Search - Kansas :: Masque

Interesting mix of progressive & hard rock

David R. Gaines | Rockville, MD, USA | 03/24/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

""Icarus - Borne On Wings Of Steel" and "The Pinnacle" are American progressive classics, while "Mysteries & Mayhem" is a hard rockin' staple of the Kansas live set to this day.Correction of editorial review above: this was Kansas' third album, not their second album. Also, a remastered version with two bonus tracks will be released in the USA on May 22nd, 2001, thus putting all Kansas albums back in print in the country in which they were originally recorded and released. Hallelujah!"

Great but not brilliant

lorien@maitreya.demon.co.uk | Edinburgh | 03/01/2001

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Masque is an odd album. It's apparently been deleted in the US - being available from good old blighty (Britain) which is thankfully where I live. I have no idea why such a good album should have been deleted in the US when all the other albums are available as well as a lot of rushed together compilations. This album deserves an audience.If I were to base this review purely on the tracks Icarus Borne On Wings Of Steel, Mysteries and Mayhem and The Pinnacle it would have merited a 5* review with no problems. These tracks represent Kansas at their best and easily take up about half the air time of this album.Unfortunately the remaining tracks are average although typically Kansas. That's not to say they're not enjoyable, they most cetainly are, but when compared to other Kansas masterpieces (The Wall, Icarus, Song For America) they do pale by comparison somewhat.Definitely a great album overall but not one to get hysterical about. Icarus, Mysteries and Mayhem and The Pinnacle show what was to follow soon in classics Leftoverture and Point Of Know Return - albums that sealed Kansas' rock greatness.Recommendation to buy."

Kansas Perfects Their Sound

Steven R Fleck | Rockville Centre, NY United States | 09/19/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Kansas' third album vies with their next three as perhaps their strongest ever. That said, much has been written about Masque already, along with Leftoverture and Point of Know Return in ascending order, so I'll try and keep my observations as generic as possible. "Mysteries and Mayhem," and "The Pinnacle" (originally one song, reportedly separated by the record company), "Child of Innocence," and finally "Icarus-Borne on Wings of Steel," rank with the most quality songsmithing the mid-western sextet ever recorded. (Not only that, but they rival the best British prog of all time, another topic for another time, though.) Most impressive, however, is how these songs and much of Kansas' best work pass the time test. Many critics of the band decided they sounded like Yes (?) or ELP (??), but anyone with one good ear has to disagree--Kansas has never sounded like anybody else. Their power lies in their singularity; a sound they created and they alone can produce. That sound was perfected on Masque with the anthemic mythology of "Icarus," the chilling, bizarre brand of hard rock on "Child," the sense of utter dread on "Mysteries," and the probing for virtue and purpose in the grandiose "Pinnacle." Along with the lofty prog of the aforementioned, Kansas importantly tapped their roots in American pop and blues with "It Takes a Woman's Love," "Two Cents Worth," and the amusing, "It's You." Steve Walsh and Robbie Steinhardt's vocals harmonies and alternating leads reached new heights on Masque, as well as Dave Hope and Phil Ehart's ability to juggle odd time signatures like they're straight out of some back beat circus. Masque is marred only by a guitar sound that could've come straight out of a battery-operated practice amp. If you fellow guitarists and perfectionists can overcome that, however, you're rewarded with one of the most peerless progressive rock albums of all time. (Number three in the Lucky Seven--that is, seven consistently quality albums in a row by one band.)"