Breakfast in America

Category: Music

Average customer rating:

Format: Import
Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1
EAN: 4988005402417
ASIN: B000AA7BNY

Release Date: 2005-09-27

Breakfast in America

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Album Description

Limited edition Japanese pressing of the 1979 album. With Breakfast in America, Supertramp had a genuine blockbuster hit, topping the charts for four weeks in the U.S. and selling millions of copies worldwide; by the 1990s, the album had sold over 18 million units across the world. Although their previous records had some popular success, they never even hinted at the massive sales of Breakfast in America. Then again, Supertramp's earlier records weren't as pop-oriented as Breakfast. The majority of the album consisted of tightly written, catchy, well-constructed pop songs, like the hits 'The Logical Song', 'Take the Long Way Home', and 'Goodbye Stranger.'. Supertramp still had a tendency to indulge themselves occasionally, but Breakfast in America had very few weak moments. It was clearly their high-water mark. A&M. 2005.

Customer Reviews:

Non-Remastered Version from Japan.......2006-09-27

Several decades ago FM was where all the good music was played. AM was all pop, hype and commercials. However, occasionally powerful FM groups crossed from the relative obscurity of FM rock to AM rock, and when they were able to do so while retaining a measure of their artistic values the end result was usually either a killer song or a killer album; "Breakfast in America" is just such an album.

How often do you see reviews raving about how great a song or album is? Very frequently. How often does the hype meet reality? Occasionally. In the case of this album the creativity and originality are incredibly high. A harmonica, clarinet, saxophone, piano and a score of other instruments are combined in a completely unique way with the vocals of two strong lead singers, creative lyrics and music to yield a work of musical art that became Supertramp's biggest seller and among their most readily accessible music.

The vocal duties throughout the album are shared by Roger Hodgson and Richard Davies. The voice differences between the two singers provide a unique vocal contrast well-exploited on songs such as "Gone Hollywood." The music is frequently pop, but the lyrics are highly poetic and complex, and rarely evoke throw away pop lyrics.

The album spawned four hit singles, "The Logical Song," "Goodbye Stranger," "Breakfast in America," and "Take the Long Way Home." While the songs came across as pop, consider "The Logical Song." The complexity of the music shows its progressive rock influence. In one place the lyrics are:

There are times when all the world's asleep,
the questions run too deep
for such a simple man.
won't you please, please tell me what we've learned
I know it sounds absurd
but please tell me who I am.

Lyrics such as these are far from throw away pop lyrics and remind us of the progressive roots of Supertramp.

While every song on this CD is a gem, there are a number of unique moments. During "Goodbye Stranger" there is a whistling accompaniment, and the whistling is incredibly pure and beautiful. The harmonica introduction to "Take the Long Way Home" is excellent and well-performed. Very few people would consider the harmonica to be an instrument for a rock song. There are also several places where Supertramp effectively reminds listeners that the piano is a percussion instrument.

As powerful as much of the music is on this CD there are quite a few moments where the instruments are all acoustic and the song is quite mellow. The introduction to "Lord Is It Mine" with quiet singing and piano is one excellent example. Yet the song is decidedly rock.

Given that Supertramp started as a progressive rock group, it would have been unusual to create an album without at least one strongly progressive song; "Child of Vision" is that song. There is an excellent extended bridge in this seven plus minute song where the background music and piano are in counterpoint, and where the piano is once again effectively used as a percussion instrument. This song is my favorite from the CD. However, I enjoy progressive rock and this song is the most clearly progressive song on the CD.

There are moments in musical time where a group passes through a creative point where the music matches the sentiment of a broad range of listeners. Often those moments are when multiple musical styles are combined to create a fresh sound. "Breakfast in America" was one of those moments.

IT'S NOT REMASTERED !.......2006-05-20

This production is not remastered and sound exactly as the first print
of A&M (1990). The current "remastered" version is far away better.
I don't belive that it is a new coming out in Japan even if it's said to be 2005.

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