Kansas - Leftoverture (Exp)
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CD Details
Artist: KansasEdition: Music CD
Format: Original recording remastered
CD Release Date: 2001-05-22
Music Label: Sony
Soundtracks:
- Carry On Wayward Son
- The Wall
- What's On My Mind
- Miracles Out Of Nowhere
- Opus Insert
- Questions Of My Childhood
- Cheyenne Anthem
- Magnum Opus
- Carry On Wayward Son (live)
- Cheyenne Anthem (live)
Music reviews of Leftoverture (Exp)
Music Review: Well here we have it--a staple in progressive rock history
Rating: 5 Stars
Leftoverture (1976), Kansas's fourth album, is (as the sticker which comes with the remastered version says) "An all-time great classic rock album." No truer words have been recorded. This album, while I personally consider Point Of Know Return (1977) to be superior, marks a turning point in the band's career. Basically, after the minor reception of the band's first three albums, reality poured in: Produce an album of universal appeal or the jig's up. I strongly suspect the poor recording quality of the album is a direct result of this ultimatum; the band obviously couldn't afford to record the album in a top-of-the-line studio.
Despite the recording quality, this album is a real standout in the scope of classic/progressive rock. If I had to compile a list of twenty-five albums which I would force every person in the world to sit down and listen to (yes, most assuredly the adolescent crowd as well), this one would without a doubt be in the top ten. Keep in mind that I, at the time of writing this, am an adolescent myself.
Without further ado, here's the track-by-track analysis:
1. "Carry On Wayward Son" (album version) - What could I possibly say about this song? It's the product of about ten minutes worth of fiddling (no pun intended, especially because Steinhardt's signature instrument is absent from this track). It's a classic rock treasure, and in my younger (therefore stupider) days, it was the reason I bought this album. It suffers from a disease called OVERPLAY. It's EVERYWHERE. If you love listening to it when it comes on the radio, just put on any random movie (like Happy Gilmore) and you'll probably hear it there, too. Just as a side note, the remaster seems to have placed the sound stage farther forward, because whenever this song comes on the radio there is a huge amount of reverberation which is utterly absent from this release of the album.
2. "The Wall" - By-and-large, one of the greatest songs on this album. The lyrics are deep and engaging, the vocals are impeccable, and the instrumentation is that special blend which makes Kansas unique. The instrumental ending, which I at first though sounded like Rugrats music, is really nice. This is definitely a great song.
3. "What's On My Mind" - Here's a straight-up rocker which (reportedly) experienced a fair amount of airplay. Why it has utterly disappeared from classic rock stations is beyond me (why, for instance, do these stations continue to play "Carry On Wayward Son" as though it were the only song on the album?). It's nice, bombastic, totally uninspired (in the progressive sense), undiluted rock. In other words, it's absolutely wonderful. The word "filler" isn't in Kansas's vocabulary; every song on this album is there for a reason (which, as we'll discuss later, scares me a little when you consider "Magnum Opus").
4. "Miracles Out Of Nowhere" - This is one of my three favorite songs from this album. The immediate draw of this piece is the continually shifting time signature--it's really intriguing and satisfying, in a strange sort of way. It's the kind of thing which can change your entire perspective concerning the endless monotony of music which follows all the rules. It inspired me; I can honestly say that my entire keyboarding style has been drastically affected by this one song. This may well be my favorite song on the entire album.
The organ entrance is hypnotic, and as the drums (including some dramatic tympani) and Robbie Steinhardt's ubiquetous violin enter, the piece gains drive and purpose. The melody is extremely catchy, the vocals are performed with virtuosic skill, and the proclaimation "I sang this song a hundred, maybe a thousand years ago; no one ever listens. I just play and then I go" is more powerful and meaningful than any other moment on the album. The piece ends on a dramatic tympani roll and with the crash of a gong. Wow. This is Kansas at its finest.
