MASQUE

Almost without taking time to breathe, Kansas took advantage of the inertia generated by 'Song for America' and just a few months later released 'Masque' (1975), their third album. A proposal that reiterated the American band's pendular interests, fluctuating between the elements of hard rock and the showy complexities of progressive structures.

And within this persistent duality, the initial and festive 'It Takes a Woman's Love (To Make a Man)', the disillusioned 'Two Cents Worth', and the dependent and brief 'It's You', expose their hard rock soul sprinkled with inclinations close to the incipient and more accessible and direct AOR. Rather more successful are the melodic and reflective 'All the World' with a beautiful introduction shared by Kerry Livgren's piano, Robby Steinhardt's violins and its substantial instrumental development, and the harsh and vibrant hard rock sonorities in the inescapable destiny of 'Child of Innocence' and the nightmarish 'Mysteries and Mayhem'.

Even better are the pieces that have the ingredients of the great symphonic developments: the powerful 'Icarus - Borne on Wings of Steel', inspired by the journey through the skies of the famous bird from Greek mythology, starring rough riffs and guitar solos over Livgren's carpet of keyboards; and the philosophical and experiential 'The Pinnacle', which features a generous introduction courtesy of Steinhardt's violins, Steve Walsh's lucid and steady singing, an instrumental interlude flowing over Livgren's keyboard carpet, Williams' solid guitar solo, and an epic finale with Phil Ehart's intense and growing drum roll accompanied by the whole band.

'Masque', despite being a very good album, did not reach the repercussions of other early Kansas works, overshadowed perhaps in part by its premature release compared to the still rumbling 'Song for America' (with more time some pieces would surely have been polished and rounded better, avoiding the excessive use of fade out for example), and in part also by the resounding successes of the later 'Leftoverture' and 'Point of Know Return'.

3.5 stars