Artist: KANSAS
Album: "LEFTOVERTURE REMASTERED (CD)"

Year: 1976/ 2001
Media type: CD

When Kansas's Masque album failed to produce a hit single, pressure from Kirshner Records intensified. The band knew that if their next LP didn't sell, they would be dropped by the label. To make matters worse, Steve Walsh began to experience writer's block and was unable to contribute any new material. It fell on Kerry Livgren to fill the void for the band's next recording. The dark, sprawling suites from the previous two albums disappeared in favor of shorter, more accessible songs which energized the band. Despite their brevity, the new compositions still retained much of the classically-inspired complexity of Livgren's previous work. Kansas recorded the album at Studio In The Country in Bogalusa, Louisiana (The Studio in the Country was so-named that as Kerry Livgren described on In the Studio with Redbeard on the episode spotlighting Leftoverture that quote "It was in the middle of a swamp (chuckling). We'd walk out of the studio and there would be gators in front of the studio, mosquitos the size of B-52s and at times armadillos would run into the control room (laughing)" end quote).

Leftoverture begins with the hit single "Carry On Wayward Son," a song which has become something of a classic rock staple. Kerry Livgren wrote the song as a sequel to the final song on the previous album ("The Pinnacle" off Masque). On account of this its popularity, Kansas is often misclassified as an AOR (Album Oriented Rock) band, when in fact the majority of their catalogue (at least with their original line-up) is progressive rock. Following is the religiously-inspired "The Wall," which is shorter and less intricate than previous Kansas epics. "What's On My Mind" is a straight-forward rock song in the musical vein of "Carry On Wayward Son." Next is the sprawling and deep "Miracles Out Of Nowhere," the first of the three progressive epics included on the original album. This song features a polyphonic solo section in the middle, incorporating synth horns (used only on Leftoverture and never again) and acoustic instruments in synergy. The fifth track is piece of pseudo-progressive rock called "Opus Insert," a song that begins with a fade-in, which is unusual on a Kansas recording. After "Opus Insert" is a brief, piano and synth dominated work called "Questions Of My Childhood." Next-to-last is the progressive "Cheyenne Anthem," a tribute to the American Indian tribe of the song's title, and one among several Kansas epics that berate man for allegedly destroying whatever he touches. Closing the album is the multi-sectioned, mostly instrumental "Magnum Opus," which is also the longest track.

TRACKLIST:

"Carry On Wayward Son" (Livgren) – 5:25
"The Wall" (Livgren, Walsh) – 4:51
"What's on My Mind" (Livgren) – 3:28
"Miracles Out of Nowhere" (Livgren) – 6:28
"Opus Insert" (Livgren, Walsh) – 4:28
"Questions of My Childhood" (Livgren, Walsh) – 3:40
"Cheyenne Anthem" (Livgren) – 6:55
"Magnum Opus" (Ehart, Hope, Livgren, P. Steinhardt, R. Steinhardt, Walsh, Williams) – 8:35
"Father Padilla Meets the Perfect Gnat"
"Howling at the Moon"
"Man Overboard"
"Industry On Parade"
"Release The Beavers"
"Gnat Attack"

"Carry On Wayward Son" (Live from Pine Knob WI 1977) (Livgren) 5:00 (Bonus track on 2001 remaster)
"Cheyenne Anthem" (Live from The Palladium New York December 1977) (Livgren) – 7:10 (Bonus track on 2001 remaster)

LINE-UP:

Phil Ehart - percussion, drums
Dave Hope - bass
Kerry Livgren - guitar, keyboard
Robby Steinhardt - violin, viola, vocals, background vocals
Steve Walsh - organ, synthesizer, piano, keyboard, vocals, background vocals, vibraphone
Rich Williams - guitar

Additional personnel:

Toye LaRocca - vocals
Cheryl Norman - vocals

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