KANSAS

The irregualr Kansas's career started with this brilliant album, where every instrument shows a tremendous amount of virtuosity, being this fact any impediment to make an album full with excellent songs, being the longer and progguier also the better.

Songs like Journey from Mariabronn, Apercu and Death of Mother Nature shows a band with excellent ideas and execution, and sounding a really mature sound for being the first album made together. The style is something similar to Yes, but with a lot of american folk elements... The american roots are showed with more intensity in the shoter tracks, like Lonely Wind (a clear precedent of Dust in the Wind...) and the funny and very folk The Pilgrimage.

It's difficult to say wich musician is better here... Every instrument has the opportunity to shine throughout the album, with multiple violen solos, keyboard instrumental parts, crazy bass rythms, fantastic guitar playing... Is a pleausure to hear so good musicians playing together and getting a so cohesionated and well composed songs.

Best tracks: Can I tell You (great violin solo!), Journey from Meriaborn (the final part, with this passionate singing, is fantastic...), The Pilgrimage (folky and funny) and Apercu (the best instrumental work of the album).

Conclusion: this fantastic debut offers great instruments and vocal playing, a yet mature band making good songs (but still not reaching their definitive style...) and the band's typical fusion between symphonic prog and american folk. Recommended!

My rating: ****

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