CRIME OF THE CENTURY

A true Masterpiece. Whether you consider Supertramp to be progressive rock, classic rock, or just pop music, IMHO this is quite simply one of the greatest albums ever recorded of any type. It is sheer perfection from start to finish, as every aspect of the album, every sound, vocal, instrument, and note is absolutely perfect, from the songwriting, musicianship, and performance, to the engineering, production and sound quality. The album deals with themes of loneliness, isolation, alienation, mental stability, and ultimately personal responsibility, presented in a stunning display of musicianship and musical prowess. Although the band has stated that it was not created as a concept album, it certainly maintains some consistent themes throughout. From the opening plaintive harmonica wail of School to the haunting closing piano riff and orchestral fade-out of Crime of the Century, the songs flow through from one to another as a continuous musical journey. And the songs are so vibrant and evocative. On the album opener, School, it starts with a magnificent slow build through the opening section and through the first couple verses and beyond, until it explodes into a joyous piano solo in the middle that has to be one of the greatest single musical moments ever recorded, before then taking another turn into a whole different section of musical wonder. My absolute favorite thing about Supertramp, which is beautifully exemplified on this album, is how they build their songs beyond the usual verse-chorus structure, taking the songs in different and varied musical directions, letting the songs evolve in various unexpected ways, and with the extended instrumental breaks going far beyond just solos, but exploring new musical directions, and then bringing it all back home for satisfying conclusions. That is what makes them truly 'progressive' beyond any other aspect. This is done especially well throughout this album, but perhaps the best example of this is Rudy, a magnificent journey with multiple sections, evocative and thrilling, each more wonderful than the last, telling the story of a lonely soul lost in the world. Every song on the album is superb, with great vocals, dynamic musical flourishes, and interesting instrumentation and arrangements throughout. The engineering and production from the legendary Ken Scott is also superb, with crystal clear sound, precise instrument separation, and extremely effective use of orchestration and off-beat instrumentation (musical saw, bells, clarinet, etc.). Other album highlights include Asylum, a piano-led journey through an individual's struggle with mental health, with a great build-up to the end, Dreamer, a bouncy pop stunner that just keeps growing into something magical, and then there's If Everyone Was Listening, a staggeringly beautiful song that culminates in the perfect clarinet solo (that's right, clarinet!) from John Helliwell, leading into probably the most powerful song of all, the concluding Crime of the Century, where after a short main vocal section enters the stunning and haunting extended outro, starting with a repeated piano riff that slowly builds into a full grandiose orchestra, horns, and sax solo over the top, before the final fade-out which contains a subtle return of the opening harmonica wail as a way of coming full circle. Best Tracks: Rudy, Crime of the Century, School, Asylum, If Everyone Was Listening, Hide in Your Shell, Dreamer. Weak Tracks: none. Rating 5+stars