"Quadrophenia" by THE WHO - November 1973 2LP Studio Set on Track Records (November 2011 UK Universal/Polydor 2CD 'Deluxe Edition' Reissue and Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Move With The Fashion Or Be An Outcast..."

There's something about double albums. For a starter - simple 2LP logistics demands a least a gatefold sleeve - and if the band has any clout and their record label has half a sales brain – an elaborate chunky booklet can go in there too rammed to the gills with the Godlike deliberations of their hairy-bottomed creators (maybe even a poster boys and other sexy emporia). Besides if a group produces two whole LPs worth of music it suggests the juices are flowing and creativity is at a peak - "The White Album", "Trout Mask Replica", "Tommy", "Exile On Main Street", "Stephen Stills Manassas", "Tales From Topographic Oceans" and "The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway" to name but a few). And so it was with The Who's second double-album – the much anticipated 'kids are alright' Mod opus "Quadrophenia". To this day my 1973 Track Records original is an object I regularly pet with alarming middle-aged fetishness. Which brings us to this natty 2012 'Deluxe Edition' 2CD Reissue...

UK and USA released November 2011 – "Quadrophenia: Deluxe Edition" by THE WHO on Universal/Polydor 2780503 (Barcode 0602527805030) is a 2CD set with Bonus Tracks and plays out as follows:

Disc 1 (55:48 minutes):

1. I Am The Sea

2. The Real Me

3. Quadrophenia

4. Cut My Hair

5. The Punk And The Godfather

6. I'm One [Side 2]

7. The Dirty Jobs

8. Helpless Dancer

9. Is It In My Head

10. I've Had Enough

11. 5:15 [Side 3]

12. Sea And Sand

13. Drowned

Disc 2 (78:17 minutes):

1. Bell Boy

2. Doctor Jimmy

3. The Rock

4. Love Reign O'er Me

Tracks 1 to 13 and Tracks 1 to 4 are the 4-sides of double-album "Quadrophenia" – released November 1973 on Track Records 2657 013 and in the USA on Track/MCA Records MCA2-10004. It peaked at No. 2 in both the UK and USA. CHRIS STAINTON (of The Grease Band) plays piano on "Dirty Jobs", "5:15" and "Drowned" - all other instrumentation by the Band - Roger Daltrey (Vocals), Pete Townshend (Guitar and Keyboards), John Entwistle (Bass) and Keith Moon (Drums and Percussion).

(PETE TOWNSHEND) BONUS TRACKS:

5. The Real Me (Demo) – recorded October 1972

6. Cut My Hair (Demo) – recorded June 1972

7. Punk (Demo) – recorded November 1972

8. Dirty Jobs (Demo) – recorded July 1972

9. Is It In My Head (Demo) – recorded April 1972

10. Anymore (Demo) – recorded November 1971

11. I've Had Enough (Demo)- recorded December 1972

12. Is It Me? (Demo) – recorded March 1973

13. Doctor Jimmy (Demo) – recorded July 1972

14. Love Reign O'er Me (Demo) – recorded May 1972

A smart move is to have two booklets – the one in the left flap of the gatefold card digipak has the original 22-page booklet that was attached to the centre of the 1973 double-album. All of Ethan Russell's beautifully expressive black and white 'Mod' photography is there – but true fans will notice immediately that some of the photos are sloppily clipped on the right – The Who at The Hammersmith Odeon double-page spread has the neon details clipped out over to the right – but worse is the mods around the stage pages before it where the guy on the far right is gone entirely. The lyrics to Side 1 and 2 that followed the terraced houses and came at the end of the original vinyl booklet have been moved to CD booklet two when it might have been better to keep them as the original was. And while the 2CD digipak and its 5" booklets could never have the sheer 12" x 12" impact of the original vinyl issue – it's still nicely done - and hell even the pictures of the mods in the café by the pinball machines seems slightly more defined for some reason. The black and white photos of the Who on the inner flap are period and the photo of the main story character 'Jimmy' on his beloved Vespa motorbike is drop-dead gorgeous. There’s handwritten lyrics, a photo of Pete in the Studio, snaps of master tape boxes beneath the see-through plastic trays. It’s all very tasteful and tactile...

