Leftoverture

by Kansas

Overview

For any art rock band, the fourth album means it's time for a self-styled masterpiece -- if you need proof, look at Selling England by the Pound or Fragile. So, with Kansas, the most determinedly arty of all American art rock bands, they composed and recorded Leftoverture, an impenetrable conundrum of significance that's capped off by nothing less than a five-part suite, appropriately titled "Magnum Opus," and featuring such promising movement titles as "Father Padilla Meets the Perfect Gnat" and "Release the Beavers." Of course, there's no telling whether this closing opus relates to the opener, "Carry On Wayward Son," the greatest single Kansas ever cut -- a song that manages to be pompous, powerful, ridiculous, and catchy all at once. That they never manage to rival it anywhere on this record is as much a testament to their crippling ambition as their lack of skills. And it's unfair to say Kansas are unskilled, since they are certainly instrumentally proficient and they can craft songs or, rather, compositions that appear rather ambitious. Except these compositions aren't particularly complex, rhythmically or harmonically, and are in their own way as ambling as boogie rock, which still feels to be their foundation. It's not really fair to attack Kansas for a concept album with an impenetrable concept -- it's possible to listen to Lamb Lies Down on Broadway hundreds of times and not know what the hell Rael is up to -- but there's neither hooks nor true grandiosity here to make it interesting. That said, this still may be Kansas' most consistent set, outside of Point of Know Return. Take that for what you will. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	05/22/2001
Label:	Bmg / Sony Music
UPC:	0886978798626

Tracks

1. Carry on Wayward Son
2. The Wall
3. What's on My Mind
4. Miracles out of Nowhere
5. Opus Insert
6. Questions of My Childhood
7. Cheyenne Anthem
8. Magnum Opus: Father Padilla Meets the Perfect Gnat/Howling at the Moon/Man Overboard/Industry on Parade/Release the Beavers/Gnat attack

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Kansas   Primary Artist
Kerry Livgren   Keyboards,Guitar
Steve Walsh   Vibraphone,Synthesizer,Vocals (Background),Keyboards,Organ,Piano,Vocals
Cheryl Norman   Vocals,Children's Voices
Toye LaRocca   Vocals,Children's Voices
Richard Williams   Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric)
Robby Steinhardt   Violin,Vocals,Vocals (Background),Viola
Phil Ehart   Drums,Percussion
Rich Williams   Guitar
Dave Hope   Bass,Guitar (Bass)

Technical Credits

Bill "Bleu" Evans   Engineer
Kerry Livgren   Composer
Edwin Hobgood   Technician
Ray Black   Technician
Richard Williams   Composer
Jeff Glixman   Producer,Assistant Engineer
Robby Steinhardt   Composer
Kansas   Arranger,Producer
Phil Ehart   Composer
Rich Williams   Composer
Dave Hope   Composer
Steve Walsh   Composer
Stephen Stills   Composer