LAND HO / SUMMER ROMANCE

Dreaming of a first hit single

The major line up changes between Supertramp's second ("Indelibly stamped") and third ("Crime of the century") albums transformed the band from an unknown and struggling outfit into a global success story. There was however a substantial time gap between those albums, the band only starting work on "Crime.." in 1974.

It is a lesser known fact that the classic line up's first release in March 1974 was actually this non-album single. By this time producer Ken Scott, who would produce "Crime.." was already on board. The A side, "Land ho" is a Roger Hodgson song which is almost identical to the following single "Dreamer", complete with jaunty piano and "Dreaming (dreamer)" references. Perhaps surprisingly, given the success of "Dreamer", the song was a commercial flop. It is however worth seeking out by those who enjoy the music of Supertramp (it was made available on CD for the first time on "the "Retrospectacle" compilation).

The B side is a Rick Davies blues number called "Summer romance", which is more representative of the preceding "Indelibly stamped" than of the superb album which was to follow.

Both songs of this single were the first to be released from the new line-up of the band which by that time included Rick Davies, Roger Hodgson, Bob C. Benberg, John A. Helliwell and Dougie Thompson, a line-up which became considered as the best and "classic" from this band until Hodgson left the band in 1983. Both songs were recorded between July and September 1973 in London, and were produced by the band. This was done several months before their "Crime of the Century" album was recorded and released in 1974. And the changes in personnel very well reflected the improvements in sound for the band which at last found the best musicians for their musical style, being the three new members very good musicians and more compatible with the sound that Davies and Hodgson were trying to achieve since the start of the band in 1969. That musical syle and sound became very successful with the passing of time, reaching the peak in 1979 with their "Breakfast in America" album.

This single was released in March 1974.

"Land Ho", sung by Hodgson, is a melodic Pop Rock song, somewhat similar in parts to "Dreamer" from their "Crime of the Century" album, but better, as I don`t like "Dreamer" very much in comparison to other songs from the band. It also includes a brief but very good sax solo. The drums pattern is also somewhat similar in parts to "Dreamer". Maybe "Dreamer" was a second attempt to write a similar song to "Land Ho". I think that "Land Ho" as the "A" side of this single could have been a Hit...but it seems that it went nowhere in the Hit Parade charts.

"Land Ho" was recorded by Hodgson again for his second solo album titled "Hai Hai" which was released in late 1987, almost at the same time as Supertramp`s "Free as a Bird" album. "Land Ho" was re-recorded with some changes in the arrangements (particulaly in the drums playing) but more in an updated 80s style. It sounds good but I prefer the original version recorded by Supertramp.

"Summer Romance", sung by Davies, is a very typical song composed by him in the Rhythm and Blues musical style that he likes very much. It s also a good song like "Land Ho".

Both songs from this single also showed improvements in the quality of the recordings from this band thanks to their new collaboration with Recording Engineer and Producer Ken Scott. Both songs were released in the CD format for the first time in Supertramp`s "Retrospectacle" compilation album in 2005, with a new mixing done by Ken Scott for "Land Ho" which was done in June 1975 and was previously unreleased unitl then, and which was even considered to be released in their "Crisis ? What Crisis?" album from 1975, a thing that did not happen.

In 1974 Supertramp was poised to emerge as a top art-rock group, with Roger Hodgson providing the art and Rick Davies providing the rock in roughly equal parts. This non-album single, released ahead of Crime of the Century, is a prototype of the then-new Supertramp.

"Land Ho" is a bouncy Hodgson piece à la "Dreamer." Compared to later Hodgson songs, the lyrics are two-dimensional, and the music is missing some of the oddness that will mark his future work. In particular, the bridge strikes me as out of place. It seems like the band and/or the producer recognized that something needed to be done to prevent the song from becoming monotonous, and a bridge was duly inserted. Anyway, Supertramp's songwriting was improving, as its following albums would demonstrate.

Davies contributes "Summer Romance." It's nice enough, but clearly b-side material. It's vintage Davies, kind of a less-funky Dr. John production, complete with backing singers and multi tracked sax. Like the a-side, it's a rough draft of Supertramp to come, presaging "Ain't Nobody But Me" and even (to my ears) "My Kind of Lady."

For thirty years the "Land Ho"/"Summer Romance" vinyl single was the only release of either song, making it essential for Supertramp fans. It's now more of a curio, as both sides were released in 2005 on the double-CD Retrospectacle: the Supertramp Anthology, which is still in print and reasonably priced (as of 2019).