LEFTOVERTURE

Seven Songs and a "Nice Opus". I never got into Kansas really. They are so pop to my ears. (I'm an old hardcore prog fan). Some reviews talks about this album remind them of Emerson, Focus or Crimson, I can't find that in this album. I decided to give them another chance and I just listened carefully to each track on the album. Hence, my opinion: They play instruments very well. The first seven tracks are written on "song format" (you know, the sequence: verse-chorus-verse-chorus-instrumental- verse-chorus -end) although many of them got an instrumental coda. (the third song "What's in my mind" doesn't even do that). Prog songs never go this way (at least "Tarkus", "Close to the Edge", or "Lark's tongues in Aspic" don`t do that). Only "Magnus Opus" is different. This one is made like a suite with different themes put together. I like the way many instruments take turns, change tempo and different signatures appear. Melodies are friendly, neoprog stile. All in all this doesn't make it a prog album to me. (Maybe in the States it can be, ha-ha).