Leftoverture
The cover of 1976'sLeftoverturepictures a bearded Da  Vinci character composing reams of music score with a quill.  Appropriate imagery for a band that combined the compositionally  complex approach of British bands such as Genesis and Yes with solid  Southern-rock jamming. Kansas wasn't new in ‘76--the group had escaped  Topeka, Kansas, to record several albums with CBS, including the  excitingMasqueandSong for America. They  joined the arena circuit viaLeftoverture's "Carry on My Wayward  Son," an instant hit with its explosive vocal arrangement and indelible  guitar riff. For straight-ahead rockers ("What's on My Mind") and  ornate epics (the five-part suite "Magnum Opus"), guitarist Kerry  Livgren and keyboardist Steve Walsh dramatically pair vocal harmonies  over classical- and jazz-inspired structures. The album also includes  "The Wall" and "Cheyenne Anthem."--James Rotondi