LEFTOVERTURE

The unmistakable introductory a cappella refrain led by Steve Walsh in "Carry On Wayward Son", an excellent and dynamic song dominated by the powerful guitar riffs of the duo Rich Williams/Kerry Livgren and Livgren's keyboards, mark the starting point of "Leftoverture" (1976), the fourth album by Kansas and the beginning of the Americans' most popular period, and their identification within the hard rock spectrum, even bordering on the incipient AOR side that would later have Boston and Journey, among others, as its most recognisable exponents.

And to some extent this identification is based on the use of direct and sharp elements typical of hard rock, not only in the aforementioned and mega successful "Carry On Wayward Son", but also in the raspy emotionality of "What's on My Mind" (great combined guitar solo by Williams and Livgren), and in the festive agility ornamented by Robby Steinhardt's restless violins on "Questions of My Childhood", a pair of very good songs by the way, though admittedly without the punchiness of the wayward opening track.

However, Kansas' attachment to the elaborate and thoughtful symphonic sonorities are more than present and are the ones that predominate and determine the most brilliant passages of the work, as with the introspective "The Wall" and "Miracles Out of Nowhere", themes of genesian reminiscences that show great progressions of keyboards and violins, the vindicatory and sublime "Cheyenne Anthem", framed by a beautiful and peaceful acoustic intro accompanied by Steinhardt's melancholic singing and preceding another excellent instrumental display, but above all by the intricate and schizoid experimentation of "Magnus Opus", a dark and intense mini-suite divided into six sections and one of the album's high points.

"Leftoverture", with more than 4 million units sold, is not only one of the most commercially successful Kansas albums along with the later "Point of Know Return", but also one of the most representative of American progressive rock.

4/4.5 stars

Social review comments

Review related links

• Send comments to Hector Enrique
• Report this review (#3145477)
• Buy KANSAS music online with PA partners
• Show all KANSAS MP3/Stream
• Go to KANSAS page for videos, full discography with ratings, reviews and much more
• Go to Leftoverture page for more details, where to buy and ratings/reviews
• Search the Forum for KANSAS related discussions