{"product_id":"supertramp-free-as-a-bird-half-speed-master","title":"Supertramp - Free as a Bird (Half-Speed Master)","description":"\u003cp\u003eFree as a Bird finds Supertramp chasing the late-1980s dancefloor, and this 180-gram edition cut from a half-speed master gives its glossy production plenty of detail to work with.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eReleased in 1987 as the band's ninth studio album and their second after Roger Hodgson's exit, it saw Rick Davies step away from the traditional band setup. He called it an experiment in being modern, and computers, drum machines and programmed rhythms moved to the front, swapping the old prog-pop sprawl for something sleeker.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDavies produced the record with Tom Lord-Alge and the band, and Lord-Alge's crisp mix suits the material. \"It's Alright\" opens with confident, punchy momentum, while \"I'm Beggin' You\" leans furthest into club territory and became a dance chart hit in the US. The title track keeps things compact and melodic, and the closing \"An Awful Thing to Waste\" stretches out to nearly eight minutes.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eJohn Helliwell's saxophone still cuts through the synths, and the album also marked the first appearance of Mark Hart, who would later become a full member of the band.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt is the most surprising record in the Supertramp catalogue, a snapshot of a classic band trying on a new sound, and it makes a curious, rewarding companion to the albums that came before it.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Alliance Entertainment","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57109923463473,"sku":"602475456407","price":45.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0704\/2026\/7313\/files\/Supertramp-Free_as_a_Bird_Half-Speed_Master.jpg?v=1792935007","url":"https:\/\/vinyl.com\/products\/supertramp-free-as-a-bird-half-speed-master","provider":"Vinyl.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}