Crime Of The Century
Supertramp
1974
Album Summary
Crime of the Century is the third studio album by the English rock band Supertramp, released in September 1974 on A&M Records. Crime of the Century was Supertramp's commercial breakthrough in many countries, most notably in the UK, Canada and Germany where it peaked in the Top 5 while also making the Top 20 in Australia and France. It was an improvement over their previous sales in the US, but still only peaked at No. 38, with the US hit being "Bloody Well Right". "School" was another popular track, particularly at album rock-oriented radio stations. The album was eventually certified Gold in the US in 1977 after the release of Even in the Quietest Moments.... In Canada, it was eventually certified Diamond (sales of one million copies). The album was Supertramp's first to feature drummer Bob Siebenberg (at the time credited as Bob C. Benberg), saxophone and clarinet player and vocalist John Helliwell, bassist Dougie Thomson, and co-producer Ken Scott. The album has received critical acclaim, including its inclusion in Rolling Stone's "50 Greatest Prog Rock Albums of All Time".The album's dedication reads "To Sam", which is a nickname for Stanley August Miesegaes, the Dutch millionaire who supported the band financially from 1969 to 1972.
WikipediaThe intersection of prog and yacht rock, with Pink Floyd influences doing the heavy lifting. Couple of hits; indulgent.
Some really great, fun tracks on here, especially Asylum - very up my street. I can't decide, either I really like Supertramp, or I hate Iron Maiden so much I was just relieved not to have to sit through another one.
I tried. I promise I tried, but couldn’t find any that interest me in this album
A comprehensive lesson that no matter how many pro forma riffs, piano tinklings and horns you squash together, they're still pro forma. But a lesson no one needed.
If you were to say this album kills I’d say “you’re bloody well right”.
What an introduction. Davies' wailing harmonica was so good, they used that instrument as the main intro to side two of Breakfast. "School" shows us exactly where they were in '74 - bridging the gap between prog and pop. What follows is a great album, showing us some serious rock, those Wurlitzer pianos, some thumping good rhythm, and a balance between art, rock and pop that few bands have managed. Somehow Hodgson's voice doesn't annoy, while Davies always has that extra bit of bite that makes him one of my favourites. Then it finishes with those piano chords! Simple, unadorned, powerful, memorable. So what do you do? Turn it over and listen again. Oh yes.... probably the best cover of any album, ever.
Classic Supertramp here, wonderful mild MOR Prog Rock with some excellent tunes my Favourite being "School" "Rudy" "Hide In Your Shell" but there isn't a bad track on this Album. I remember the first time I heard this album, it was 1975 in a friends bedroom and we sat pondering on what the words to Rudy and "Bloody Well Right" were all about... Ah twas such a simpler time! Now the lyrics of songs need no debate!
This is the reason I started doing this 1001 albums thing in the first place. I feel like my music exposure is very limited and I'm sure there are lots of artists out there that I'd never actually give a chance. I'm worried a bit that I like this one BECAUSE I've panned the others so hard but I do feel like FINALLY we have an album I'd listen to again of my own free will. I especially liked "Dreamer" and "Rudy" but I bet on after a couple more playthroughs I'd like a few others too. I don't know that I loved this album but I do feel like this is something that I could enjoy while partaking. I think I'm gonna go listen to Supertramp greatest hits.
I acknowledge that Supertramp can come off as kind of cheesy sometimes do to the production, but I have always really enjoyed them. Some really excellent musicianship and honestly the have some really unique ideas. Really fun to listen to an album of theirs I had never heard before. Favorite tracks: “If Everyone Was Listening” and “Crime of the Century”
Supertramp is a pretty weird band to me. They keep getting suggested to me on Spotify playlist because Spotify believes I should really like them. Sometimes I do, but sometimes their songs really annoy me and I skip them. Anyway, first time I'm listening to an entire album by them and it still feels sort of weird to me. Like I almost like them really much and they're almost exactly my cup of tea, but then something is slightly off and it makes them simply OK instead of awesome. I think this is a 3.5 for me. I'll round it up because I really like the ambitiousness of this album, which I didn't get as much of a sense of on the individual tracks I've heard by them.
This album makes a case for two of my pet theories: 1) bands thrive when they have at least two songwriters with widely different sensibilities in the group, and 2) bands tend to produce their best work when they spend alot of time together in a remote location in the country/woods. This album is a wonderful balance of melodic pop sheen and just the right amount of rock umph. All packaged in sophisticated prog structures with some really nice atmospheric touches throughout. Sure sounds like a concept album even though it may not be one.
