DRASTIC MEASURES

It was beginning to look as if Steve Walsh was right. Kansas at this point was all but exhausted and the tracks here, especially 'Mainstream' and the superb 'Everybody's My Friend' seem merely to be admissions of the fact. Kerry Livgren was starting to make more effort on songs for his solo outings, leaving the field open for singer John Elefante and his brother Dino to write an album that was Kansas music in name only. That said, it's a storming early eighties rock record, with album opener 'Fight Fire With Fire' being pretty much (for it's time) state of the art heavy AOR; whilst 'Don't Take Your Love Away' is undeniably 'A' list rock ballad fodder, even if it is about Jesus rather than a wrongdoing woman. And, let's face it, a second division Kansas album is still better than most bands can manage.