When you hear about Supertramp, I'm sure that most songs people think of came from much earlier in the bands career. I mean, "Breakfast In America" was a huge album for the band. But when I hear Supertramp, the album my mind immediately casts back to is 1985's "Brother Where You Bound". On this album, with Roger Hodgson no longer in the line-up, the band go back to their more progressive-rock sound, with Rick Davies at the helm, writing the entire album.
The songs on this disc have a very pop-rock sort of flair, with prog-rock sensibilities. Now, I'll be the first to admit that I don't know all that much about Supertramp. There are only a few albums that I know very well, but the sound, and the songs on this album are amazing, and for that I find myself coming back to this one time and time again.
The disc kicks off with a very jazz inspired, prog-rock piece, called "Cannonball". There is a lot of jumpy piano here, some really cool instrumental interludes, solos, and very expertly delivered vocals. From this first track, this album has me hooked, every time I hear it. The next track, "Still In Love", isn't proggy, but it's still a very cool song. Still a bit jazzy, with a bit of swing, and some of the vocal melodies that Supertramp have come to be known for. "No Inbetween" is more of a moody song, very piano, and vocal driven. A nice change of pace from the first two tracks.
If not for the album's title track, "Better Days" would be my favorite song on the album. It's got such a creepy sort of vibe, and once again very piano driven. It also has some pretty amazing vocals delivered by Davies. The music on this track can still give me goosebumps. The lyrics are perfect for the dark, bleak music, as they deal with the lies of a "better life" in western society. And you can't beat a good flute solo!
The title track, "Brother Where You Bound", is a sixteen and a half minute epic piece, in every sense of the word. This is the song that really makes this album for me. It's got everything you want in a good prog song: length, multiple mood changes, a few sections that could be taken as their own song, but sewn together beautifully, basically... everything but the kitchen sink. This song is without a doubt my favorite Supertramp song. And let's not forget that David Gilmour (Pink Floyd) plays some really amazing guitar solos on the track, which I'm sure you can tell just by listening to the song. Oh sure, the lyrics are about the cold war, so they may be just a little dated, but that doesn't take away from the amazing power of this track. I just look at it as more of an historical piece. In a perfect world, this album would have been huge, and this song would have topped the charts. It shows Rick Davies' amazing musical composition skills, and proves that this is a band full of talented musicians.
The album ends on a sweet note, with "Ever Open Door". Once again it's a piano driven song, with some beautifully delivered vocals, and a great way to close the album.
The songs on this disc have a very pop-rock sort of flair, with prog-rock sensibilities. Now, I'll be the first to admit that I don't know all that much about Supertramp. There are only a few albums that I know very well, but the sound, and the songs on this album are amazing, and for that I find myself coming back to this one time and time again.
The disc kicks off with a very jazz inspired, prog-rock piece, called "Cannonball". There is a lot of jumpy piano here, some really cool instrumental interludes, solos, and very expertly delivered vocals. From this first track, this album has me hooked, every time I hear it. The next track, "Still In Love", isn't proggy, but it's still a very cool song. Still a bit jazzy, with a bit of swing, and some of the vocal melodies that Supertramp have come to be known for. "No Inbetween" is more of a moody song, very piano, and vocal driven. A nice change of pace from the first two tracks.
If not for the album's title track, "Better Days" would be my favorite song on the album. It's got such a creepy sort of vibe, and once again very piano driven. It also has some pretty amazing vocals delivered by Davies. The music on this track can still give me goosebumps. The lyrics are perfect for the dark, bleak music, as they deal with the lies of a "better life" in western society. And you can't beat a good flute solo!
The title track, "Brother Where You Bound", is a sixteen and a half minute epic piece, in every sense of the word. This is the song that really makes this album for me. It's got everything you want in a good prog song: length, multiple mood changes, a few sections that could be taken as their own song, but sewn together beautifully, basically... everything but the kitchen sink. This song is without a doubt my favorite Supertramp song. And let's not forget that David Gilmour (Pink Floyd) plays some really amazing guitar solos on the track, which I'm sure you can tell just by listening to the song. Oh sure, the lyrics are about the cold war, so they may be just a little dated, but that doesn't take away from the amazing power of this track. I just look at it as more of an historical piece. In a perfect world, this album would have been huge, and this song would have topped the charts. It shows Rick Davies' amazing musical composition skills, and proves that this is a band full of talented musicians.
The album ends on a sweet note, with "Ever Open Door". Once again it's a piano driven song, with some beautifully delivered vocals, and a great way to close the album.
In the years since I first heard this album, I've tried to enjoy the following releases, but to me, nothing can match this musical masterpiece. It has everything that I love in an album: great music, well written lyrics, and amazingly delivered vocals. It's easy to tell why I put this album high in my top 100 albums of all time list, and one I will be putting on a few times a year for as long as I live.
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