4.4 - This is a rare prog rock record I really enjoyed and could see myself revisiting. Similar to other records in the genre, there's loads of production but despite the bombast, Supertramp exhibits something that eludes many other prog rock acts: restraint. Movements within songs feel cohesive to the whole. Relative to other prog rock records, instrument layers aren't crammed on top of one another. Rather, they are arranged strategically to accentuate melodies against a relatively spare background. I use the word "relative" frequently here because, again, there's still plenty of prog rock excess. Still, the record comes together nicely as a continuous 45 minute listen.
This is the kind of stuff I associate with bad Prog-Rock. Really don't care for any of it, not my thing.
Come on guys! I mean seriously! Some tracks are nearly interesting prog, then bland soft rock moments kick in. I don’t think there’s a single track that I find good start to finish. And some of the longer tracks are really boring. Dreamer is OK if a touch longer than needed. Not a super album.
A couple of decent tracks but the rest is a meandering mess of self-indulgence. Not a patch on their later masterpiece: Breakfast in America.
p325. 1974. 2 stars Straight up I have to say I have always hated Roger Hodgson's voice. Every time he opens his mouth I just want to punch him to make him shut it. It's like chalk being drawn down a board. I also don't like electric piano, which is a major part of the band sound. And somehow the cheesy sax makes things 10 times worse. So, this album starts at a major disadvantage. Shame really as musically its OK, tight clean production, but suffers badly from prog-rock wank solo pretentions. And as usual with mid 70s albums, a lot of the songs outstay their welcome. Well done of its kind, and some good tunes, but that voice and tinkly piano... ffs. 2 stars.
Take the blandest thing about most popular '70s bands, like Pink Floyd, Steely Dan, Rush, 10cc, Eagles, and Led Zeppelin. Mix it all together and now you have a hit-and-miss album, most of which are misses.
Really promising album need to listen more but really liked it first listen through
Supertramp just stands out as having their own sound during a time when so much music sounded the same. This album is fantastic.
I’ve always listened to their singles, but this album is singlehandedly the best i’ve heard supertramp ever. amazing.
Epic, some Pink Floyd in there but i think it’s just the theme and the vocals
I knew a lot more of these songs that I thought I would. This is one of those bands that I've heard the name a lot but would never be able to name a song by them. Favorite so far (I know we have a long way to go).
This album is amazing! My most favorite track is Rudy (it's so 70s) and I hella love the temp changes. I also really like If Everyone Was Listening and Dreamer. Sick sounds, would listen again.
Астрологи объявили неделю максимализма, так что ставлю 5. Возможно, возник сильный контраст с прошлым альбомом, но даже и без него чуется, что тут мы слышим то, что именуется настоящей музыкой. Насыщенной, комплексной, гармоничной, эмоциональной, разнообразной, цепляющей... вот это вот всё. Конечно, несколько прослушиваний для оценки прог- альбома обычно маловато. Но тут осознаю, что как минимум первый и последний трек прям залипалово годное. Да ёбаный в рот, в списке это пока первый исполнитель вне моего жёсткого диска, с кем бы хотелось ознакомиться поближе. Возможно, с неоправданными ожиданиями, возможно, с разочарованием, но это уже не так важно.
Great album top to bottom. School, bloody well right, Asylum and so on. Great instrumentals on piano, harmonica, guitar etc accompanied by big vocals ands sharp lyrics. Will definitely revisit this for some new favorite ST songs.
Really enjoyed this one. Lots of cool instruments and sounds. Will definitely listen again. Hard to pick a favourite track, this feels like an album you should listen to all the way through in order. For now I'll pick Bloody Well Right.
New one! Starts off with a western harmonica, cool! Very rocky, yet very chill. Might add it to my Library. Added it to my library. Full of good prog-rock with some rarely heard instruments, at least in rock :D
This really is one of the greatest albums ever written. I just can't get enough of it. Every song is perfectly crafted. Asylum is such a great song, the build up and progression of madness is sublime. Bloody Well Right is a banger to bang all the bangers. The rest are just plain excellent.
Well, this goes without saying this is definitely one of the best albums of all time. It is varied and intersting music, and reminds me of my childhood so much. My dad loves Supertramp and it was always on in the car
One of my first "Favorite Albums". I've loved this thing since I was 11 years old. It was one of my first Amazon purchases, back when they just had books and cds. On a personal level, I feel like it still holds up. It's hard to choose between Bloody Well Right and Dreamer as my favorite. I think I could listen to the musical intro for Bloody Well Right on repeat forever until I die. Every other track is a classic in my eyes (ears?)
What a great pro album. More towards pop than rock and lacking a bit guitar but that gets made up by that great sounding keyboard being prominent
One of the best albums I have listened to in the experiment. Great dynamics and flow within a great run time. The melodies are balanced so well with the effective instrumentation. A perfect prog album.
