POINT OF KNOW RETURN

Out of all the radio hits Kansas has had, "Point Of No Return" is my favorite. A fast paced classic, its a fantastic opener. The next three, "Paradox", "The Spider", and "Portrait (He Knows)" are my favorite 1-2-3 tracks in a row by Kansas, each are totally different, but are unmistakenly Kansas. "Closet Chronicles" and "Hopelessly Human" are the most progressive and 'English-prog' sounding. For ballads you have the world famous "Dust In The Wind" and the lesser known "Nobody's Home", each come on the heels of boogie/prog songs "Lightning's Hand" and "Sparks Of The Tempest", two songs that scream USA-style prog. It's difficult to compare this to the previous milestone, "Leftoverture". With no songs clocking in over 10 minutes, some write this album off as the album that started the bands downward spiral. I disagree whole- heartedly. If you listen intently, they cram in more prog in 5 minute or shorter than most bands can ever try or imagine. Listen to "Paradox" for proof. I will say that at the end of the last song, "Hopelessly Human" bells toll; that to me, signals the end of an era for this band with the next studio album the beginning the spiralling. This album tho is as good as any they've ever done. 4.75 stars!