Friday, 22 September 2017

Kansas (1974) Death Of Mother Nature Suite - LOST 70s GEMS

 Based around a theme of protecting the planet, the debut Kansas album was poetic and lyrical about the Earth in all it's quaint majesty on songs like Lonely Wind, Apercu and the Journey to Mariabronn. The folky delight, the raucous country boogie and Prog passages.
 
 Starting with a funky Deep Purple riff of smashing guitar and organ interplay before subsiding into a quiet passage about Mother Nature imagery. Before it launches into the riff again complete with a ascending calls of 'yeah, yeah, yeah', Robby Steinhardt, the violinist and second lead singer, almost comically declares in a gruff cheesy tone "And now she's gonna die!" it's one of the least subtle things about the nuanced album that is bathed in gentle violin folk as much as sprightly classical big band playing and down home boogie.

There is some more Deep Purple-esque heavy riffing, speed drumming and distorted organ solos and persistent bass foundation. Steinhardt even hits some Ian Gillan styled falsetto wailing nearing the end to cap off the comparisons. An acoustic guitar is glades in brightly and strummed with full effect as the band join in a Bolero movement complete with symphonic organs before a pause and a crescendo. A truly unsophisticated rock suite from a very classical steeped southern rock band


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