5. "Opus Insert" - The last song is a tough act to follow, but I think "Opus Insert" is a valid attempt. I really like this song. The beginning is unassuming and misleading; the tune is more in the vein of "What's On My Mind," although elements of "Miracles Out Of Nowhere" make themselves heard as well. Personally, this music just makes me want to get up and move; the harmonies are lush and inspiring. The only thing I really hate is that, right in the middle of the piece, there's a section which sounds like a carousel organ song. Kansas has done much better instrumental breaks; if they had done so in this song it would certainly be, hands down, the greatest of the mainstream-oriented Kansas songs. As such, it still gets five stars. Awesome.
6. "Questions Of My Childhood" - Ironically this song's title has a specal significance for me when coupled with the ARP synthesizer line which is used basically as an obbligato throughout the song. Because of some unsavory events in my past which occured while ELP's "Lucky Man" was playing on the radio, any synth solo whose major component is the square wave has awoken within me undercurrents of discomfort and unease. "Questions Of My Childhood" is the song which broke that for me, as its title urged me to question the utter absurdity of my childhood-derived aversion to those square waves.
It's not at all a bad song. It probably doesn't even rank among the top twenty-five Kansas songs, but it's still nice. The piano is very pretty, as is the fiddling. And that ARP-generated square wave is unmistakable (and relentless).
7. "Cheyenne Anthem" - I'm more than a little tired of these songs that whine endlessly about how man--particularly American man--is all that is wrong with this planet. Kansas has produced (at least) three such songs, and the only one I can stand is "Song For America" (Song For America, 1975), and only then because the latter has an irreplacable melodic intrigue. Needless to say, I am not qualified to comment upon "Cheyenne Anthem" other than that which I have already said.
8. "Magnum Opus" - Remember back a few descriptions where I said we would get to this one? Well, here it is. I'm sorry; I have tried on FIVE separate occasions to like this song. I just can't do it. I know that this song has a great following among those who have reviewed this album. I don't at all mean to impugne the collective preference of those who think highly of "Magnum Opus" (and that goes for the previous song as well). In fact, I commend you folks for having minds which are obviously far more open than mine.
The first 2:30 are actually quite nice, but it goes downhill for me from there, and by the time we get to the beavers, we've reached full-tilt lunacy. I'm sorry; I have heard some of the epic Kansas songs from the past albums ("The Pinnacle" from Masque, 1975, is one of my favorite songs of all time), and in my opinion "Magnum Opus" could not hold a candle to any of these. As I have said, this is my own opinion (and I acknowledge and proport the validity of any dissenting opinion on the matter).
And now the extras:
9. "Carry On Wayward Son" (live) - This is just a live performance of the classic hit. There is nothing exciting about this performance; to be truthful, I have never heard Two For The Show so when I say that I have yet to be impressed by a live performance by Kansas, there is always that bias present.
10. "Cheyenne Anthem" (live) - See above for "Cheyenne Anthem." Even so, the recording effect Glixman talked about in the album notes is very nice. It's just a shame you have to listen to "Cheyenne Anthem" to experience it.
The remastering job is hard to describe in qualitative terms. Seeing as I have never heard the album in any other incarnation, I have nothing to compare it to except for Point Of Know Return, which has an obvious remastering flaw (see my review of the latter fine album for details). As I said above, the intrinsic recording quality of the entire Leftoverture album sounds pretty bad. I imagine the remastered version is head-and-shoulders above any previous releases, but I often wonder what the album would have sounded like if it had been recorded decently. The album notes mention new recording techniques. Whenever the album notes start talking about the recording techniques, you know that either the album or the recording quality sucks. And we have established that the album is exceptional...
Some of the tracks could use some extra bass, while other ones are quite fine unspoiled. The treble is awful, but I have a sneaky suspicion this is just part of the original mastering tapes. That's a real bummer, but what can one do?
Overall, this is a worthwile album. Everyone and her ugly cousin has heard the first track, but the next five are what make this album an essential part of any self-respecting classic rock fan's music collection. My only real complaint is the album art; the colors are awful when compared to the original. I would recommend Leftoverture to just about anyone (yes, even those in the teenage generation--it might do them some good to hear some real music for a change). More likely than not, you will not be disappointed.
Description of Leftoverture (Exp)
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