Utterly brilliant album! I grew up listening to this as from an early age I had access to my older sister's record collection. Then she and the album moved out of the house in the early 80s and for whatever reason CRIME OF THE CENTURY and I failed to ever reunite again. Hearing "School" again instantly took me back and I realized how much I LOVE this album! I'd spent lots of time over the years with Supertramp's BREAKFAST IN AMERICA album or their greatest hits collections, but for whatever reason forgot about this album. The big hits ("Bloody Well Right", "Dreamer", "Crime of the Century") I heard frequently since the 80s, but the other tracks had disappeared from memory. Oh CRIME OF THE CENTURY will you ever forgive me for neglecting you?! What an incredible album this is! And how much have I missed the deep cuts of this album! As soon as I heard them it was like being reunited with a long-lost friend. I am kicking myself for all the lost years! So so so so good as an album! The hits are 100 times better in context. Today I fell back into an even deeper love with this incredible album. Thank you for reuniting me with this amazing record!
This is one that really needs to be experienced with headphones. The dynamic range is wide and listening on speakers I was either straining to hear or clamoring to turn it down. With the headphones, I got more of the subtle sounds and some nice stereo effects. Before this, I was really only familiar with Supertramp's singles and mostly those that featured Roger Hodgson singing lead. That made it hard to fit songs like longtime favorite Bloody Well Right into the Supertramp space in my brain. Listening to this album helped with that, giving me a wider perspective of their work. I enjoyed this record a lot. Most of the songs exceed five and a half minutes and don't stay in one place --- songs I didn't entirely love had parts that I did. Some of the pieces and their theatricality brought to mind Queen and Elton John of the same era. (In fact, parts of Asylum sound so much like Tiny Dancer, that it must be an homage.) I've never really liked the song Dreamer before but I loved it today. Today I recognized a little countermelody near the end and it took a minute to place --- Rodger Hodgson included it as part of the soundscape introduction to his 1984 solo single Had a Dream, another of my favorites. And that glockenspiel at the end! Yes! Glad to have listened to this for the songs I knew and the songs that were new to me. Lots to dig into here and it definitely makes me want to hear more from Supertramp.
Great album, really strong start with the first 3 tracks, Rudy good in the middle and then Crime of the Century brings it to a great close.
I remember this album was still massively popular throughout the 80s and of course for good reasons: classic album from the 70s when Supertramp released a whole string of these perfect popalbums.
Magic, pure magic. I'm still in disbelief - how has such a work of art gone under my radar for so long? Compositions developed to the point I kept forgetting it's not a symphonic orchestra. Crime Of The Century earned it's place in my heart. One of the best findings of 1001. Highlight: Rudy
Love this album! I only ever recalled Supertramp from 'jokey' songs but there's some seriously good gems on this. (Bloody Well Right)
En av de råeste åpningene på album jeg kjenner til. Bloody well right så bloody weell tight. 5/7. det som er nytt for meg, er at sangene på dette albumet faktisk kommer fra ett og samme album, og hvor gode de blir når man hører de i kronologisk rekkefølge. Dette albumet er sinnsykt bra. Skal høres igjen. Og igjen.
This is a great album and reminds me of my teenage years listening at Grant’s whacked off our heads. RIP mate
I really didn’t expect this but I really resonated with some of the lyrics in quite a strange way and the songs themselves were great especially: Opener school which starts off as very slow but then expands into full on funk. Hide in your shell probably made me think the most about a certain time in my life so that one came across as quite beautiful. Asylum again has amazing lyrics and it ends on this theatrical close which is perfect to end side one. If everyone was listening has the best chorus with thundering drums juxtaposed with a pretty piano. Crime of the century is a great album closer ending on this amazing instrumental so theatrical. I loved this so much 5/5.
Artful, prog pop. With playful melodies, unique instrumentation, duel lead singers and interesting lyrics.
El renaixement creatiu que va fer la banda des dels seus dos primers discos a aquest tercer és un dels grans misteris de la història del rock. Dos discos de rock pausat, interessant però genèric, evolucionen en un rock mig progressiu mig dur amb melodies que no s'obliden i cançons tan perfectes com 'Hide in Your Shell' o 'School'. 50 anys després, el nom de la banda s'ha oblidat una mica, però el que van fer amb 'Crime of the Century' i les seves 4 obres posteriors és a l'abast de poquíssims artistes
This album is simply incredible! All songs are a vibe and everything is so polished. Solos of Harmonica and Synth mix perfectly with guitars and voice and creates a master piece
I was familiar with Supertramp, but less familiar with their early prog rock. 'Breakfast in America' is obviously their most well known album, but this is a super solid, enjoyable prog rock album. The songs blend together nicely and the lead singer's voice is unique and brings an interesting sound to the album. Nothing too over the top to turn me off like with some prog rock, I can see myself coming back to this again and again.
This was pretty solid. I had been wanting to get into Supertramp for ages, but now I have a reason to!