IN THE SPIRIT OF THINGS

Kansas' final album of the 1980s was a nightmare in terms of the amount of commercialism that went into the making of it. While retaining spitfire guitarist Steve Morse, the band adds an additional keyboardist, Greg Roberts, perhaps to fill in where Livgren was in the sound, although it's hard to tell where his contributions lie. The rhythm section is as solid as it has ever been, even if Billy Greer and Phil Ehart don't have much to deal with in terms of complexity. Rich Williams is still present, but the other guitarist tends to step over him with his shredding. Steve Walsh's voice and vision are both clear on this album, and regarding the former, one can only really detect the rasp when he goes for the higher notes. He has said many times that this is his favorite Kansas album, but it's hard to see why. Despite his tendency toward commercially accessible songwriting, MCA decided to provide the band with some "guidance" in that department, using several outside songwriters to try to squeeze out a hit single or two. And while the album is sometimes described as a loose concept album revolving around the flood that hit Neosho Falls, Kansas in the 1950s, I see very little in that direction. What is here is mostly a collection of pop-rock songs and a few power ballads.

"Ghosts" A gentle opening, with Walsh describing the desolation of a flood over an unassuming piano. It's a peaceful way to begin things.

"One Big Sky" This is an excellent rock song, especially for the time. Compared to the live version that has been released about two hundred times, this one is a little tame, almost stripped of its power since the guitars and vocals are mixed a bit low. The children's choir is a nice touch, though.

"Inside of Me" While I enjoy this song, Walsh has to sing ridiculously low in the beginning. Otherwise, it's a decent pop-rock song, if nothing more.

"One Man, One Heart" This is about as bland as Kansas gets- again, not a terrible song, but this sounds like the band was trying to cling to the heels of the persistent success of acts like Journey.

"House on Fire" This heavy rocker begins with some experimental guitar work before running into an organ-led introduction of the song proper. The otherworldly effects applied to the lead vocals work, even if they get old after a while. It's the stylish guitar playing from Morse and Williams that set this apart.

"Once in a Lifetime" Things slow down with a reflective acoustic song that picks up during the chorus, but other than the pleasing guitar, this one is mostly forgettable.

"Stand Beside Me" I think of all the pop ballads Kansas did, particularly during the late 1970s and the 1980s, this one might be my favorite. It is a simple song with good instrumentation and is well-executed. It doesn't make me feel anything, but I suppose that's the nature of these kinds of songs.

"I Counted On Love" Like "One Man, One Heart," this is just a bland 1980s power ballad, one I can do without. None of the instrumentation is even noteworthy.

"The Preacher" Along with "Ghosts," "One Big Sky," and "Bells of Saint James," this is one of my preferred songs on this album. It has a good blues structure with some solid riffs, and the melodies are quite memorable. The choir adds a much needed layer during the chorus.

"Rainmaker" The half-sung, half-spoken lyrics sound almost laughably cheesy, but after that initial section, Walsh becomes dramatic over the choir, telling a haunting story. Heavier instrumentation follows, with the sound of thunder underneath, that does a great job depicting the deluge.

"T.O. Witcher" This is a terse acoustic guitar piece written by Morse to honor a teacher of his. While I personally like it (and it's certainly fun to actually play), and while I wouldn't call it out of place on this album, it does seem like excessive validation of Morse's place in the band.

"Bells of Saint James" The final song describes the correspondence between a solider and his lover. Morse scratches out a quick solo, and the drumming is terrific. The vocals soar here, and after enduring some terribly commercial music, the album ends satisfyingly.