Kansas- Leftoverture Review

Kansas- Leftoverture
October 1976
Kirshner, Legacy/Epic

People often joke about Kansas being a band with really only two good songs, "Carry On My Wayward Son" and "Dust in the Wind."  I must say, if you listen to this record in it's entirety, I do not see you changing that opinion.  With the band trying to join the ranks of the great progressive rock acts of the time such as Pink Floyd, Rush, and King Crimson; Kansas falls a little short.

The album opens up with the group's classic track "Carry On My Wayward Son."  With this tracks multiple sections, impressive guitar work, and big choruses, it gives the appearance of a great intro track to a potentially great album.  The problem is, this record is never really able to take off after this point.  It is worth pointing out some very obvious religious overtones present in this track and throughout the album, which seem to be a big theme in the lyrical content of this record and many of Kansas's later works.

With the rest of the record, we get everything from really uninspired pop ballads (Questions of My Childhood) , averagely written rock tracks (What's On My Mind) , boring acoustic driven songs (The Wall), and attempts and experimental progressive songs that really do nothing for the listener.  Plenty of filler to go around on this LP!

One thing that really stands out in a negative vein is the very average and boring vocal work, especially on "The Wall."  The record is plagued with very uninteresting and awkward instrumental sections that you really wish could just kind end faster.  On a technical stand point, for progressive rock, a genre defined by it's complexity, this music is awfully simple in rhythm, harmony, and structure.

One positive part of this record that kind of stood out to me was on the track "Cheyenne Anthem" in which the vocalist does really try to produce an emotional moment, backed up by two female vocalists, which just worked very well.  This is probably one of the most inspired moments on Leftoverture.

With the couple tracks I spoke positively on, it's still not enough for me to speak very highly of Leftoverture.  The negatives by far out way the positives when speaking on this LP by Kansas.  This may be the band's most critically successful recordings, but that really isn's saying a whole lot.  Leftoverture is a very average album, by a very average band.

My rating: 54/100

50 Greatest Albums and 50 Greatest Songs of the 1960's

Many would argue that the 1960's was the golden era of music.  With so many great acts such as The Beatles, Aretha Franklin, Velvet Underground, Rolling Stones, Temptations, etc taking the stage and the surplus of classic songs and albums, it is very hard to disagree.  I have tried my best to summarize this great decade by composing a list of the top 50 albums and top 50 songs of the 1960's.  Enjoy!

Albums:
1. The Beatles- Revolver
2. The Beach Boys- Pet Sounds
3. The Beatles- Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band
4. Bob Dylan- Highway 61 Revisited
5. The Velvet Underground- The Velvet Underground 
6. Van Morrison- Astral Weeks
7. Jimi Hendrix- Are You Experienced?
8. Bob Dylan- Blonde on Blonde
9. The Beatles- Abbey Road
10. Led Zeppelin- Led Zeppelin
11. The Rolling Stones- Beggars Banquet
12. Love- Forever Changes
13. Jimi Hendrix- Electric Ladyland
14. John Coltrane- A Love Supreme
15. Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band- Trout Mask Replica
16. The Beatles- The White Album
17. Johnny Cash- At Folsom Prison
18. Dusty Springfield- Dusty in Memphis
19. The Doors- The Doors
20. The Beatles- Rubber Soul
21. The Band- The Band
22. Led Zeppelin- Led Zeppelin II
23. The Rolling Stones- Let it Bleed
24. Aretha Franklin- I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You
25. James Brown- Live at the Apollo
26. Otis Redding- Otis Blue
27. Pink Floyd- The Piper at the Gates of Dawn 
28. The Band- Music from Big Pink
29. Bob Dylan- Bringing it All Back Home
30. Aretha Franklin- Lady Soul
31. Ray Charles- Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music
32. Nick Drake- Five Leaves Left
33. Sly and the Family Stone- Stand!
34. Cream- Disraeli Gears
35. King Crimson- In the Court of the Crimson King 
36. The Who- Tommy 
37. The Rolling Stones- Aftermath
38. Jimi Hendrix- Axis: Bold as Love
39. Flying Burrito Brothers- The Gilded Palace of Sin
40. Leonard Cohen- Songs of Leonard Cohen
41. Jefferson Airplane- Surrealistic Pillow
42. The Beatles- A Hard Day's Night
43. The Stooges- The Stooges
44. MC5- Kick out the Jams
45. BB King- Live at the Regal
46. John Coltrane Giant Steps
47. Frank Zapa- Hot Rats
48. The Byrds- Younger than Yesterday
49. The Kinks- The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society
50. Elvis Presley- From Elvis in Memphis


