Brother Where You Bound
Encyclopedia
Brother Where You Bound is the ninth album by progressive rock
band Supertramp
, released in 1985 (see 1985 in music
). It was their first album after original member Roger Hodgson
left the band, leaving Richard Davies
to handle the songwriting and singing on his own. The album features the Top 30 hit "Cannonball", edited down from the seven-and-a-half minute album version.
The track "Better Days" features an extended fade-out with voice-overs by the four key players in the 1984 Presidential Campaign
: quotes spoken by Geraldine Ferraro
and Walter Mondale
sounding from the left audio channel and those of George H.W. Bush and Ronald Reagan
on the right, mixed with John Helliwell
's extended saxophone solo.
The album's sixteen-and-a-half minute title track featured Thin Lizzy
's Scott Gorham
on rhythm guitar and Pink Floyd
's David Gilmour
on the guitar solos. Also, the track had readings from George Orwell
's Nineteen Eighty-Four
.
Brother Where You Bound reached number 20 on the UK Albums Chart
and number 21 on The Billboard 200
in 1985, and went Gold according to the band's then label A&M Records in 1985, although the R.I.A.A. hasn't certified it yet.
A remastered CD version of the album was released on 30 July 2002 on A&M Records.
.
Additional personnel
2002 A&M reissue:
The 2002 A&M Records
reissue was mastered from the original master tapes by Greg Calbi and Jay Messina at Sterling Sound, New York, 2002. The reissue was supervised by Bill Levenson with art direction by Vartan and design by Mike Diehl, with production coordination by Beth Stempel.
Singles – Billboard (North America)
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
band Supertramp
Supertramp
Supertramp are a British rock band formed in 1969 under the name Daddy before renaming to Supertramp in early 1970. Though their music was initially categorised as progressive rock, they have since incorporated a combination of traditional rock and art rock into their music...
, released in 1985 (see 1985 in music
1985 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1985.-January–March:*January 1 - The newest music video channel, VH-1, debuts on American cable. It is aimed at an older demographic than its sister station, MTV...
). It was their first album after original member Roger Hodgson
Roger Hodgson
Charles Roger Pomfret Hodgson is a British musician and songwriter, best known as the former co-frontman, and founding member, of progressive rock band Supertramp....
left the band, leaving Richard Davies
Richard Davies
Richard Davies was a Welsh bishop and scholar.-Life:He was born in north Wales, and was educated at New Inn Hall, Oxford, becoming vicar of Burnham, Buckinghamshire, in 1550....
to handle the songwriting and singing on his own. The album features the Top 30 hit "Cannonball", edited down from the seven-and-a-half minute album version.
The track "Better Days" features an extended fade-out with voice-overs by the four key players in the 1984 Presidential Campaign
United States presidential election, 1984
The United States presidential election of 1984 was a contest between the incumbent President Ronald Reagan, the Republican candidate, and former Vice President Walter Mondale, the Democratic candidate. Reagan was helped by a strong economic recovery from the deep recession of 1981–1982...
: quotes spoken by Geraldine Ferraro
Geraldine Ferraro
Geraldine Anne Ferraro was an American attorney, a Democratic Party politician, and a member of the United States House of Representatives. She was the first female Vice Presidential candidate representing a major American political party....
and Walter Mondale
Walter Mondale
Walter Frederick "Fritz" Mondale is an American Democratic Party politician, who served as the 42nd Vice President of the United States , under President Jimmy Carter, and as a United States Senator for Minnesota...
sounding from the left audio channel and those of George H.W. Bush and Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
on the right, mixed with John Helliwell
John Helliwell
John Helliwell is an English musician and the saxophonist and occasional keyboardist and woodwind player for the rock band Supertramp...
's extended saxophone solo.
The album's sixteen-and-a-half minute title track featured Thin Lizzy
Thin Lizzy
Thin Lizzy are an Irish hard rock band formed in Dublin in 1969. Two of the founding members, drummer Brian Downey and bass guitarist/vocalist Phil Lynott met while still in school. Lynott assumed the role of frontman and led them throughout their recording career of thirteen studio albums...
's Scott Gorham
Scott Gorham
Scott Gorham is an American guitarist and songwriter who rose to international recognition as one of the "twin lead guitarists" of the Irish-formed rock band, Thin Lizzy...
on rhythm guitar and Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
's David Gilmour
David Gilmour
David Jon Gilmour, CBE, D.M. is an English rock musician and multi-instrumentalist who is best known as the guitarist, one of the lead singers and main songwriters in the progressive rock band Pink Floyd. In addition to his work with Pink Floyd, Gilmour has worked as a producer for a variety of...
on the guitar solos. Also, the track had readings from George Orwell
George Orwell
Eric Arthur Blair , better known by his pen name George Orwell, was an English author and journalist...
