Retro Reviews: Supertramp: Even In The Quietest Moments...

 

    I decided to launch a new series to imagine myself as a critic at the start of the 70s and start of the 70s, and to rectify certain reviews from Rolling Stone magazine and Creem. This not meant to be contrarian, but to offer a more balanced perspective. All the albums reviewed are classic albums. This is in tribute to Rick Davies, rest in peace.

Supertramp: Even In The Quietest Moments… (1977)

****1/2

Producers: Supertramp

Musicians: Rick Davies, Roger Hodgson, John Helliwell, Dougie Thomson, Bob Siebenberg

Songs: Give A Little Bit, Lover Boy, Even In The Quietest Moments, Downstream, Babaji, From Now On, Fool’s Overture

Reviewed by Matthew Anthony Allair

    Supertramp’s first two albums were commendable but not distinctive enough for me. Crime Of The Century was a notable improvement, and Crisis? What Crisis? was somewhere in-between. But this album feels like a notable step forward. There’s a greater focus on the songs, the balance between their Progressive Rock and pop instincts is better. It’s just about no surprise that ‘Give A Little Bit’ is the perennial single. The band has been labeled as ‘art rock’ or ‘art pop’, and while that makes sense, I question if the label is too limiting. They are simply a good band that can write great songs. The bulk of the writing remains between Davies and Hodgson and there’s a simpatico between them that should remind people of Lennon and McCartney, or Elton John and Bernie Taupin.

    The informal feel of the opening from Roger with ‘Give A little Bit’ pulls the listener in, while acoustic, the introduction of Halliwell broadens the piece out. The full band drives the second half, and there’s some nice organ accents to give it a little color.  Rick’s “Lover Boy” has a playful yet dark under current, that especially builds when the full band and support vocals come in, it also has a nice false ending before the crescendo. Nature sounds and an Eastern drone set up Roger’s lovely “Even In The Quietest Moments”, an acoustic number with gradual build up from the band’s support, John’s horns really enhance the piece, Rick’s keyboard work really sympathizes with Roger’s efforts. Rick’s “Downstream” is a solo piano number, sincere and tasteful.

    Roger’s “Babaji” is a piano driven piece with some clever percussion from Siebenberg, and a nice dynamic range that has a compelling orchestral build up. The Thomson and Siebenberg rhythm section remains solid on the album. Rick’s “From Now On” opens with a playful stuttering barrelhouse feel before it shifts into in main core. While Roger’s lyrics tend to be more pensive, Rick’s lyrics often recognize the dark underside of a society that is just barely holding together and not listening to the outcast. Roger’s “Fool’s Overture” might very be the tour de force of the album, it opens as a morose piano ballad before a sound collage that harkens to the flavor of Pink Floyd’s better work, build into a lament about World War II, a good half of this acts as a concerto before the vocal. There’s some nice synth work in the final half that is both playful yet menacing.

    This remains a strong, consistent album that explores hope, humanity, despair and desire, and very likely one of the better albums of this year. Recommended.