Songs:
1. The Rolling Stones- (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
2. Bob Dylan- Like a Rolling Stone
3. Aretha Franklin- Respect
4. The Who- My Generation
5. The Ronettes- Be My Baby
6. Marvin Gaye- I Heard it Through the Grapevine
7. The Beach Boys- Good Vibrations
8. Otis Redding- (Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay
9. The Beatles-A Day in the Life
10. The Kinks- You Really Got Me
11. The Righteous Brothers- You've Lost that Lovin' Feeling
12. The Kingsmen- Louie Louie
13. Percy Sledge- When a Man Loves a Woman
14. Ike and Tine Turner- River Deep- Mountain High
15. The Beatles- Hey Jude
16. Jimi Hendrix- Purple Haze
17. The Beatles- I Want to Hold Your Hand
18. The Beach Boys- God Only Knows
19. The Rolling Stones- Sympathy for the Devil
20. The Jackson 5- I Want You Back
21. Smokey Robinson and the Miracles- The Tracks of My Tears
22. The Beatles- Strawberry Fields Forever
23. The Doors- Light My Fire
24. The Kinks- Waterloo Sunset
25. Ben. E. King- Stand By Me
26. Sam Cooke- A Change is Gonna Come
27. Van Morrison- Brown Eyed Girl
28. Four Tops- Reach Out I'll Be There
29. The Byrds- Mr. Tambourine Man
30. Martha and the Vandellas- Dancing in the Street
31. The Rolling Stones- Jumping Jack Flash
32. Led Zeppelin- Whole Lotta' Love
33. The Beatles- Yesterday
34. James Brown- Papa's Got a Brand New Bag
35. Temptations- My Girl
36. Roy Orbison- Oh, Pretty Woman
37. Elvis Presley- Suspicious Minds
38. Creedence Clearwater Revival- Proud Mary
39. The Animals- House of the Rising Sun
40. Buffalo Springfie 34. James Brown- Papa's Got a Brand New Bag
35. Temptations- My Girl
36. Roy Orbison- Oh, Pretty Woman
37. Elvis Presley- Suspicious Minds
38. Creedence Clearwater Revival- Proud Mary
39. The Animals- House of the Rising Sun
40. Buffalo Springfield- For What it's Worth
41. Booker T & the M.G.s- Green Onions
42. Wilson Pickett- In the Midnight Hour
43. Jimi Hendrix- All Along the Watchtower
44. The Shirelles- Will You Love Me Tomorrow
45. The Velvet Underground- Heroin
46. The Supremes- Stop! In the Name of Love
47.The Rolling Stones- Gimme Shelter
48. Creedence Clearwater Revival- Fortunate Son 
49. Patsy Cline- Crazy50. Johnny Cash- Ring of Fire ld- For What it's Worth
41. Booker T & the M.G.s- Green Onions
42. Wilson Pickett- In the Midnight Hour
43. Jimi Hendrix- All Along the Watchtower
44. The Shirelles- Will You Love Me Tomorrow
45. The Velvet Underground- Heroin
46. The Supremes- Stop! In the Name of Love
47.The Rolling Stones- Gimme Shelter
48. Creedence Clearwater Revival- Fortunate Son
49. Patsy Cline- Crazy
50. Johnny Cash- Ring of Fire

