Supertramp-Slow Motion (2002)

In 2002, Supertramp released their eleventh album, "Slow Motion", in which their style shifted towards a smoother, more jazzy rhythm, and to some extent, they also recovered their characteristic sound after the commercial success of "Free As A Bird" and the commendable "Some Things Never Change". Rick Davies once again enlisted singer Mark Hart in an attempt to achieve greater musical variety in their style, along with guitarist Carl Verheyen. The rest of the band included original members John Helliwell and Bob Siebenberg, plus bassist Cliff Hugo, who had replaced Dougie Thompson a few years prior. Switching to a more relaxed and mellow sound was a substantial improvement, and that's precisely what happened with "Slow Motion". The title track opens the album with an addictive and catchy rhythm, while "Over You" showcases the band's experimental side with a doo-wop-like sound and a strong, infectious rhythm not unlike that of "My Kind of Lady" from the album "Famous Last Words". The lively "Tenth Avenue Breakdown" is the most progressive moment, with its spirited rhythm reminiscent of the superb "Child of Vision" from "Breakfast in America", featuring a final instrumental interlude where Verheyen's guitar takes center stage with a spectacular solo. Meanwhile, the haunting harmonica and horns return in the bluesy "A Sting in the Tail". The jazzy "Bee In Your Bonnet", along with the darker and more complex "Dead Man's Blues", are among the highlights of this album, which, interestingly, includes a track originally composed for their third album, "Crime of the Century", in 1974, but never officially released on any other album, titled "Goldrush". This would ultimately be Supertramp's last studio album, and although the band has reunited several times since its release with Davies at the helm, it has always been for sporadic tours around the world.