CRIME OF THE CENTURY

Supertramp

Crossover Prog

4.32 | 1834 ratings

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Magnum Vaeltaja
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator

A classic album that, for me, is split about 50/50 between masterpieces and misses.

As far as a general idea of the sound of the album, one can expect emphasis on soft, tender keyboards, dramatic vocals, occasional jazz influences and the album's mood can change from lush and serene to chaotic quite quickly. Supertramp's performance on this album could be compared in a sense to early King Crimson (i.e. Court, Wake of Poseidon) but much more controlled and having a much heavier pop appeal. That isn't to say that it's a pop album, or boring, though; it definitely has its moments.

The stronger tracks on the album are the opener "School", its follow-up "Bloody Well Right" and the finale title track. "School" is an incredible odyssey of sounds starting with a bleak harmonica intro giving way to haunting verses and featuring impeccable piano melodies. Definitely a top notch song. "Bloody Well Right" is a great jazz and blues-fused rock song and "Crime of the Century" is a powerful, haunting finale. A great start, a great finish. What lies in between these stellar bookends is not quite of the same caliber, though.

The remaining two songs from side A, "Hide In Your Shell" and "Asylum" are good but non- essential listening. "Asylum" in particular is probably the most dramatic song on the album. Most of side B is expendable, with the poppy "Dreamer" and the ballad "If Everyone Was Listening" making me sleepy; "Rudy", though, is at about the same standard as the material on the album's first side.

Overall "Crime Of The Century" is a work that features some incredible moments and would not be out of place in any prog music collection.

Magnum Vaeltaja | 3/5 | 2015-10-3

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