Genre Classical Rock
Evaluation Whenever a classical musician or someone who swears by classical music says to me that rock and roll sucks this is one of the albums I play for them in order to shut their mouth permanently. Conversely, if you are a rock and roll freak this may not be your cup of tea as there is a lot of classical influence here.
Kansas was without a doubt the best classical rock group of the 70’s. It’s a shame that when that style of music died that they had to die with it. They were one of a kind. All obviously classically trained musicians they brought a sound to rock and roll that has never been duplicated since.
There is not ONE bad song on this album. Having said that, the following are the hi-lights.
1) Carry On Wayward Son - The big ’’hit’’ from the album is oddly enough not it’s best song but still very good. In this tune they were trying to appeal to people who still prefered pure rock and roll. There are some elements of classical music in this piece but not enough to turn people off. A smart tune to get a foot in the door with.
2) The Wall - I feel there best song of all time. The words are a bit symbolic and hard to understand but musically this is a masterpiece. The ending is pure inspiration.
3) Miracles Out Of Nowhere - Another great tune that is a little long, but if you love the classical feel you will absolutely love it. Another grand ending.
4) Magnum Opus - The longest piece on the album and almost purely classical. I wouldn’t mind a whole album of stuff like this but then again it may not be your cup of tea. This epic however had to end the album.
Bottom Line If you get no other Kansas album you must get this one. If you’ve never heard their music then you are in for a treat. At the very least I guarantee you have never heard anything else like it.