STATUS QUO – Just Supposin’ [Reissue]

Between Whatever You Want and Just Supposin’, Vertigo Records shortened the wait for a new studio album with the compilation 12 Gold Bars. Meanwhile, Status Quo was in Dublin preparing for a new studio release.

Back to producing themselves, Just Supposin’ brought back the creativity on the arrangements that was a bit distant on some of their late 70’s albums. Just Supposin’ is a more even record than Rockin’ All Over The World, If You Can’t Stand The Heat, and Whatever You Want. But, with these three albums in mind, Just Supposin’ didn’t have the one song that made the album particularly commercially successful.

“What You’re Proposing” was the first single out. A good song, with a great guitar riff, and as Just Supposin’ gets humping along, it becomes clear that this release’s average songs are saved by great arrangements. The guitar riffs on “Don’t Drive My Car” is a Bluesy delight, then on “Lies” and “Over The Edge,” Status Quo performs their most tasteful backing vocals to date. A superb Hammond organ saves “Name Of The Game,” likewise with the harmonica on “Coming And Going.” Closing it all is “Rock ‘n’ Roll,” actually a slow song that Vertigo Records in Spain released as a single. In other territories, a double A-side was released with “Lies” and “Don’t Drive My Car.”

With Just Supposin’, Status Quo had a fairly good start into the 80’s, even though the album didn’t include any blockbusters.