Supertramp - Even in the Quietest Moments (1977)

Dan:

I recall asking some of my Danish colleagues in 1982 if they liked Supertramp, and they wrinkled up their noses at me. Apparently, they did not regard the British band as serious progressive rock artists. By 1982, of course, Supertramp had struck it rich with Breakfast in America and perhaps alienated purists who believed that the best bands are those that labor in obscurity. Seems I've heard that vacuous argument in the jazz world many times before. I try not to begrudge any band's success because I know that all bands work hard and that none of them are overnight sensations.

Supertramp's songs were heard often on FM radio, which also aired a 1976 recorded live performance, released on CD in 2001 as Is Everybody Listening? I had taped part of the live performance off the radio broadcast. I also worked with a colleague in Florida who discovered "The Logical Song" from Breakfast and thought it was great because it challenged conventional learning. That's probably why I bought the album. Bill and I then worked to develop alternative teaching/learning methods and actually won a national innovation award for designing our college course. Bill's son Kevin was one of Steve's music buddies for a while back in the early 1980s. 

So, I had a lot of exposure to Supertramp, which prompted me to disregard the cynics who considered them mainly to be pop artists. Even in the Quietest Moments may be the best evidence of a highly skilled band writing and playing difficult music that sounds easy. The last two numbers, "From Now On" and "Fool's Overture" make the best case for prog respectability. 

"From Now On" is about burnout and escapism, as the song's protagonist fantasizes about a different, more exciting and adventurous life away from his boring job. It's a great song about real things, and it resonates with me, not because my job was ever boring but because I know so many people whose jobs are. I played this song to my class once so they might understand what job stress feels like (as opposed to a purely academic understanding). 

"Fool's Overture" is more like classic prog, written over different sections and mirroring symphonic form. Co-written by Rick Davies and Roger Hodgson, the song is about the end of civilization and the fall of mankind. Heavy stuff. Later in his career, Hodgson played the song backed by a true symphony orchestra, as he imagined it when he wrote the song.

The remaining tracks range from sweet ("Downstream") to complex (the title track) to self-indulgent ("Babaji"). None appear to be written to score a top-10 hit, but all are worth hearing, both musically and lyrically. That makes Even in the Quietest Moments a strong contender to be Supertramp's best album. 

Steve:

I definitely heard a lot of Supertramp around the house as a kid. I also remember hearing them a lot on the radio. Although I don't recall hearing "Give a Little Bit" on the radio back then, apparently it hit #15 on the singles chart, a statistic that is consistent with Dan's assertion that nothing was designed to hit the top 10. From my perspective, this song gained much more popularity years after the fact, being used in movies and in for TV commercials for The Gap clothing store. It's a lovely, uplifting song that's so shiny and happy it can actually be annoying when you're in a bad mood. I kid of course... I give a little bit of levity to you.

My favorite Supertramp songs are usually the ones featuring pianist Rick Davies on vocals. Both the aforementioned "From Now On" and the pensive piano ballad "Downstream" are career highlights from a band at or near its peak. It was clear to me even back in the day that Dan was a big fan of "From Now On", as it played in the house an awful lot - and I loved every minute of it. I wasn't aware he'd designed a course with Bill inspired by "The Logical Song" though... how cool is that?