Leftoverture

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Leftoverture is the fourth album by American rock band Kansas, released in 1976 (see 1976 in music).

Leftoverture
Leftoverture cover
Studio album by Kansas
Released October 1976
Recorded December 1975-August 1976, Studio In The Country, Bogalusa, LA
Genre Progressive Rock
Length 43:12
Label Kirshner
Producer(s) Jeff Glixman,
Kansas
Professional reviews
Kansas chronology
Masque
(1975)		 Leftoverture
(1976)		 Point of Know Return
(1977)


Contents

[edit] Overview

When singles from Kansas's Masque album failed to chart, 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. Rather than let matters drive him to the edge, Livgren chose to simply ignore pressure from the record company and do his best to write good songs. 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. As the band moved away from the writing phase into rehearsals, Livgren introduced a last minute addition, unsure whether it would receive a favorable reaction from his mates. "Carry On Wayward Son", a song that would become the band's first Top 40 hit, was eagerly accepted as an album track and Kansas headed to 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 there would be armadillos would run in the control room (laughing)" end quote).

[edit] A Detailed Description

Leftoverture begins with a proverbial bang with the instantly recognizable "Carry On Wayward Son." Long a classic rock staple, the song comprises 5:25 of prototypical rock/progressive fusion, the trademark of Kansas. On account of this song's popularity, Kansas is often misclassified as a typical AOR band, when in fact the majority of its catalogue is progressive rock. Following this smash hit is the religiously-inspired "The Wall," shorter and less intricate than previous Kansas epics yet replete in clever lyrics, high musicianship, unique instrumentation, and the vocal prowess of Steve Walsh. Following it is "What's On My Mind," an unfairly overlooked 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. The highlight of this work is the brilliant polyphonic solo section in the middle of the song, incorporating both particular-sounding synth horns (used only on Leftoverture and never again) and acoustic instruments in masterful synergy. The fifth track is another grossly overlooked piece of accessible, albeit pseudo-progressive, rock called "Opus Insert." Perhaps some of its lack of popularity stems from the similarity of its title to a prog-epic later in the album. "Opus Insert" begins with a fade-in, which is unusual. After several repetitions of a chorus in a typical pattern, a highly peculiar solo section breaks the flow, followed by a repetition of the chorus one last time. After "Opus Insert" is a brief, piano and square wave synth-dominated work called "Questions Of My Childhood." Next-to-last is the noted progressive epic "Cheyenne Anthem," a tribute to the epynomous Amerindian tribe, and one among several Kansas epics that berate man for allegedly destroying whatever he touches. Closing the album is the infamous "Magnum Opus." Opinions on this work are starkly split: Some fans consider it a masterpiece, yet others find it wholly unaccessible and garish. Despite differing opinions, the work demonstrates astonishing musicianship, establishing Kansas as a group of highly-skilled performers at the height of their collective prowess.

[edit] Notes, Analysis, and Conclusion

Leftoverture is where Kansas first shifted somewhat from their progressive roots in search of a wider audience. As such, they experienced the typical backlash from their former following, though most still universally regard this album and the following Point of Know Return (1977) as fine work. The rampant commercial success of "Carry On Wayward Son" is also significant as it established a false classification for Kansas: Kansas is usually considered general classic rock or album-oriented rock. In reality, Kansas is a progressive rock band, yet much of their progressive material is lesser known. As such, the band is rarely given due credit for its true musical nature. Much of this misnomer stems from the success of the first track on Leftoverture.

The production quality of this release is noticibly inferior to that of the albums both preceding and following it. In particular the bass is muddy and confused, the drums are tinny and constricted, and the midrange is scratchy and dull. Remastering cannot correct for intrinsic faults in the original recording, which accounts for this trait of the recording having transended the various editions and releases of the album. It is likely that this inferior recording quality was a consequence of the band's failing status at the time.

