''Some Things Never Change'' is the tenth album by the English

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

band

Supertramp Supertramp were an English rock band that formed in London in 1969. Marked by the individual songwriting of founders Roger Hodgson (vocals, keyboards, and guitars) and Rick Davies (vocals and keyboards), they are distinguished for blending pro ...

, released in March 1997.

Overview

''Some Things Never Change'' represented a deliberate return to the band's earlier sound (before ''

Free as a Bird "Free as a Bird" is a single released in December 1995 by the Beatles. The song was originally written and recorded in 1977 as a home demo by John Lennon. In 1995, 25 years after their break-up and 15 years after Lennon's murder, his then s ...

''), using more organic recording techniques than on their previous studio album.

John Helliwell John Anthony Helliwell (born 15 February 1945) is an English musician, best known as the saxophonist, secondary keyboardist, backing vocalist, and occasional songwriter for the rock band Supertramp. He also served as an MC during the band's c ...

recounted that "we recorded the album in a way that Supertramp never had and that was by all going into the studio together and doing it as a much more live thing." The album features the single " You Win, I Lose", which was a minor hit in Germany and also received considerable airplay in Canada. Two more singles were released commercially: "Listen To Me Please" and "Sooner or Later". The song "Live to Love You" (which was also released as a promo single) features both the 'tackled' sound from the Coleco

Electronic Quarterback ''Electronic Quarterback'' is a handheld electronic game made by Coleco in 1978. It is powered by a 9-volt battery or an AC adaptor, and it differentiated itself from the other similar handheld electronic American football games of the era, notably ...

handheld electronic game, as well as the

Trouble Trouble may refer to: Film and television * ''Trouble'' (1922 film), an American silent comedy-drama film directed by Albert Austin * ''Trouble'' (1933 film), a British comedy film * ''Trouble'' (1977 film), a Soviet drama film * ''Trouble'' ...

"Pop-o-matic bubble" sounds from their 1979 hit "

The Logical Song "The Logical Song" is a song by English rock group Supertramp that was released as the lead single from their album ''Breakfast in America'' in March 1979. It was written primarily by the band's Roger Hodgson, who based the lyrics on his experie ...

Cover art

Rick Davies explained the concept behind the album cover: "It's something to tie in with the title. In England people have tea at four o'clock and it doesn't matter where they are or what sort of social plane they're on, they will have that tea."Bollenberg, John "Bobo" (26 June 2000)
Interview with Rick Davies, John Helliwell, Jack Douglass, and Georges Ohayon
ProgressiveWorld.net.

Reception

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

commented that the album retains the same style and strong instrumental interplay from the band's glory years, but lacks the "ingratiatingly catchy melodies" of that era, making it of strong interest to the band's fans but much less to casual listeners.

Track listing

All songs written and sung by Rick Davies except where noted. "Give Me a Chance" was not included on all editions of the album.

Personnel

;Supertramp *

Rick Davies Richard Davies (born 22 July 1944) is an English musician, singer and songwriter best known as founder, vocalist and keyboardist of the rock band Supertramp. Davies was its only constant member, and composed some of the band's best known songs ...

– keyboards, vocals *

Mark Hart Mark Hart (born July 2, 1953), is an American musician and multi-instrumentalist best known for being a member of both Supertramp (1986–1988, 1996–2002, 2015–present) and Crowded House (1993–1996, 2007–2019). As well as being a group memb ...

– guitars, keyboards, vocals *

– saxophones, woodwinds *

Cliff Hugo Clifford Clyde Hugo (born April 23, 1951 in Glendale, California), is the bass guitarist for the art rock band Supertramp. Hugo worked with fellow Supertramp member Carl Verheyen in the Carl Verheyen Band from '97 - 2008 . He has toured the wo ...

– bass *

Bob Siebenberg Robert Layne Siebenberg (born October 31, 1949) 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. He was the sole American in Supertramp's ...

– drums (except on "And The Light") *Lee Thornburg –

trombones The trombone (german: Posaune, Italian, French: ''trombone'') is a musical instrument in the brass family. As with all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player's vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate ...

, trumpets, background vocals *

Carl Verheyen Carl Verheyen is an American musician best known for being the guitarist of Supertramp, the leader of the Carl Verheyen Band, and as a Los Angeles session guitarist. He was ranked ''One of the World's Top 10 Guitarists'' by Guitar Magazine and w ...

– guitars *Tom Walsh – percussion (all tracks); drums on "And The Light" Additional personnel *Bob Danziger –

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* Karen Lawrence – background vocals *Kim Nail – background vocals *

Fred Mandel Frederick Lawrence Mandel (born 1953) is a Canadian session musician, keyboard player and guitarist. Career Born in Estevan, Saskatchewan, Mandel became involved in music from an early age. He started playing the piano at four and picked up t ...

- guitars on "And The Light" ''(uncredited as a musician on the cover)''

Production

*Producers: Jack Douglas, Fred Mandel *Executive producer: Rick Davies *Engineers: Ian Gardiner, Jay Messina *Assistant engineers: Ian Gardiner, Mike Scotella *Mixing assistant: Roy Clark, Brian Hargrove *Mastering: Bob Ludwig *Creative director: Richard Frankel *Cover art: Dimo Safari *Portraits: Dennis Keeley

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications and sales

References

{{Authority control 1997 albums EMI Records albums Supertramp albums Albums produced by Jack Douglas (record producer)