SUPERTRAMP

IT WAS THE BEST OF ALL TIMES (english version)

double Live ALBUM

recorded at London's Royal Albert Hall during the 1997 "It's about time" Tour.
A memorable Concert

The reference to memory isn't innocent in this sub-title. I had lots of pleasure to discover this album. And when I say "discover", it's partly a lie : my presence to one of the "it's about time tour" concert had preprared me to the content of this record. Even if the general feeling about the album is very positive, I feel nostalgic about bygone days (that I didn't know as a spectator) when the group's magic was inflaming crowds and when the harmonia between its too leaders was carrying away the public, stands. Now, it seems to lack magic indeed.
Thealbum is long. It's in fact the longer record of Supertramp of all times (130 min.) He has an exceptionnal quality of sound ; If the public didn't come forward, one would forget that the album is a live !

Considering the content, new stuff miw with old songs at an equal level, that means, on the same tone. Recent tunes, like cannonball, I's a hard World, You win, I loose, Free as a bird are indeed played with talent by musicians visibly very efficient for songs that they were the first to perform.

Other songs very older, like From now on, Rudy, The logical song, Breakfast in America, Ain't nobody but me are also performed well, but with a certain feeling of déjà-vu and routine which is close from weariness. Is this lassitude mine or coming from the group, I can't tell. Moreover, despite all his efforts, Mark Hart isn't ROger Hodgson, and his performance in The logical Song or in School doesn't reach the emotional level that the crying voice of Roger gave to them.
But I stop know my bitter critique of the first days fan, aand I'm going to enumarate the "plus" of the album :
Another man's Woman : a song that one thought to have sunk into oblivion, and that has been rejuvenated with a terrific, fantastic, frenzied piano solo. A great moment of Jazz-Rock signed Rick Davies.

Cannonball : a performance full of energy for this hit of the middle 80s, from which I discovered unknown lyrics at the end : "Shut up... Shut up..."

Take the long way home : No, I wouldn't say that this worth ROger Hodgson's, but it goes to an equal level. Mark Hart sing it with almost-perfection, and with heart !

Down Stream: Rick Davies and his piano accompanying themselves with the silence. Un puirely accoustic track very moving.

Goodbye Stranger : a version that I would considerate as more close, more human. It's difficult to explain, but the "live" aspect make the text more clear and more close to the spectator. A song that I re-discovered, even if I 've been knowing it by heart. Those who will listen it carefully will perhaps understand.

Sooner or Later. An original and subtle accompaniment of guitar and electrique piano give to this tune "dire straits" or "Doors" consonances. Purists will come down on me but it's the first comparison that came to my mind.

As a conclusion, if I had to sum up this album in a single sentence, I would say : A very successful performance of Rick Davies, assisted by a group very technical and professional, but who cling to a past from which a good part of the emotion has been filtered during its transition to the numeric sound.

Coming soon, more extracts from the album...

If you don't have yet a MP3 file reader software, I suggest you download WinAmp HERE

To have a first feeling of this album, and before rushing to your disk store to buy it, listen to this three extracts of the album :

FREE_AS_A_BIRD.MP3 ( file MP3, 203 ko, 51 sec) ( vocals : Rick Davies & Mark Hart)

 

TAKE THE LONG WAY HOME.MP3 ( file MP3, 257 ko, 63 sec.) ( vocals : Mark Hart )

 

ANOTHER MAN S WOMAN (ending) ( file MP3, 274 ko, 69 sec.) ( vocals : Rick Davies )

"Supertramp" is a
TradeMark of Rick
Davies Production