Rites of Passage

by

Roger Hodgson

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After taking several years off from the music business, former Supertramp singer Roger Hodgson got back into the saddle with 1997's "Rites Of Passage," a live album recorded near Hodgson's home of Nevada City, California, featuring 8 new, previously unheard songs, plus a few Supertramp hits and a couple of other songs contributed by Hodgson's band members (including his very talented son Andrew Hodgson, who plays drums for most of the album). "Rites Of Passage" isn't really a "proper" new album from Hodgson, but it's a very excellent live performance, and the new songs are great, including the catchy "Every Trick In The Book," the punchy "Showdown" (which Hodgson would later record for his 2000 album "Open The Door"), the beautiful "Don't You Want To Get High," and the magical, majestic "Time Waits For No One." Supertramp faves "Take The Long Way Home," "The Logical Song," and "Give A Little Bit" are all given superb treatments (featuring 'Tramp sax man John Helliwell), and there's also a terrific moment as Hodgson steps aside and lets his son Andrew take a solo spotlight at the piano & microphone with his very lovely song, "Melancholic." For any diehard fan of Roger Hodgson and Supertramp, "Rites Of Passage" is a major treat.