing give this a bit of a rock feel to it. For some reason this feels inspired by some Neil Diamond. I'm not sure why. Casual Conversations More new here. Laid back and mellow approach here. Reminds me of a bit of lounge music, especially with that phased out hammond plugging along while the sax fills in the gaps. Kind of groovy. Child Of Vision For some reason, I feel I've heard this. Ah yes. This has some elements of prog to it. Some great syncopated keys that take the lead as Hodgson comes in. All three vocalists peer through the chorus, which takes on a dreamlike quality, then back to the main beat. The piano solo is a nice touch as it bounces playfully in and out of the cadence. Some beautiful outro sax. I'm a sucker for any sax playing, good or bad. Great way to end an album. -Summation- I've always wondered what the rest of this album sounded like apart from all the hit's that get regular radio play and I'm happy I finally found the motivation to give it a listen. No rating or anything like that from me, so I'll just say I enjoyed myself. Supertramp were definitely a force to be reckoned with in the industry. __________________ See location...

07-31-2015, 10:09 AM	#2 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	Nice review Plankton. Also like the way you made your avatar announce it (good to have him back too!) --- I always like it when people have a personal connection to an album; makes it more likely they'll do a, if you will, non-standard review, and yours did not disappoint. One of my favourite 'Tramp albums and I'd just like also to point out the clever album sleeve, where the dishes are all piled up in a mockup of the New York skyline, to say nothing of the waitress striking the pose of the Statue of Liberty. The album that really broke Supertramp internationally, and like most such albums, also led to something of a decline in their fortunes commercially. __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018