Supertramp - Slow Motion - 2002
intro
Perhaps you are now asking yourselves why an album like this is reviewed here, an e-zine focused on progressive rock. To be sincere I´m not very sure about the reason why I´m spending my time writing this review. Perhaps is only a heart opening or a group therapy, or perhaps is only a humble contribution because I don´t want that the next generations forget what Supertramp provided to symphonic rock and how far now they are from it.
review
You won´t be surprised if I say that the departure of the brilliant Roger Hodgson was the reason of the free fall of a band that paid a price too high when they began to play mainstream music, specially after the release of "Breakfast in America". Nobody should dare to write a history of progressive rock without including wonderful songs like "Fool´s Overture", "School", "Hide In Your Shell", "Babaji" or "Another Man´s Woman".
conclusion
I don´t want to waste my time writing a review in depth of this new album because the overall style isn´t worthwhile: it´s only pure Rhythm & Blues, songs with predictable structures from beginning to end. The only interest that the very lovers of this guideless ship can find inside this record is discovering some fragments by the great pianist who once composed "Another Man´s Woman" or "The Crime Of The Century" or played the peak of Hodgson´s songs ("School" or "Fool´s Overture" for example); and many reviewers -who earns money from the labels writing foolishness and have no idea- still think that Supertramp hasn´t change because they maintain the same sound of piano. The band tries to increase the level including a track composed in the seventies: "Goldrush". Curiously instead of including a song composed by Hodgson, they have chosen a song in which collaborates... Richard Palmer-James!. I don´t why they constantly try to forget... do they want to bury Supertramp´s spirit?.