The second booklet contains Pete Townshend's deliberations on the making of the record and its subsequent impact across the decades (1996 Remix CD, DVD release of the film with a Mono soundtrack) and now finally the tapes prepped once again to offset the original limitations of the 1973 vinyl original (especially Daltrey's great vocals). Very cool is the song-by-song notes by PT on the 'Demos' presented for the first time on Disc 2 and Bonus Tracks. They stretch from March 1970 for "Drowned" (done while recording the Thunderclap Newman debut LP) to March 1973 for "Is It Me?" which chronicles the Mods 'Ace Face' and 'Jimmy'.

JON ASTLEY has handled the Remaster at Close To The Edge with the involvement of Pete Townshend. Pete plays all instruments on the Demos and each has been cleaned to almost audiophile quality by a team at Woody Studios in Richmond, London. I have to say that the sonic results for the album are simply a little less bombastic than the 1996 remix of old - and that's a good thing. Overall - the punch and clarity is still up there - if not nearly as spectacular as I had hoped. Biggest improvements I'd say are in the rhythm sections - Bass and Drums - absolutely sweet as...

As the waves crash on the Brighton shore in the opening "I Am The Sea" – the Audio fills your speakers with fabulous clarity – Daltrey's vocal jabs on key lyrics acting as a sort of lead-in overture. But the remaster really takes off with "The Real Me" – Townshend's thrashing guitar to the right – Entwistle's heavy bass strings sounding like he's playing lead guitar - all of it complimented by that fantastic brass section. You're also struck by the power and clarity that surrounds Moon's amazing drumming – rattling and crashing through your speakers all of a sudden on the instrumental "Quadrophenia". And that silver-toned establishment radio announcer (John Curle) on "Cut My Hair" reporting with detachment about 'two leather clad rockers' being chased into a hotel by a gang of 1000 'yuths'.

Side 2's "The Dirty Jobs" and "Helpless Dancer" are the amongst the most politically charged songs on the record – a man who drives a local bus taking miners to work (if the pits are open). And when the stunning "Love Reign O'er Me" prelude turns up at about 1:20 in the six-minute "I've Had Enough" – it still feels extraordinarily moving and even beautiful. The catchy brass/guitar of "5:15" was a genius choice as a single and how could you not love growling-Daltrey sung lyrics like "...out of my brain on the train..." and "...gravely outrageous in my high heel shoes..." And that wonderful opening guitar melody on "Sea And Sand" is so The Who – rocking one moment – soothing the next. The piano/guitar boogie opening of "Drowned" has to be one of many fave tunes on the album – "set me free" Daltrey screams with such passion.

Townshend ornery sense of humour comes shining through on the witty and acidic "Bell Boy" – Daltrey doing his best loony Bob voice as he moans "...always running up someone's bleeding hill...” The eight and half minutes of Doctor Jimmy still test my patience a tad – but I love the end two pieces – the instrumentally adventurous "The Rock" and the sublime melody and hope contained in "Love Reign O'er Me". Mooney's drumming comes roaring through "The Rock" as those riffs build and build and that wicked "Who's Next" keyboard work unfolds (stunning remaster). The forlorn piano notes and falling rain play in the wonderful "Love Reign O'er" – a song that turns up in movies whenever a filmmaker wants to move the audience. Genius...

I have to admit that some of the 'Demos' left me cold – they're interesting for sure but feel like something I'll play once and leave there. The audio on them is awesome it has to be said. For instance his guitar and piano on "Cut My Hair" are incredible and the remaster practically makes the thing kick down your speaker stacks. For me loveliest is the "Love Reign O’er Me" demo because it hasn't got the interfering waves/rain soundtrack in the background – so you just get that gorgeous piano playing – then the song kicks in. It's here that you realise what happens when PT hands the song to the other three – Roger Daltrey, John Entwistle and Keith Moon – they add the band magic it needs...

Niggles – the non-album song "Water" – B-side to the UK issue of "5:15" on Track 2094 115 in November 1973 could easily have been fitted onto Disc 1 (kept back for the Single Boxes no doubt) and the American 3:11 minute edit of "Love Reign O'er Me" (A-side in the USA on Track/MCA-40152) is AWOL too. Might have also been nice to feature some of those fantastic foreign picture sleeves for singles around the album on a Deluxe Edition - "Love Reign O'er Me" from Holland or "5:15" from France to name but a few. But apart from those minor gripes – I'm a happy Mod bunny.

