CRIME OF THE CENTURY

This is definitely the album where progressive aspirations and popular music had the greatest fusion. Supertramp succeeded to make an album that pleased both worlds, and in style. 3 mega-hits, not a bad song, a nice feeling and great melodies. "Crime of the century'' is Supertramp's magnum opus, a masterpice in 1974, and even if nowadays it lost some of its former glory. The first song is the success ''school'', where great melodies encounter an overall feeling wich lets you with goosebumps. The piano is abolutely gorgeous, and the bass, even if it is quite simple, stands out in a beautiful way.Then arrives ''bloody well right'', a funky, happy, joyful little song with a round rythm section that lets place for some funky guitar playing. The third and fourth song are the beautiful ''Hide in your shell'' and ''Asylum'', two mini-opera kind of songs. Some lyrics will stick with you, also. Then arrives ''Dreamer'', the biggest hit on the album and the song that is attached to Supertramp's image. However, this is probably the one song that is not in the overall fell of the album, and really to me it does not stand out. It has dated a lot through the years, and nowadays it does not sound that great. However, this was a pop classic, and is still played a lot on classic rock stations. After ''Dreamer'', it is ''Rudy'' , that is probably the only song that I love more live than on the original album. The two last songs are absolutely incredible, both songs are classics, moving and touching gems. And the end of the album is also one of the great in the pop world. All around, this is a masterpiece of both the pop and progressive world, and an album everybody needs to listen at least once in their lifetime. It grows on you after a couple of listen and become the best of supertramp's career. 5/5