LEFTOVERTURE

Leftoverture, KANSAS's fourth album, released in 1976, is almost universally accepted as a Classic Rock Masterpiece. It is also considered the band's top progressive album, just above Song For America. Although there are not as many epic-length songs, the ones presented are highly arranged and orchestrated. Kerry Livgren (guitar/keyboards) wrote many of the songs on his own, a few more with Steve Walsh (vocals/ keyboards), and collaborated with the whole band on Magnum Opus. In fact Livgren was on quite a roll during the recording sessions for Leftoverture.

The album was the band's most successful effort up to that point, and kind of took them by surprise when it moved into the top five on the album charts. The band soon went from an "opening act" to their first headlining tour. Much of the bands success came on the heels of Carry On Wayward Son, which peaked at #11 and eventually became an FM Rock radio staple. It is easily one of my personal favorite songs of all time. Whenever someone tries to pick my brain on music trivia and eventually asks me what I think is the greatest rock song of all time; I'm quick to say, "Kansas - Carry On Wayward Son". It's got everything a good rock song needs. Great vocals, a punchy drum beat, good keyboards, and searing guitars all wrapped into one.

There is simply not a weak song on the whole album. Start to finish, it just keeps on delivering. From great Rock, to progressive masterpieces like Miracles Out of Nowhere, Cheyenne Anthem, and the epic- length Magnum Opus. If you don't own any KANSAS albums, this is definitely a good place to start.

***** Highly Recommended *****

This 2001 EPIC/Legacy remaster has two added bonus tracks. Carry On Wayward Son and Cheyenne Anthem "Live", both previously unreleased. These are nice additions to the original album that can one day be merged into a complete 2-disc set of Live Kansas when Two For The Show is eventually remastered.

Best Tracks: They're All Good!