More sprawling than the simple balls-to-the-wall brilliance of 1971's "Who's Next" but just as ambitious as 1969's Rock Opera "Tommy" – The Who's "Quadrophenia" is one of those albums you can't really be rational about. Across 4 sides there's filler on there for sure and at times all those 'waves crashing on the shore' interludes/inclusions do your head in – but would we have PT's double masterpiece any other way. I'm off to pet my original again with white gloves and consider buying a Parka at the age of 57. 

And the sight of that crashed Vespa leaning to in the water on the rear cover still gives me the willies...

"Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs" by DEREK and THE DOMINOES featuring ERIC CLAPTON (March 2011 Universal/Polydor '40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition' 2CD Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Bell Bottom Blues..."

I had the 2004 single-disc SACD reissue of "Layla..." and was duly blown away by it (truly awesome audio). So why does anyone need a newly done 2CD 'Deluxe Edition' of this most iconic of double-albums? The answer is that the New 2010 Remaster on Disc 1 absolutely rocks - while the near sixty minutes of non-album single sides, live Johnny Cash Show material and aborted 2nd album outtakes on Disc 2 offer up solid thrills throughout and not just filler (most of it new to CD). In fact CD2 may be the very best 'Bonus Disc' to a Rock DE version that I've ever heard. Got me on my knees...Layla...here are the details...

UK released 21 March 2011 (26 April 2011 in the USA) – "Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs" by DEREK and THE DOMINOES on Universal/Polydor B0015353-02 (Barcode 600753314296) is a '40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition' 2CD Reissue that features Eric Clapton, Duane Allman, Bobby Whitlock, George Harrison, Dave Mason, Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins and plays out as follows:

Disc 1 (77:16 minutes):

1. I Looked Away [Bobby Whitlock and Eric Clapton song]

2. Bell Bottom Blues [Eric Clapton song]

3. Keep On Growing [Bobby Whitlock and Eric Clapton song]

4. Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out [Jimmie Cox song, Bessie Smith cover]

5. I Am Yours [Eric Clapton song, Lyrics Adapted From A Nizami Poem]– Side 2

6. Anyday [Bobby Whitlock and Eric Clapton song]

7. Key To The Highway [Big Bill Broonzy cover]

8. Tell The Truth [Bobby Whitlock and Eric Clapton song] – Side 3

9. Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad? [Bobby Whitlock and Eric Clapton song]

10. Have You Ever Loved A Woman? [Billy Myles cover]

11. Little Wing [Jimi Hendrix cover] – Side 4

12. It's Too Late [Chuck Willis cover]

13. Layla [Eric Clapton and Jim Gordon song]

14. Thorn Tree In The Garden [Bobby Whitlock song]

Tracks 1 to 14 are the double-album "Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs" – released November 1970 in the USA on Atco SD 2-704 and December 1970 in the UK on Polydor 2625 005 (it peaked at No. 16 on the US charts – didn’t chart UK).

Disc 2 – BONUS DISC (58:32 minutes):

1. Mean Old World [Little Walter cover, Album Outtake]

2. Roll It Over [Eric Clapton and Bobby Whitlock song, Non-Album 7" B-side]

3. Tell The Truth [Eric Clapton and Bobby Whitlock song, Non-Album 7" A-side]

(Tracks 2 and 3 originally recorded in June 1970 at Abbey Road for the George Harrison "All Things Must Pass" sessions - both Produced by Phil Spector - single withdrawn)

4. It's Too Late - Live [Chuck Willis cover]

5. Got To Get Better In A Little While - Live [Eric Clapton song]

6. Matchbox - Live [Carl Perkins cover]

7. Blues Power - Live Encore [Eric Clapton & Leon Russell song]

Tracks 4 to 7 are Derek & The Dominoes 'live' on The Johnny Cash Show, taped 5 November 1970 at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. JOHNNY CASH and CARL PERKINS join the band for "Matchbox" only

8. Snake Lake Blues [Eric Clapton and Bobby Whitlock song]

9. Evil [Willie Dixon song, Howlin' Wolf cover]

10. Mean Old Frisco [Arthur 'Big Boy' Crudup cover]

11. One More Chance [Eric Clapton song]

12. Got To Get Better In A Little While Jam [Eric Clapton song, instrumental]

13. Got To Get Better In A Little While [Eric Clapton song, new 2010 vocal by Bobby Whitlock]

Tracks 8 to 13 are the April/May 1971 sessions at the Olympic Studios in London for the aborted 2nd LP (engineering by Andy Johns). The band was Eric Clapton, Bobby Whitlock, Carl Radle and Jim Gordon. Bobby Whitlock's vocals on Track 6 were recorded September 2010 in Austen, Texas especially for this release. All tracks remixed by the original engineer ANDY JOHNS in September 2010.

