LEFTOVERTURE

In the Seventies Kansas created a captivating blend of classical music, hardrock and 'symphonic rock'. A highly acclaimed album is "Leftoverture", many progheads consider this as their best studio work. I disagree because the first two are my favorite albums but I would like to have a listen to the final track "Magnum opus" (what's in a name?), in my opinion their most symphonic and mature composition. The intro contains a lot of violin, one of their trademarks. Then the music continues with a bombastic outburst, a short distorted guitar solo and vibraphone/piano interplay. The climates changes when a howling electric guitar solo and a slow rhythm symbolise the lyrics: "only howling at the moon". After a short break with floods of organ, an up-tempo rhythm follows with exciting violin/electric guitar interplay, soon joined by spectacular and catchy synthesizer flights. Then again that typical Kansas-sound: heavy and bombastic with swirling interplay between the fiery electric guitar, violin and organ. Lots of changing climates follow: from mellow with twanging electric guitar and vibraphone till bombastic with heavy electric guitar runs and great violinplay. The 'grand finale' contains spectacular synthesizer flights (use of pitchbend), a sparkling piano and finally propulsive interplay between the electric guitar and the violin, KANSAS AT IT'S BEST!