Even in the Quietest Moments...

Even in the Quietest Moments… is the fifth album by the English rock band Supertramp, released in April 1977. It was recorded mainly at Caribou Ranch Studios in Colorado with overdubs, vocals, and mixing completed at The Record Plant in Los Angeles. This was Supertramp's first album to use engineer Peter Henderson, who would work with the band for their next three albums as well.

Even in the Quietest Moments…
Studio album by Supertramp
Released	10 April 1977
Recorded	November 1976 – January 1977
Studio	Caribou Ranch, Nederland, CO and Record Plant Studios, Los Angeles
Genre	Progressive rock
Length	43:27
Label	A&M
Producer	Supertramp
Supertramp chronology
Crisis? What Crisis? (1975) Even in the Quietest Moments… (1977) Breakfast in America (1979)
Singles from Even in the Quietest Moments...
"Give a Little Bit" Released: May 1977 "Babaji" Released: November 1977

Even in the Quietest Moments… reached number 16 on the Billboard Pop Albums Chart in 1977 and within a few months of release became Supertramp's first Gold (500,000 copies or more) selling album in the US. In addition, "Give a Little Bit" became a US Top 20 single and reached number 29 on the UK Singles Chart.[1] While "Give a Little Bit" was the big hit, both "Fool's Overture" and the title track also got a fair amount of FM album-rock play.

In 1978, Even in the Quietest Moments… was ranked 63rd in The World Critic Lists, which recognised the 200 greatest albums of all time as voted for by notable rock critics and DJs.[2]

Background and recording

Though all the songs are credited as being written jointly by Rick Davies and Roger Hodgson, Davies wrote "Lover Boy", "Downstream", and "From Now On" by himself, and Hodgson in turn wrote "Give a Little Bit", "Even in the Quietest Moments", "Babaji", and "Fool's Overture" unaided.[3]

Davies said of "Lover Boy" that "I was inspired by advertisements in men's magazines telling you how to pick up women. You know, you send away for it and it's guaranteed not to fail. If you haven't slept with at least five women in two weeks, you can get your money back." Bob Siebenberg recounted that "Rick had been working on 'Lover Boy' for quite a while and finally came up with the long middle section. I just heard that as a really slow, really solid sort of beat, just to give the song dynamics underneath it all, because the song itself is really powerful and it needed something really solid underneath it."[3]

Most of "Even in the Quietest Moments" was written during the sound check for a show at the Tivoli Gardens (in Copenhagen). Davies and Hodgson worked out the various parts of the song with Hodgson seated at an Oberheim string synthesiser and Davies at the drum kit.[4] Davies commented on the music: "It starts off in a very standard melody thing and then it notches onto a sort of one chord progression or perhaps we should call it a digression. It's a thing where there's hundreds of sounds coming in and going out, a whole collage thing."[3] Hodgson said of the lyrics: "It's kind of a dual love song – it could be to a girl or it could be to God."[3]

"Downstream" is performed solely by Davies on vocal and piano, which were recorded together in one take. Siebenberg has described the song as his favourite on the album "because it's so personal and so pure."[3]

"Fool's Overture" had the working title of "The String Machine Epic", and according to John Helliwell: "It came primarily from a few melodies that Roger had worked out on the string machine thing we use on stage."[3] Hodgson has stated that the song's lyrics are essentially meaningless, explaining: "I like being vague and yet saying enough to set people's imaginations running riot."[3]

This album is unique in the Supertramp discography as none of the songs features the band's trademark Wurlitzer electric piano. However, a Fender Rhodes piano was used during a short section of "From Now On".

Artwork

The front cover is an unusual photo of an actual snow-covered piano and bench with a scenic mountain peak backdrop—an actual, but gutted, grand piano was brought to the Eldora Mountain Resort (a ski area near Caribou Ranch Studios)—which was left overnight and photographed after a fresh snow.[5] The sheet music on the piano, though titled "Fool's Overture", is actually "The Star-Spangled Banner".

