Breakfast in America is the Supertramp album containing the most hit songs out of their studio albums
but unlike most popular albums that contain multiple hits, there's not a bad song on the album. The four popular songs got just enough press to conjure memories of past listenings without making the listener hate the songs. Even today the songs still live on, some songs in better ways than others. I think we've all heard that dumbass Gym Class Heroes song "Cupid's Chokehold" and it's criminally banal use of a riff from the title song of Breakfast in America and I think even people who barely listen to music can say that they've heard "The Logical Song". Then there are the two less popular but still recognizable hits "Goodbye Stranger" and "Take the long way home" which are some of the album's highest points.It's pretty amazing what Rick Davies and Roger Hodgson can do with their wonky little Wurlitzer pianos. Songs like "Goodbye Stranger" are carried more by their piano playing and falsetto vocals than any guitar, drum, or bass that might be playing alongside. This album seems to me to embody the sound of Supertramp better than any of their others. There are plenty of songs dominated by keyboards and others that include more wind instruments and guitar, giving other band members chances to shine. The thing about Supertramp, and this album in particular, is the ballad style they choose which unlike lots of 70s rock places vocals and songwriting over elaborate guitar solos. Don't get me wrong, I love me some guitar solo but when I'm in the mood for more mellow, lyric-driven music, I've always got a friend in Supertramp.
I'd rate Breakfast in America high on any music-lover's list because even if you don't enjoy Supertramp as much as I do (especially the still excellent but less accessible albums like Even in the quietest moments and ...Famous Last Words...) you should at least find something special for you on this album.
I picked it up, in good condition, for five dollars US.
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