Supertramp Breakfast In America

The title of Even in the Quietest Moments… isn't much of an exaggeration – this 1977 album finds Supertramp indulging in some of their quietest moments, spending almost the album in a subdued mood…

The title of Even in the Quietest Moments… isn't much of an exaggeration – this 1977 album finds Supertramp indulging in some of their quietest moments, spending almost the album in a subdued mood…

The title of Even in the Quietest Moments… isn't much of an exaggeration – this 1977 album finds Supertramp indulging in some of their quietest moments, spending almost the album in a subdued mood…

Supertramp followed an unusual path to commercial success in the 1970s, fusing the stylistic ambition and instrumental dexterity of progressive rock with the wit and tuneful melodies of British pop, and the results made them one of the most popular British acts of the '70s and ‘80s, topping the charts and filling arenas around the world at a time when their style of music was supposed to have fallen out of fashion…

Recorded in the wake of the global success of Breakfast in America, Paris is a competent live album from Supertramp…

Originally a European compilation, The Very Best of Supertramp is the closest thing to a definitive overview of the '70s pop-prog group. Certainly, there will be hardcore fans who will notice some favorite album cuts missing – after all, despite their considerable success on the pop charts, Supertramp was as much an album rock band as ELP or Genesis – but all the hits are here, from "Bloody Well Right" to "It's Raining Again," as well as a sizable portion of their blockbuster Breakfast in America. That alone will make it worthwhile for all casual fans, but what's really nice about the collection is that it flows very smoothly, even if it isn't in chronological order. There have been other Supertramp compilations, but The Very Best of Supertramp stands head and shoulders above the rest.

Supertramp came into their own on their third album, 1974's Crime of the Century, as their lineup gelled but, more importantly, so did their sound. The group still betrayed a heavy Pink Floyd influence, particularly in its expansive art rock arrangements graced by saxophones, but Supertramp isn't nearly as spooky as Floyd – they're snarky collegiate elitists, an art rock variation on Steely Dan or perhaps a less difficult 10cc, filled with cutting jokes and allusions, best heard on "Bloody Well Right."…

Recorded in the wake of the global success of Breakfast in America, Paris is a competent live album from Supertramp.