A remastered CD version of the album with full original artwork, lyrics, and credits restored (including the inner sleeve picture of the band absent from the original CD) was released on 11 June 2002 on A&M Records in the US.

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[6]
Christgau's Record Guide	C+[7]

In Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies (1981), Robert Christgau remarked that, unlike most progressive rock, which is "pretentious background schlock that's all too hard to ignore", the album is "modest background schlock that sounds good when it slips into the ear."[7]

Allmusic gave a mixed retrospective review of the album, calling it "elegant yet mildly absurd, witty but kind of obscure," but adding that it "places a greater emphasis on melody and gentle textures than any previous Supertramp release." They criticised the album as not being "full formed," but marked "Give a Little Bit," "Lover Boy," "Fool's Overture," and "From Now On" as worthy of praise.[6]

Track listing

All songs credited to Rick Davies and Roger Hodgson. Listed below are the actual writers, also lead singers of their songs.

Side one

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Give a Little Bit"	Roger Hodgson	4:08
2.	"Lover Boy"	Rick Davies	6:49
3.	"Even in the Quietest Moments"	Hodgson	6:26
4.	"Downstream"	Davies	4:00
Total length:			21:23

Side two

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Babaji"	Hodgson	4:51
2.	"From Now On"	Davies	6:21
3.	"Fool's Overture"	Hodgson	10:52
Total length:			22:04

1997 and 2002 A&M reissue

The 1997 and 2002 A&M Records reissues were mastered from the original master tapes by Greg Calbi and Jay Messina at Sterling Sound, New York, in 1997 and 2002. The reissues were supervised by Bill Levenson with art direction by Vartan and design by Mike Diehl, with production coordination by Beth Stempel.

Both the 1997 and 2002 remasters are heavily criticised by audiophiles who claim they were mastered too loud as part of the "loudness war" mastering trend. Also the song "Lover Boy" was edited and is missing a couple of bars.

Personnel

Supertramp

• Rick Davies – piano (1, 2, 4, 6, 7), clavinet (1), organ (3, 6), Wurlitzer electric piano (6), Moog and Oberheim synthesizers (2, 3, 5, 7), Melodica (6), lead (2, 4, 6) and backing vocals;
• Roger Hodgson – 12-string guitar (1, 3), electric guitar (1, 2, 5, 6), piano (5, 7), pump organ (7), Elka synthesizer (7), lead (1, 3, 5, 7) and backing vocals;
• John Helliwell – saxophones (1, 2, 5, 6, 7), clarinet (3, 5, 7), backing vocals;
• Dougie Thomson – bass guitar (all except 4);
• Bob Siebenberg (credited as Bob C. Benberg) – drums and percussion (all except 4).

Additional musicians

• Gary Mielke – Oberheim programming

Production

• Supertramp – producers, orchestral arrangements
• Peter Henderson – engineer
• Russel Pope – engineer
• Tom Anderson – assistant engineer, remixing
• Tom Likes – assistant engineer
• Steve Smith – assistant engineer
• Geoff Emerick – mixing engineer
• Frank DeLuna – mastering on original LP
• Greg Calbi – remastering
• Jay Messina – remastering
• Gary Mielke – programming
• Michel Colombier, Supertramp – orchestral arrangements
• Mike Doud – art direction and design
• Kenneth McGowan – photography
• Bob Seidemann – photography

Charts

Weekly charts Chart Peak position Australian Kent Music Report[8] 5 Canadian RPM Albums Chart[9] 1 Dutch Albums Chart[10] 1 French SNEP Albums Chart[11] 4 German Media Control Albums Chart[12] 14 New Zealand Albums Chart[13] 2 Norwegian Albums Chart[14] 3 Swedish Albums Chart[15] 5 UK Albums Chart[16] 12 US Billboard 200[17] 16 US CashBox Top 100[18] 19 Year-end charts Chart (1977) Position Australia (Kent Music Report)[19] 7 Canadian Albums Chart[20] 7 Dutch Albums Chart[21] 4 French Albums Chart[22] 7 US Billboard 200[23] 41 Certifications and sales Region Certification Certified units/sales Canada (Music Canada)[24] Platinum 100,000^^ France (SNEP)[25] Platinum 387,200[26] Germany (BVMI)[27] Gold 250,000^^ Netherlands (NVPI)[28] 2× Gold 100,000^^ Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[29] Platinum 50,000^^ United Kingdom (BPI)[30] Silver 60,000^^ United States (RIAA)[31] Gold 500,000^^ ^^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