DEREK and THE DOMINOES were:

ERIC CLAPTON – Guitars, Lead Vocals

BOBBY WHITLOCK – Keyboards and Vocals

DUANE ALLMAN – Guitars (All Tracks except 1 to 3)

CARL RADLE – Bass and Percussion

JIM GORDON – Drums and Percussion

ALBHY GALUTEN – Guest Piano on "Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out"

Despite how pretty these gatefold card digipaks can be – you have to say that the 12-page booklet is a surprisingly skimpy affair for a supposed 'DE' of an album as highly regarded as "Layla". The double-page photo spread (the inner gatefold of the original vinyl album) is reproduced on both flaps and the inner pages of the booklet with the other pages given over to track-by-track credits - and I'm afraid little else. There isn't any liner notes – no discussions of the supergroup's mercurial talent or its tortured discography – damn shame really. Having said that we are left with the sound and content on Disc 2 which will do very nicely indeed.

The September 2010 Remaster done at Universal Studios went back to the original British Master Tapes and long-time Audio Engineer ELLEN FITTON has done a stunning job. Motown fans will know of her staggering work with the Hip-O Select label out of the USA – all 14 of the massive ‘Complete Motown Single' Sets – 75 Volumes of CDs with 1847 tracks – so this experienced lady knows her way around an original tape box or two. The Audio is fabulous – really bringing out the layers.

While ERIC CLAPTON and DUANE ALLMAN always grabs the lion's share of attention (Allman is on 11 of the 14 tracks) – a quick glance at the writer credits above and you'll see that BOBBY WHITLOCK deserved just as many plaudits. Famously ignored in England (post Cream) and making only 16 in the US LP charts – Atco even had to issue 'Derek Is Eric' stickers to inform supposedly clueless punters as to the true identity of the 'head domino' on the sprawling 2LP set. In fact I've always thought that "Layla..." feels more like the studio double-album The Allman Brothers never made rather than a vehicle for Clapton's songs of love, passion and longing.

It opens with the mid-tempo but fairly nondescript "I Looked Away" - Clapton and Whitlock sharing the vocals with Whitlock's second-half-of-the-song croaking coming off the worst. Better is the more melodious "Bell Bottom Blues" – Clapton doubling up those guitars so well and that chorus sounding not unlike something released by Badfinger on The Beatles' Apple label. But the proper axe-wielding comes with the six and half minute ruckus of "Keep On Growing" where Clapton spends much of the song endlessly racing up and down the frets of several guitars – it's impressively dense, rocking and even a tad flashy. Time for some Blues to end Side 1 – the band call on a Jimmie Cox song made famous in 1929 by Bessie Smith on a Columbia 78" - "Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out". It's the first time the distinctive slide of Duane Allman shows – and along with Whitlock's organ – they anchor every tune thereafter with great flits and licks - feeling like the second guitarist Clapton has always needed by his side.

The acoustic ditty "I Am Yours" has come in for some stick over the years but I'd argue its pretty (if not a little overly hissy here). "Anyday" is surely one of the great moments on the album – six and half minutes of Allman and Clapton on fire. Things lighten up considerably with the barroom boogie of Big Bill Broonzy's "Key To The Highway" – the band flexing their playing muscles for 9:38 minutes and enjoying it. Side 3 opens on another Clapton/Whitlock winner and future concert fave – the re-recorded "Tell The Truth". The album version of this guitar boogie weighs in at 6:30 minutes and is more measured than the frantic shorter original Phil Spector produced for the "All Things Must Pass" sessions (the 3:23 minute original recorded in June 1970 was slotted in for a supposed UK 7" single release in September 1970 but that was hastily withdrawn (that version is on Disc 2). "Tell..." is followed by the manic pace of "Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad?" - but it's resolutely trounced by the side finisher – "Have You Ever Loved A Woman". Recorded 2 September 1970 with Duane Allman taking on the 2nd solo – it's a blistering piece of Rock Blues from the pen of Billy Myles (made famous by Freddie King in 1961 on King Records). Clapton sings the "...so much you tremble in pain..." lyrics with such passion that you can literally feel it translate to his fingers – fabulous stuff and next to the title track – surely one of the album's true highlights.

