Customer Reviews

Drastic Measures

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

The extent to which you like this album will be dependant upon how much you like John Elefante. I say that because, for all intents and purposes, this is essentially a John Elefante solo project. I like the solo work that John Elefante has delivered in the Christian music scene, so I have no problem with this album. However, I will stress that people looking for that "classic Kansas sound" that we all know and love (e.g., "Song for America", "Leftoverture", "Point of Know Return", "Monolith", "Audio Visions", and "Vinyl Confessions"), may want to pass on this album.

A lot of Kansas fans were turned off after Kansas began changing their sound when the 1980s rolled in. More lost interest after John Elefante took over the vocals and much of the songwriting after Steve Walsh left the band (to me, Elefante sounds so much like Walsh, I did not even realize it was a different vocalist at first). Sure, Kansas did not sound like the progressive giants of the 1970s with their 10-minute anthems. Their music in the 1980s was more radio-friendly (i.e. "Play the Game Tonight"). Still, I think this era of Kansas (although different) is excellent in it own right and I think some of their best material is found on the albums Audio-Visions through Steve Walsh's comeback Power. Fans who passed on Drastic Measures missed out on some killer tracks. "Fight Fire With Fire" is the only song off this album that I find on Kansas Greatest Hits compilations. I like it very much, especially the keyboard opening and Elefante's vocals. It is not the best track on this album, however. The best is definitely "Going Through the Motions." I would put this track on any Kansas compilation. It is amazing! The vocals, keyboards, and drums all kick butt, especially at the chorus! When I first heard it, I was blown away! I think even fans of early Kansas will find something to like on that track; the haunting, yet powerful keyboard opening perhaps. Another track that really rocks is "Mainstream" (penned by Kerry Livgren). "Andi" has a sweet charm about it. It is about a young girl who wants to be a lady but hasn't quite blossomed into womanhood yet (either that, or a transexual woman trapped in a boy's body, but that is just my second guess). It is a nice ballad either way. "Get Rich" is very catchy, especially the piano and vocals during the verses. "Everybody' My Friend" is OK, not spectacular. The only tracks I don't care for are "Incident on a Bridge" and the cheesy "Don't Take your Love Away" (written by Livgren and the Elefantes respectively). They both have a gospel sound to them that I do not care for. If you are interested in giving this album a try, I highly recommend it. "Going Through the Motions" alone is worth the price!

Slapped together while the band was breaking up, DRASTIC MEASURES pretty much deserves the scorn it gets from Kansas fans and the utter lack of attention from everyone else. John Elefante has said that the album was pretty much an Elefante Brothers album with the Kansas name on it, as they were the only ones working on it full time, and for the most part it really doesn't fit in with the classic Kansas sound.

Having said all that, there's no doubt that the album's hit single "Fight Fire With Fire" deserves its place on THE BEST OF KANSAS, although it seems oddly out of place here, and the band performs this song to this day in their live shows. I've given DRASTIC MEASURES a number of chances but still find almost all of it very forgettable with the exception of "Andi," a terrific John Elefante pop song that suffers only from not sounding anything like Kansas (except for Rich Williams' power chords).

Recommended only for Kansas fanatics and the musically curious.

Okay, Kansas fans might wanna skin me alive...oh well. I only knew of Kansas because I heard John Elefante (I knew of him through Mastedon, Petra) had sung with these guys. After thoroughly enjoying the Mastedon albums the Elefante bros. did I wanted more. Sooooo I decided to check out his work with Kansas.

I will admit this...I had to listen to Drastic Measures quite a few times before I liked it fully. Of course 'Fight Fire With Fire' hit off with me immediately, why not, its an excellent rocker. 'Mainstream' and 'Going Through The Motions' are excellent pieces as well, catchy, driving, even a teensy bit moody/haunting. 'Get Rich' is okay, if stuck in my head it will drive me insane. Okay, there's some cheesier pieces too...'Everybody's My Friend' took a little while to warm up to, if any track sounds dated on here its that one. 'Don't Take Your Love Away' also threw me a few times, it sounded horribly contrived. However, with frequent listens I grew to appreciate both tracks much more.