Daft Punk: Random Access Memories review

Daft Punk- Random Access Memories
Released: May 17, 2013
Daft Life/Colombia

The first thing you notice about the new Daft Punk record is the slight departure of the electronic dance music that embodied Daft Punk's earlier work on albums such as Homework (1997) and Discovery (2001), although those elements are still present.  Instead, on Random Access Memories, the duo who brought us "One More Time" and "Around the World" bring in much more live instrumentation and go for a more guitar driven disco/funk feel.  The title of this album even seems to hint a salute to the past and this era of music.

Right off the back, I am impressed with how well Daft Punk was able to bring in lovely melodies, contagious funk beats, and ultra-catchy and infectious choruses without getting redounded or losing an ounce of integrity.  This record has plenty of variety, touching on genres such as jazz, prog-rock, funk, dance, and electronic without ever sounding scattered or "random."  The pacing on this record is superb and  I seldom found myself losing interest or attention at any point of this album.

I need to stress that this is in fact an ALBUM!  In an era where the art of the album may have died off a bit in exchange for radio singles and people buying individual track on iTunes (or stealing), this record flows like an album should.  It feels like a cohesive, all together work and not a collection of random songs.  Daft punk puts everything around the central theme of a" blast from the past meeting the music from today".  The record opens up and closes, with it's climaxes and it's falling actions, just like great records should.

The opener track "Give Life Back to Music" is a highlight to me , with a more rock oriented intro and funk guitar and bass riffs over the duo's signature robotic auto-tuned vocals.  Another stand-out to me would be "Giorgio by Moroder", a more electronica based track with a very interesting monologue by Italian songwriter Giorgio Moroder.  Instant Crush is a more progressive sounding track, full of melody and a intelligently fun chorus that can pull you in nobody what you are busy with at the moment.  The collaboration with Pharrell Williams is brilliant, producing tracks such as the ridiculously funky "Lose Yourself to Dance" and probably the album's centerpiece "Get Lucky" which is sure to be one of the big hits of the summer and will easily go down as one of group's signature tracks.

The only minor complaint I have with this "Random Access Memories" is it's length.  It clocks in at just under 75 minutes.  And although this record is almost filler free, this seems a bit overboard for this type of musical endeavor.

All in this record is a anthemic and daring journey which looks to reinvent dance music like Daft Punk has already done more than once.  You must listen to Random Access Memories from start to finish, with headphones, and with the volume on 10!  This is an intelligently written project, and yet it's a heck of a fun listen.  Don't be surprised if you start a private disco dance party in your room! (Don't worry nobody's looking!")  This is possibly Daft Punk's greatest accomplishment, among a more than satisfying discography.  They have produced one of 2013's masterpieces and so far a favorite for album of the year.  With this level of quality coming out of a more radio friendly mainstream act, I have nothing but hope for the future of music!  Thank you Daft Punk.

My rating 85/100

About this Blog

Hey everyone!  Thanks for stopping by and checking out my blog.  I just sort of briefly want to describe want this blog is about and a bit about myself.

I for one, am an avid music lover.  I have been obsessed with albums for a long time now.  I have quite the collection of vinyls and CD's and i can not even give you a rough estimate of how many albums I have heard, and I always listen to at least one album a day.  I am a bit of a geek when it comes to music history and things of that nature, and can't wait to dish out my knowledge for all of you guys! I also love to play music and am studying music performance at college, but that won't be the main subject matter in this blog.

I will be posting album reviews, videos, greatest of all time lists, takes on artists, etc.  I will focus on all genres: pop, country, hip-hop, electronic, rock, jazz, indie, even classical!  I plan on showing my knowledge from music of all decades and eras including today!  I even plan on reviewing other major publications lists and such!

I hope this blog goes somewhere and I hope you enjoy the content I will be filling this up with!  Thanks  again for reading!