Supertramp-Free As A Bird (1987)

Following the groundbreaking "Brother Where You Bound", Supertramp returned to recording with the controversial "Free As A Bird", an album that, despite being a far cry from their work of the 70s and the last two released in the 80s, still contains some stellar moments. While the group's usual progressive rock/pop style is almost entirely gone, the music here remains highly addictive and accessible, leaning towards sophisticated pop and jazz, with sparkling bluesy elements. Rick Davies's work, as usual, is impeccable, and his distinctive vocal style remains intact. Meanwhile, the agile and catchy rhythms of bassist Dougie Thompson, and the stellar appearances of John Helliwell's saxophone, along with Bob Siebenberg's powerful rhythm section, are the essence of classic Supertramp. Songs like "Free as a Bird", "It's Alright", "Not the Moment", "An Awful Thing to Waste" or "I'm Beggin' You" could almost belong to any of their great albums because of their tremendous accessibility due to their addictive and refined melodies.