Even In The Quietest Moments — Supertramp

This L.P. is at least as good as It's predecessor and will therefore meet with a high degree of success but it is probably not as progressive. By that I mean the group it working on the same undeniably successful without sweating into terribly much new ground. However the last track on the L.P. does aim in a new direction and this shows great promise.

'Fools Overture' it the concept track and begins very slowly with the wind and other weather type noises in the background. The sound of a crowd swells and then fades only to be replaced by Sir Winston Churchill's "We shall never surrender" speech Up until this point the composition could easily be mistaken at a Pink Floyd number but from there on it is all Supertramp and a song depicting prophets (profits) and how, although scorned throughout history, "Wait in silence to lead us all home!"

The track, which lasts nearly 11 minutes builds to a climax and then fades with the distinctive sound of an orchestra warming up and then stopping ready to play — ready for the, next album in which the main concept which Even In the Quietest Moments' only touched on is token further perhaps?

The rest of the album is typical Supertramp viz a mixture of 10cc, Pink Floyd and even Split Enz, with the distinctive music of Ricky Davit and Roger Hodgson in filterating at all levels.

The album kicks off with Give A Little Bit' which it the proposed single and is followed by Lover Boy (obviously aimed at bawdy Victoria males), the title track (obviously aimed at the passive Victoria female) and Downstream'! Side two gets into the meat with 'Babsaj, 'From Now On' which have an excellent chorus, soft lyrically and musically and finally 'Fools Overture'.

Although the elpee does not fold out it hat a thick colour inner sleeve with the credits photos of the group and all the lyrics. The cover sees a grand piano standing on a mountain top covered in snow with the score to 'Fools Overture' openly displayed further proof, if you like, that the track may be a concept one.

In conclusion, 'Even in The Quietest Moments' it a fitting successor to Crisis? What Crisis? with perhaps a little too much of the Supertramp we are all used to and not enough 'progression' but ever way you look at it its all good listening and it grows on you.

David Campbell