Kansas- Masque


I've been trying to write about all the messed-up and downright confusing ways people think about money, but it's too big and too messy. I can't find a good entry point. Screw it, let's talk about a fascinatingly bizarre way some people experienced the band Kansas. There are people walking around the earth right now whose experience of Kansas is "Leftoverture and Point of Know Return are famous albums and i didn't hate them, let's see if their previous album Masque is any good."

Obviously, if you read my reviews, i've corkscrewed that particular view a little by inserting Monolith and Livgren's Seeds of Change, but it's a fascinating context to think about. 

Hey look, it's a concept album about "reality" being a facade, and that's a face made up of sea creatures. Alright, i'm hooked, what fake way will this album portray the human experience? 

Men and women need each other to be complete human beings. That is certainly a very narrowly defined context for meaningful existence, but there's no signifier for irony or sarcasm.

I wish i wasn't so scared of the world that i'm imbibing alcohol and hiding in my basement. Hey! I resemble those remarks, but not in the way you're assuming.

Icarus. More specifically, Icarus' actual perspective (spoiler alert, he never made it to manhood because the sun melted the wax that held his wings together). 

The world's pretty awesome when people care about each other. Hmmmm.

I know what i did wrong. I was expecting sarcasm, but it's blatant sincerity. Masque, this silly little album is a clever disguise for our real life philosophies. Kansas, we think you don't have to be a competitively aggressive jerk to live a happy and fulfilling life, and gosh darnit, try liking people for a change.

Guys, i don't mean to be a party pooper, but we're all going to die, and it kinda really sucks to feel like no one loves you. How do i know? Well i met death in a nightmare, and realized that whatever bad thing you do to me will be Avenged Sevenfold for all eternity. I don't care if you're a jerk, i just don't like watching you suffer because i'm the Highlander, or whatever. Look kiddos, can you all please just play nice in the sandbox with each other so i can finally rest in peace?

Yep, that's quite a story. Not the Bible like everybody misinterprets it, though. Kerry Livgren and the book about the guy who was sleeping while the space aliens used him for their talk-radio program, remember?

It's good, though. Really good. I've said it before  and i don't plan to stop, i freakin' love Kansas, and i can't wait to hear their trainwreckord. Sorry for using your word, Todd in the Shadows, but it's an unremovable part of my basic vocabulary now.

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