But Side 4 opens with yet another sweetie – a Soulful ramshackle take on Jimi Hendrix's beautiful ballad "Little Wing". We get an "...ok hit it..." silly inclusion of the Chuck Willis hit on Atlantic Records "It's Too Late" which definitely feels like a throwaway. The title track however is another matter. The intense and forbidden love that dominates the lyrics of "Layla" may have come from the translation of the 12th Century Persian poet Nizami Ganjavi whose book speaks of the same. The duelling guitars of Allman and Clapton have become the stuff of legend in this seven-minute Rock Opus – and even to this day "Layla" sounds amazing – especially that wonderful keyboard break half way through. Following the album's release November 1970 in the USA but just prior to its issue in the UK (December 1970) – Polydor and Atco pulled what should have been their ace in the hole 45 – "Layla" b/w "Bell Bottom Blues". But alarmingly it garnished little attention on either side of the pond – genuinely odd nowadays considering what a classic the A-side was and is - and how ingrained into our musical psyche "Layla" as a song truly is. Just outside the Top 50 on initial release in the USA (51) – it would take until June 1972 for the song to get real chart action on reissue (Atco 6809) when it peaked at No. 10. A solo Eric Clapton Acoustic 'unplugged' version went even higher to No. 2 in October 1997 when he radically reworked the song to spectacular effect. The 1970 double album ends of another song that's been slagged off down through the years as sappy and even trite "Thorn Tree In The Garden" – a Bobby Whitlock original sung with his slightly annoying croak. I've always liked it and think the song as pretty an acoustic tune as you're ever likely to hear.

DISC 2 (Bonus Tracks):

It opens with a fantastic find – three members of the band doing a slide acoustic take on Little Walter's "Mean Old World". Clapton and Allman share bluesy guitar licks while Jim Gordon plays Drums (Eric sings Lead) – and it sounds utterly amazing. Two obvious Derek & The Dominoes exclusions from the 1990 '20th Anniversary' Edition 3CD set and not on the 2004 SACD reissue either were the stand alone single "Tell The Truth" b/w "Roll It Over" which I mentioned earlier. Polydor UK tried the original version of "Tell The Truth" (Track 3 on Disc 2) as a 7" single in September 1970 (Polydor 2058 087) with the non-album Clapton/Whitlock original "Roll It Over" (Track 2 on Disc 2) on the flipside – but then withdrew it at the band's insistence. Both tracks were originally recorded at Abbey Road in June 1970 for George Harrison's "All Things Must Pass" sessions. Both sides are produced by PHIL SPECTOR with the A-side "Tell The Truth" being a much shorter 3:23 minute version of the re-recorded 6:30 minute take that would eventually appear on the "Layla" double album. It's also frantically faster (I love it actually). But even "Tell..." is as nothing to the totally brilliant flipside "Roll It Over". Unlike the A – the B-side included the stellar talents of GEORGE HARRISON of The Beatles and DAVE MASON of Traffic both on Vocals and Guitar. Clapton takes lead vocals while Carl Radle plays Bass with Jim Gordon on Drums. What a winner this is...and collectable on so many fronts...

The live stuff on the Johnny Cash Show features an introduction by the mighty Johnny when he name-checks all four band-members (sans Duane Allman). The audio is far better than I thought it would be and Eric's playing very fluid especially on the stunning second track "Got To Get Better In A Little While" – a non Layla side that sees Clapton funking-out on Guitar much to the clapping audience's enthusiasm (screams for more). They return with Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash to do a cover of Perkin's boppin' classic "Matchbox". After an introduction and a vocal appreciation from Cash and Clapton – they launch into a joyous take of the song The Beatles loved and recorded. "...I'm an old poor boy and I'm a long way from home..." Cash and Perkins sing as Clapton lays into the most tasteful solo (its fabulous stuff). Then Eric agrees to do another song (huge applause) and pulls out the EC/Leon Russell original "Blues Power" where he and the band give the crowd six and half minutes of what they want.