1. Rice, Tim; Paul Gambaccini; Jonathan Rice (1995). British Hit Singles. London: Guinness Superlatives. p. 303. ISBN 0-85112-633-2.
2. The World Critic Lists. 1978. Archived at rocklistmusic.co.uk
3. Melhuish, Martin (1986). The Supertramp Book. Toronto, Canada: Omnibus Press. pp. 119–137. ISBN 0-9691272-2-7.
4. Melhuish, Martin (1986). The Supertramp Book. Toronto, Canada: Omnibus Press. p. 111. ISBN 0-9691272-2-7.
5. Hurwitz, Matt (3 April 2018). "Classic Tracks: Supertramp's "Give a Little Bit"". Mixonline. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
6. Even in the Quietest Moments... at AllMusic
7. Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: S". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved 13 March 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
8. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
9. "Top Albums/CDs – Volume 27, No. 7". RPM. 14 May 1977. Archived from the original (PHP) on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
10. "dutchcharts.nl Supertramp – Even in the Quietest Moments…" (ASP). Hung Medien (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
11. "InfoDisc : Tous les Albums classés par Artiste > Choisir Un Artiste Dans la Liste" (in French). infodisc.fr. Archived from the original on 6 May 2013. Retrieved 1 June 2013.Note: user must select 'Supertramp' from drop-down.
12. "Album Search: Supertramp – Even in the Quietest Moments…" (ASP) (in German). Media Control. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
13. "charts.nz Supertramp – Even in the Quietest Moments…" (ASP). Hung Medien. Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
14. "norwegiancharts.com Supertramp – Even in the Quietest Moments…" (ASP). Retrieved 1 June 2013.
15. "swedishcharts.com Supertramp – Even in the Quietest Moments…" (ASP). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
16. "Supertramp > Artists > Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
17. "allmusic ((( Even in the Quietest Moments… > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums )))". AllMusic. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
18. "CashBox Top 100 Albums" (PDF). CashBox. Vol. XXXIX #7. United States. 2 July 1977. p. 61. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
19. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 429. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
20. "RPM Top 100 Albums of 1977". RPM. 31 December 1977. Archived from the original on 5 April 2014. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
21. "Dutch charts jaaroverzichten 1977" (in Dutch). Archived from the original (ASP) on 12 May 2014. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
22. "Les Albums (CD) de 1977 par InfoDisc" (in French). infodisc.fr. Archived from the original (PHP) on 21 February 2014. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
23. "Top Pop Albums of 1977". Billboard. Retrieved 12 August 2011.
24. "Canadian album certifications – Supertramp – Even in the Quietest Moments". Music Canada. Retrieved 1 June 2012.
25. "French album certifications – Supertramp – Even in the Quietest Moments" (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved 1 June 2012. Select SUPERTRAMP and click OK. 
26. "Les Albums Platine :". Infodisc.fr (in French). Archived from the original on 25 December 2013. Retrieved 1 June 2012.
27. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Supertramp; 'Even in the Quietest Moments')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 1 June 2012.
28. "Supetramp Gets Gold" (PDF). Cash Box. 10 December 1977. p. 55. Retrieved 21 November 2019 – via American Radio History.
29. "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (Supertramp; 'Even in the Quietest Moments')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 June 2012.
30. "British album certifications – Supertramp – Even in the Quietest Moments". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 1 June 2012. Select albums in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type Even in the Quietest Moments in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
31. "American album certifications – Supertramp – Even in the Quietest Moments". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 1 June 2012. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH.