Lost/Forgotten Album #323

[Jon]

It's the 52nd album in the series I thought up all by myself and it's also an album that I could swear I had posted before but found out this morning that it hasn't. Kind of strange, but maybe I thought I had since I've mentioned it before? Who knows, but it's about damn time that this album was featured.

Brother Where You Bound, released in 1985, is Supertramp's eighth studio album and the followup to 1982's ...famous last words... which followed the mega-selling Breakfast In America (4x platinum in the US!). FLW didn't fare as well as BIA, only reaching gold status but it did reach #1 in numeroud countries and hit #5 on the US charts.

I was letdown by FLW and really didn't (and still don't) like THAT song since it's quite silly, but listening to it recently I have found that there are some good songs on it, especially the last track. However, it's still a severe dropoff compared to BIA.

I was a little bit hesitant about picking up Brother Where You Bound when it was released, but heard  "Cannonball" somewhere and really liked it so went ahead and picked up the album. Very surprised how much I liked it then and I still really, really like it now. 

"Cannonball"is the only released single that charted, reaching #28 on the US charts but this is less of a singles-type album compared to the previous two. It's a rather dark album and it's back to their earlier prog-rock, especially on the 16+ minute title track which features David Gilmour and Scott Gorham on geetars. 

The album reached #21 on the US charts, the lowest charting album since 1975's Crisis? What Crisis?. However, it did reach the top 5 in numerous countries and was certified platinum in Canada. It did not receive any certification in the US. 

One thing I remember about the vinyl was that it sounded fantastic. The original CD sounded fantastic as well and the remaster (featured here) sounds even better. 

And now for some allmusic.com:

When vocalist-guitarist Roger Hodgson left Supertramp after 1982's ...famous last words..., few could have guessed that the band would continue and solidify its pop-oriented songcraft, let alone re-embrace its progressive-rock roots on 1985's underrated Brother Where You Bound. With vocalist-keyboardist Rick Davies firmly in control -- he wrote all the music and lyrics -- the album examined tensions at the tail end of the Cold War. In a thematic sense, Brother Where You Bound is dated and hasn't aged very well -- Davies' politically oriented lyrics are heavy-handed -- but the music is a pleasure. The crystalline sound of the album, particularly Davies' piano, is breathtaking; kudos to co-producers David Kershenbaum and Supertramp and engineer Norman Hall. The hit single "Cannonball" is a jazz-rock delight, especially in full-length album form. Lyrically, it can be interpreted as Davies' feelings of betrayal at Hodgson's departure, but the piano, percussion and horns are superb. Saxophonist John A. Helliwell, bass guitarist Dougie Thomson, and drummer Bob Siebenberg all contribute vital parts, as does guest trombonist Doug Wintz. "No Inbetween" begins with a lovely, bittersweet percussion (or synthesizer?) and piano melody. "Better Days" is a rather bleak look at the unfulfilled promises of the "good life" in Western society; the dramatic music is highlighted by guest Scott Page's flute solos. The fantastic title track examines Cold War paranoia and clocks in at more than 16 minutes; after the creepy opening narration taken from George Orwell's 1984, the song becomes a composite of several complex prog-rock "movements." Pink Floyd's David Gilmour contributes the searing, distorted guitar solos. Unfortunately, Brother Where You Bound never received the attention it deserved; it isn't a perfect album, but it was a gutsy project for Supertramp to take on.

Brother Where You Bound

1. Cannonball
2. Still In Love
3. No Inbetween
4. Better Days
5. Brother Where You Bound
6. Ever Open Door

Availability: New copy is $5 on Amazon. Pretty cheap!

 

[Scott]

Hodgson did have a hand in this album...  the band actually recorded a version of the title track for FLW but it was ultimately left off...

[Jon]

It was also shorter by around 6 minutes.......

[Scott]

What a great album, what a great band!  At least up until this album....  I think the loss of Hodgson did spark some greatness in a "told ya so" kind of way, it resulted in a very jazzy-prog-rock and roll album.  OK, so No Inbetween is more of a 'Even In The Quietest Moments' tune, but....

Davies really is at his best here, and the band is tight as ever.  But its not far from the roots of the band either.  Though it may stand out as different it fits in the bands catalog nicely.  The band is no stranger to an extended jam, from their beginnings almost all of their albums contain some form of extended jam tunes.

• Cannonball has to be one of the best bass lines ever and multi layered keyboards are not 80's keyboards, its just well written, played, and produced.
  Still In Love is classic Rick Davies
• No Inbetween is the slow burner here, like I said it a "Even In The Quietest Moments" track, but because its sandwiched in between killer tracks it grows on you nicely.
• Better Days is just as stunning in its pop sensibility as it is a slice of time!  The voice overs from the 80's are killer flashback material!
• Brother Where You Bound is just great, and at 16 minutes its got a lot for you to absorb.  The guitar work is distinctly Pink Floyd, so its obvious whos jamming at the end of the tune, but I also understand that Thin Lizzys Scott Gorham played the rhythm on it, so its double infectious!
• Ever Open Door outros you gently its an interesting piece...

Its must own for me!  Fine fine work!!

[RJhog (Admin)]

So that first track is pretty good.  I really like the rhythm guitar.  Still In Love sounds like something I've heard before, I'm not sure.  Parts of it are heavy, like the guitars, while the rest isn't so heavy.  I will say there may be a bit too much sax on this song.  No Inbetween is my favorite track so far.  I do dig how the tracks are sort of faded into each other.  And the piano on this track is terrific.  Excellent song, even the sax.

The politics really start flying with Better Days.  The title track is a very....long....song.   But I like it.  I'm not a big prog fan, but this one is cool.  Again, the sax in the first quarter or so of the song is very good.  The weakest track here is the closer.  Everything else is pretty strong.

I've told my Supertramp story before.  You know, the one where I liked a few of their hits, but had never owned anything by them. Then I noticed that somebody dumped several of them, including this one, at the used CD store.  I also picked up Crime of the Century, Crisis? What Crisis and Even In The Quietest Moments.  I bought Breakfast In America separately from Amazon I believe.  I've really not spent any time of note with any of them, but I do remember enjoying Even In The Quietest Moments.  

So, like Rush, my appreciation for Supertramp has certainly grown since Classic Rock Bottom began business.  Nice post, sorry it took so long for me to get to it.