As if these goodies aren't enough to put the release into five-star status – we get even more brilliance – 6 outtakes from the aborted 2nd LP recorded in London April/May 1971. "Snake Lake Blues" is an instrumental that you can't help feel was probably waiting for lyrics that never came. But whatever way you look it – Clapton's playing on "Snake..." is fantastic and the remastered audio just kicking (clear, warm and full). The same applies to a wickedly good version of Willie Dixon's "Evil" which he'd return to on his solo LPs. Fans will double take at the identikit Dobro sound on "Mean Old Frisco" – practically a doppelganger for the sound of the version that would turn up a full seven years later on Clapton's "Slowhand" LP. The same stunning audio (remixed by Andy Johns) applies to the superb acoustic boogie of "One More Chance" and the two ramshackle but wildly exciting versions of that Johnny Cash show stopper – "Got To Get Better In A Little While". The first is a Funky Jam instrumental at just under four minutes (utterly brilliant) while the full 6:05 minutes version has Bobby Whitlock's vocal mixed into it in September 2010 – a seamless job done too – wow!

For the insatiable there's even a Super Deluxe Edition version of this "Layla" reissue that gathers up the double live set that followed the album (sans Duane Allman), Surround Mixes, Single Sides and an awful lot of other stuff.

But if you want the short sharp shock – then this double-dose 2011 DELUXE EDITION of "Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs" is a superlative reminder of why people painted Derek's name on walls once upon a time..

"Crime Of The Century" by SUPERTRAMP (2014 Universal/A&M '40th Anniversary' 2CD DELUXE EDITION – Ray Staff Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Nobody's Fool..."

Last time I played Supertramp's 1974 breakthrough album "Crime Of The Century" - it was the Greg Calbi Remaster of 2002 – and along with his stunning transfer of "Breakfast In America" in 2010 – I thought I'd heard all I needed to hear.

But the big draw in 2014 for Tramp fans will be a double-dip - Remaster Engineer of the moment RAY STAFF - and a decent-sounding concert of near eighty-minutes from that most productive of times for this most British of bands. 

Staff handled the 2013 Remaster of Bowie's 1973 LP "Aladdin Sane" and the stunning 2015 "Five Years: 1969 to 1973" 12CD Box Set - both to huge critical acclaim – bringing life and new warmth to a catalogue that's been done to death over the years. In fact Staff's name (like Steve Wilson of Porcupine Tree) has become synonymous with care – less flash and more subtlety - dig out those nuances and let them breathe. And for this 40th Anniversary 2CD DELUXE EDITION of Supertramp's 1974 audiophile masterpiece "Crime Of The Century" – that’s pretty much what you get. Let’s get behind the bars of this wickedly good reissue...

UK and US released December 2014 – "Crime Of The Century: Deluxe Edition" by SUPERTRAMP on Universal/A&M Records 0600753307885 (Barcode is the same) is a '40th Anniversary' 2CD Remaster and plays out as follows:

Disc 1 (44:20 minutes):

1. School [Lead Vocals Roger Hodgson and Richard Davies]

2. Bloody Well Right [Lead Vocals Richard Davies]

3. Hide In Your Shell [Lead Vocals Roger Hodgson]

4. Asylum [Lead Vocals Richard Davies]

5. Dreamer [Lead Vocals Roger Hodgson] - Side 2

6. Rudy [Lead Vocals Richard Davies and Roger Hodgson]

7. If Everyone Was Listening [Lead Vocals Roger Hodgson]

8. Crime Of The Century [Lead Vocals Richard Davies]

Tracks 1 to 8 are their 3rd album "Crime Of The Century" – released September 1974 in the UK on A&M Records AMLS 68258 and November 1974 in the USA on A&M SP 3647. Roger Hodgson and Richard Davies wrote all the songs with Strings arranged by Richard Hewson. KEN SCOTT and JOHN JANSEN engineered the album with KEN SCOTT producing in conjunction with the band. "Crime Of The Century" peaked at No. 4 in the UK album charts (November 1974) and No. 38 in the US (December 1974).

Disc 2 – "Live At The Hammersmith Odeon, March 9th 1975" (73:58 minutes):

1. School

2. Bloody Well Right

3. Hide In Your Shell

4. Asylum

5. Sister Moonshine

6. Just A Normal Day

7. Another Man's Woman

8. Lady

9. A – You're Adorable

10. Dreamer

11. Rudy

12. If Everyone Was Listening

13. Crime Of The Century

SUPERTRAMP was:

ROGER HODGSON – Vocals, Guitars, Pianos

RICHARD DAVIES – Vocals, Keyboards, Harmonics

JOHN ANTHONY HELLIWELL – Saxophones, Clarinets, Vocals

DOUGIE THOMSON – Bass

BOB C. BENBERG – Drums, Percussion

The glossy gatefold digipak folds out to reveal those familiar snaps of our boys standing naked with their top-hat and tails in hand – staring upwards at the stars in the sky. It’s also nice to see that the lyric insert that came with originals of the LP is fully reproduced in the booklet – including its  'who sings lead on what track' colour-coded typeface. The 24-page booklet also has genuinely enlightening liner notes from PHIL ALEXANDER (Editor in Chief with The MOJO Magazine) along with period photos of the band, promo items relating to the LP, a rare tour program with Procol Harum and even a January 1974 internal letter from Gil Friersen cautiously optimistic that with the new material – A&M Records might even have a new Led Zeppelin or ELP on their hands.