's Nineteen Eighty-Four
Nineteen Eighty-Four
Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell is a dystopian novel about Oceania, a society ruled by the oligarchical dictatorship of the Party...
.
Brother Where You Bound reached number 20 on the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
and number 21 on The Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
in 1985, and went Gold according to the band's then label A&M Records in 1985, although the R.I.A.A. hasn't certified it yet.
A remastered CD version of the album was released on 30 July 2002 on A&M Records.
Reception
Allmusic's review was resoundingly positive, noting that the album's thematic exploration of Cold War tensions "is dated and hasn't aged very well... but the music is a pleasure." They particularly praise the "crystalline sound", the strong performances of the guest musicians, and the complexity of the compositions. They also praised the band for being "gutsy" enough to "re-embrace its progressive-rock roots" while improving their pop songcraft at the same time.Track listing
All songs written by Rick DaviesRick Davies
Rick Davies is an English musician, best known as the founder and keyboardist of progressive rock band Supertramp...
.
Personnel
- Rick DaviesRick DaviesRick Davies is an English musician, best known as the founder and keyboardist of progressive rock band Supertramp...
– keyboards, vocals - John HelliwellJohn HelliwellJohn Helliwell is an English musician and the saxophonist and occasional keyboardist and woodwind player for the rock band Supertramp...
– saxophones - Bob SiebenbergBob SiebenbergBob Siebenberg, also known as Bob C. Benberg, is an American musician, best known as a member of British progressive rock band Supertramp, playing drums and percussion...
– drums - Dougie ThomsonDougie ThomsonDouglas Campbell "Dougie" Thomson is a Scottish musician, born in Glasgow and raised in the Rutherglen area of the city. He is best known as the former bass guitarist of progressive rock band Supertramp.-Career:...
– bass
Additional personnel
- Marty Walsh – guitar
- Doug Wintz – tromboneTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
on "Cannonball" - Cha Cha – backing vocals on "Still in Love"
- David GilmourDavid GilmourDavid Jon Gilmour, CBE, D.M. is an English rock musician and multi-instrumentalist who is best known as the guitarist, one of the lead singers and main songwriters in the progressive rock band Pink Floyd. In addition to his work with Pink Floyd, Gilmour has worked as a producer for a variety of...
– guitar solos on "Brother Where You Bound" - Scott GorhamScott GorhamScott Gorham is an American guitarist and songwriter who rose to international recognition as one of the "twin lead guitarists" of the Irish-formed rock band, Thin Lizzy...
– guitar on "Brother Where You Bound" - Brian Banks – synclavierSynclavierThe Synclavier System was an early digital synthesizer, polyphonic digital sampling system, and music workstation, manufactured by New England Digital Corporation, Norwich, VT. The original design and development of the Synclavier prototype occurred at Dartmouth College with the collaboration of...
programming - Anthony Marinelli – synclavierSynclavierThe Synclavier System was an early digital synthesizer, polyphonic digital sampling system, and music workstation, manufactured by New England Digital Corporation, Norwich, VT. The original design and development of the Synclavier prototype occurred at Dartmouth College with the collaboration of...
programming - Scott PageScott PageScott Page is a multimedia entrepreneur whose primary recognition is as a musician and as founder of technology firms such as New Media Broadcasting Company .-Awards:Scott Page has received several acknowledgments and awards, primarily for his...
– flute on "Better Days" & "Brother Where You Bound" - Gary Chang – Fairlight & PPG programming
Production
- Producers: David Kershenbaum, Supertramp
- Engineer: Norman Hall
- Assistant engineer: Steve Crimmel
- Mixing: Mark Ettel
- Mixing assistant: Steve McMillan
- Mastering: Bob Ludwig
- Re-mastering: Greg Calbi, Jay Messina
- Track engineer: Allen Sides
- Programming: Gary Chang
- Synclavier programming: Brian Banks, Anthony Marinelli
- Art direction: Norman Moore
- Design: Norman Moore
- Tray photo: Tom Gibson
2002 A&M reissue:
The 2002 A&M Records
A&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
reissue was mastered from the original master tapes by Greg Calbi and Jay Messina at Sterling Sound, New York, 2002. The reissue was supervised by Bill Levenson with art direction by Vartan and design by Mike Diehl, with production coordination by Beth Stempel.
Charts
Album – Billboard (North America)| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | UK Albums Chart | 20 |
| The Billboard 200 | 21 | |
Singles – Billboard (North America)
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | "Cannonball" | Hot Dance Music/Club Play | 9 |
| Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales | 25 | ||
| Mainstream Rock Tracks | 4 | ||
| The Billboard Hot 100 | 28 | ||