Supertramp (album)

Template:Use British English Template:Use dmy dates {{safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst-infobox||$params=italic_title,name,type,longtype,artist,cover,border,alt,caption,released,recorded,venue,studio,genre,length,language,label,director,producer,compiler,chronology,prev_title,prev_year,year,next_title,next_year,misc|$extra=italic_title,longtype,border,caption,language,director,compiler,chronology,year,misc|$aliases=italic title>italic_title,Italic title>italic_title,Name>name,Type>type,image>cover,Cover>cover,Border>border,Alt>alt,Caption>caption,Longtype>longtype,Artist>artist,Released>released,Recorded>recorded,Venue>venue,Studio>studio,Genre>genre,Length>length,Language>language,Label>label,Director>director,Producer>producer,Compiler>compiler,Chronology>chronology,Misc>misc|$flags=override|$B={{#ifeq:{{#invoke:Is infobox in lead|main|[Ii]nfobox [Aa]lbum}}|true|{{#if:Template:Has short description | |{{#if: 14 August 1970 | Template:Short description}}}}}}{{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}Template:Template otherTemplate:Category handlerTemplate:Main other{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Infobox album with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y|italic_title |type |name |image |cover |border |alt |caption |longtype |artist |released |recorded |venue |studio |genre |length |language |label |director |producer |compiler |prev_title|prev_year|next_title|next_year|chronology|year|misc}}{{#if:{{#invoke:String|match|error_category=Music infoboxes with Module:String errors|A|1=Indelibly Stamped1971studioSupertrampSupertramp - Supertramp.jpgSupertramp14 August 1970June 1970Morgan, Willesden* Progressive pop<ref name="Melhuish"/>

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Supertramp is the debut album by the British rock band Supertramp, released in August 1970.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The first UK press was released under the title "And I'm Not Like Other", but this title was printed on the labels only. In some countries it was released under the titles Surely (Singapore), and Now and Then (Spain).

It was not released in the United States until late 1977, but available through importers and was usually carried in record stores that specialised in British imports. The 1977 issue reached No. 158 on the US Billboard 200.<ref name="Billboard"/>

Background and recording

All the album's lyrics were written by Richard Palmer, since none of the other members of Supertramp were willing to write any. Palmer himself later said that he considered writing lyrics "like having to do school work" at the time.<ref name="Calamity">Interview with Richard Palmer-James in Calamity, Elephant Talk.</ref> The music to the songs were all composed jointly by Rick Davies and Roger Hodgson.<ref name="SoapAsy"/>

The album was recorded entirely at Morgan Studios in night sessions running from 12 midnight to 6 am, due to a superstition on the part of the band members (fuelled by their having heard that Traffic and Spooky Tooth recorded at late hours) that there was some "magic" to recording at night.<ref name="SoapAsy">Fuentes, Abel (January 2011). Interview with Richard Palmer, Supertramp Soap Box Asylum. Retrieved 10 October 2012.</ref><ref name="Melhuish">Template:Cite book</ref> Hodgson later recalled "Invariably our engineer, Robin Black, would fall asleep on us in the middle of the sessions, which were pretty intense as it was, because we fought a lot with Richard Palmer."<ref name="Melhuish"/> He was fond of the resulting album, however, and commented over a decade later that "It was very naïve, but it has a good mood to it."<ref name="Melhuish"/>

To promote the album, the band played at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970, held a few weeks after release.

As the songs for Supertramp's third album, Crime of the Century (1974), were introduced into the band's live set, the songs from Supertramp were mostly dropped, never to return. The two exceptions are "Home Again"<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> and "Surely", which were occasionally played during encores for several years after. "Surely" has also been included on some of the band's compilation CDs.

Songs from this album, including "Words Unspoken" and "I Am Not Like Other Birds of Prey", were used as part of the soundtrack for the UK film Extremes (1971), along with music from other groups.

Reception

The critical response to the album was generally positive, with a review by Judith Simons in Daily Express commenting: "This debut record album by a group of promising musician-poets is rather more melodic than most discs which pass under the label 'progressive pop.'"<ref name="Melhuish"/> Despite this, the album was a commercial flop.<ref name="Melhuish"/>

Retrospective reviews are more negative. In their review, AllMusic said the album was "inundated with pretentious instrumental meandering, with greater emphasis and attention granted to the keyboards and guitars than to the writing and to the overall effluence of the music." However, they admitted that the album's "mixture of ardour and subtlety" is appealing.<ref name="allmusic"/>

Track listing

All songs written by Rick Davies, Roger Hodgson and Richard Palmer.

All lead vocals by Roger Hodgson, except where noted. Lead vocal credits per Richard Palmer.<ref name="SoapAsy"/>

Personnel

Supertramp

• Richard Davies – organ (tracks 2–5, 7–10), piano (tracks 1, 7, 8, 10), electric piano (tracks 2, 7, 9), harmonica (track 2), backing and lead vocals
• Roger Hodgson – bass guitar, acoustic guitar (tracks 1, 6, 10), cello (tracks 3, 4), flageolet (tracks 5, 8, 9), lead and backing vocals
• Richard Palmer – electric guitar, acoustic guitar, balalaika (Track 4), backing and lead vocals
• Robert Millar – drums, percussion

Production

• Supertramp – producer
• Robin Black – engineer

Charts

Template:Album chart

Chart (1978)	Peak position

Chart (2025)	Peak position
Greek Albums (IFPI)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	42

External links

• Template:Discogs master