The new 2014 RAY STAFF/WYNE DAVIES Remaster was done at Air Studios - while the near-audiophile sounding live gig from 1975 was mixed from original tapes by the album's original producer KEN SCOTT. The results are far more measured – almost underwhelming at first. There’s a subtlety to the rhythm section – the bass and drums not as bombastic – yet when the keyboards do kick in – you feel it – very tasteful. Let's get to the music...

Famously taking six months to record in three different studios – and after two failed attempts at capturing the public's affection with "Supertramp" and "Indelibly Stamped" in 1970 and 1971 – it seems all were on board to deliver a third album that would astound and finally realise the band's obvious potential. And they did. UK released in September 1974 - momentum saw the LP finally peak at No. 4 in November with the 7" single "Dreamer" making it to No. 13 the following month (AMS 7152 featured "Bloody Well Right" on the flip-side). Released in February 1975 - the American 45 of "Dreamer" (their first hit Stateside) was even given a picture sleeve (the album cover) - peaking at No. 35 in May of that year on the Pop Charts. The album made No. 38 Stateside in December 1974 but continued to sell steadily into early 1975 due to the single's exposure and positive press...

Even as "School" fades in with that lonesome harmonica wail – you can hear the clarity and when it finally punches in proper after the "...he's coming along..." lyric – the wallop is fantastic. The bass and bottom end is warm and defined – and those brilliant breaks – the guitar solo before the huge piano solo at 3:16 minutes is masterful stuff. After the shared vocals on "School" - Richard Davies takes the lead vocal solo on the caustic and terribly school-British "Bloody Well Right". Fun for sure but I suspect many fans will bypass that for one of the LP's true nuggets "Hide In Your Shell" – 6:47 minutes of pure Supertramp. "...Don't let the tears linger on the inside now..." - the hurting singer pleads – trying to hide internal doubt and pain from a world that doesn't understand its nature. More ambitious mini-opera comes with "Asylum" – those piano notes so beautifully clear. But for me it's always been "Rudy" on Side 2 that puts the album into superstar class. The musical changes – the clever instrumental arrangements – the melodramatic duelling voices half way in – and that sly train announcement from Paddington Station that mentions Redding, Didcot and Swindon – the last two being Richard and Roger's home towns at the time. And of course the wicked piano hook in the final track "Crime Of The Century" – accomplished and undeniable...

The March 1975 live gig features 1974's "Crime Of The Century" in its entirety and a smattering of new tracks from what would have been their 4th album to be released in November of that year - "Crisis? What Crisis?" Despite the near audiophile clarity (they set out to be this way) – I have to admit that I find much of the gig strangely lifeless. The work-in-progress version of "Sister Moonshine" hadn’t as yet featured all those big 12-string guitars at its centre – so it's good rather than being great. The live version however of "Rudy" is mightily impressive as is "Just A Normal Day" and the crowd are loving the whole of Crime's Side 2 finishing the concert is exact chronological order. I've been replaying it these last few days - so maybe it's growing on me...

"Crisis? What Crisis" in 1975 and "Even In The Quietest Moments" in 1977 would cement Supertramp’s grown-up adult Rock rep during the harsh Punk years – only to have the last laugh in 1979 with their mega crossover album "Breakfast In America" - which indeed conquered that continent big time where so many bands before them had tried and failed to do so. 

But it all started here...and this 2014 DE of Supertramp's "Crime Of The Century" (priced at under £8 on Amazon in 2016) is where you should start too...

This review is part of my SOUNDS GOOD Music Book Series. One of those titles is CLASSIC 1970s ROCK - an E-Book with over 245 entries and 2100 e-Pages - purchase on Amazon and search any artist or song (click the link below). Huge amounts of info taken directly from the discs (no cut and paste crap).