Also interesting to note is the particular sound of this album, elements of which were retained in succeeding releases. The prototypical Kansas "wall" of sound, which is a combination of violin, piano, organ, and sometimes synthesizer all playing in unison, made its debut on Leftoverture. Also noteworthy is the progamming of the synthesizers, which remained unique to the album. The brass was more synthetic-sounding and less brassy than that used on the following release, yet it was presumably generated with the same equipment (according to the album notes, Kansas used ARP synthesizers). The icy, symphonic synth pad used in "Opus Insert" never appeared in any other song on Leftoverture or in any other album after it.

It is of interest to note that a song from the band Journey called "I'm Gonna Leave You" from their second album, Look Into The Future, shares an almost identical guitar riff with "Carry On Wayward Son". During 1975-76, the two bands toured tirelessly, often playing the same shows. Although the Journey track predates the Kansas song, Livgren insists that the similarity is a coincidence.

Overall, Leftoverture (as its name suggests, it was composed partially of previously unused material) is a remarkable compilation of work assembled under the sharp gaze of a business enterprise that was willing to give the band but one more chance to achieve commercial success. Luckily the album was indeed a success, far outselling anything the band had ever before released, and serving as the launch pad for a new direction for the band. The following year's Point of Know Return would continue the trend of success the band fostered with Leftoverture.

[edit] Cultural Impact

"Carry On Wayward Son" was used in the movie "Heroes" with Henry Winkler and Sally Field. It would normally appear in the last four minutes of the movie where Henry is running down the street, then to crouch down in shame and agony, after being told his friend from Vietnam was shot in the war. When MCA purchased the movie, they removed that footage and the audio track, and replaced it with different footage of Henry in fetal position being embraced by Sally Field, and an unrecognizable song.

The song also made an appearance in the 2004 cult movie "Anchorman" which stars Will Ferrell and Christina Applegate. The song is played during the last scene and into the closing credits.

There have also been covers of this song. A version by the Canadian Christian rock band Critical Mass (http://www.CatholicRock.com) was nominated in 2005 for Best Rock Song at the Canadian Gospel Music Association Awards. In the 1980's, another Christian rock band, Rachel Rachel, also covered this classic rock song. More recently, it was covered by The Oak Ridge Boys.

[edit] Track listing

  1. "Carry On Wayward Son" (Livgren) – 5:25
  2. "The Wall" (Livgren, Walsh) – 4:51
  3. "What's on My Mind" (Livgren) – 3:28
  4. "Miracles Out of Nowhere" (Livgren) – 6:28
  5. "Opus Insert" (Livgren, Walsh) – 4:28
  6. "Questions of My Childhood" (Livgren, Walsh) – 3:40
  7. "Cheyenne Anthem" (Livgren) – 6:55
  8. "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"
  9. "Carry On Wayward Son" (Live from 1977) (Livgren) 5:00 (Bonus track on 2001 remaster)
  10. "Cheyenne Anthem" (Live from 1978) (Livgren) – 7:10 (Bonus track on 2001 remaster)

[edit] Personnel

Additional personnel

  • Toye LaRocca - vocals
  • Cheryl Norman - vocals

[edit] Production

  • Producers: Jeff Glixman, Kansas
  • Arranger: Kansas
  • Engineer: Bill Evans

[edit] Charts

Album - Billboard (North America)

Year Chart Position
1977 Pop Albums 5

Singles - Billboard (North America)

Year Single Chart Position
1977 "Carry On Wayward Son" Pop Singles 11
Kansas
Phil Ehart | Billy Greer | David Ragsdale | Steve Walsh | Richard Williams
Dave Hope | Kerry Livgren | Robby Steinhardt | John Elefante | Steve Morse | Greg Robert
Discography
Studio albums: Kansas | Song for America | Masque | Leftoverture | Point of Know Return | Monolith | Audio-Visions | Vinyl Confessions | Drastic Measures | Power | In the Spirit of Things | Freaks of Nature | Always Never the Same | Somewhere to Elsewhere
Live albums: Two for the Show | Live at the Whisky | King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents Kansas | Device, Voice, Drum
Compilations: The Best of Kansas | Carry On |The Kansas Boxed Set | The Best of Kansas (expanded) | The Ultimate Kansas | Sail On: The 30th Anniversary Collection | On the Other Side | Works in Progress
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