I hated 'Andi' at first and skipped it every time...to hear John Elefante singing about a tomboy who hasn't matured to womanhood just struck me as, well, weird (not that I'm making fun of the subject matter tho). After finally making myself play it, I grew to realize its not that bad. Hmmm, then there's the tracks 'End Of The Age' and 'Incident On The Bridge'...they sound relatively different to the rest of the album, less of an AOR sound and more...? I can't come up with the right word. These too had to cycle a couple of spins before I came to like them. (I went through all these tracks in my own order, not as they appear on DM.)

I will admit, Elefante is still a tad green here, yes. But you can hear little tidbits of the sound on the Mastedon albums that would come less than a decade later.

To sum it all up, Drastic Measures may have gotten a tad overplayed when I got it, I wouldn't rank it as an all-time favorite. However, I think its one of the best AOR/rock albums I've ever heard. The fact that I admire John Elefante not only for his vocal work but song-writing talents plays a big part. I guess like another viewer said, your liking of him is dependent on whether you'll like Drastic Measures or not. But seeing how I DO, it was a no brainer I'd be all over this one. That's why the Kansas fans will want to skin me...I like the one album they all seem to despise and have little or no familiarity with their more progressive work before DM.

Oh well, I said all that to say this...Drastic Measures is an excellent AOR rock album. Highly recommended.

I've always felt that Drastic Measures was for Kansas what 90125 was for Yes, an album of great songs but very different from the sound established by earlier recordings.

Most noticable is the lack of violin, which is a shame, and the higher percentage of pop/rock melodic tracks. Compared with earlier Kansas albums Drastic Measures is less experimental and progressive; compared to AOR/rock albums of the time the album is a breath of fresh air.

Looking at the Kansas back-catalogue from 2004 this album seems to me less of an "odd one out" that some of the reviews here suggest, rather a stepping stone to "Power", "In the Spirit" and "Freaks".

The current line-up of Kansas still perform "Fight fire with Fire" but I would love to see them do some of the other songs: the lyrics of Mainstream are more true today than ever and some would be transfored with the violin (but then also I would love to see Kansas tour the UK).

Finally, I think some of the reviewers have missed the humour in the cover and some of the lyrics (like "Everybody's My Friend" and "Mainstream").

A great album that you can play from end-to-end.

Let's get this straight up front...this is not a bad album. It's actually fairly good. But the distinctives that make a Kansas album a Kansas album are mostly AWOL here. With DRASTIC MEASURES, Kansas continued to move from being America's finest prog-rock band to being just another highly competent, melodic Album Oriented Rock (AOR) Band in the mold of Boston, Toto, Styx, Foreigner, or Journey. This album sounds great...crisp, loud, and flashy. But overall, it seems to be missing some of the soul, wit, and daring of Kansas' best work. (Not to mention beloved violinist/vocalist Robby Steinhardt.) DRASTIC MEASURES is also maddeningly inconsistent. Obviously, CBS was putting huge pressure on Kansas to "stay inside the mainstream" in order to achieve greater pop chart success; the irony is, the album flopped commercially. Many Kansas fans still haven't heard it, which is a shame; it has some superb moments. The opening track is killer..."Fight Fire With Fire" has some great, heavy riffing, tough-guy lyrics, and Elefante howling like a banshee. It doesn't really sound like Kansas, but it's a great track...as has been noted, sort of like Yes doing "Owner of a Lonely Heart." The second track is a little bit tepid...not terrible, but a little bit cliched lyrically and musically. It reminds me a bit of Electric Light Orchestra--not in their prime Jeff Lynne period, but in their "Part Two" period. That said, "Everybody" was a minor hit, and it is definitely radio-friendly. But again...it's not at all like classic Kansas. Kerry Livgren finally steps up to bat on "Mainstream," one of only three tracks that he wrote for the CD...and it's a real powerhouse. It rocks and rolls and growls and has genuine bite. This track is closer in spirit to classic Kansas, though it is a bit more "tech-y" and edgy. As on all tracks here, Phil Ehart's cyclonic drumming is right at the forefront soundwise, and it gives the CD an added kick. After this triumph, Kansas stumbled badly with the next song, "Andi," which has some of the most baffling and awkward lyrics in the 30 year history of the band. Musically, it's light and pleasant, but it sounds like Toto playing in a field of cotton candy. Thankfully, Elefante & Co. right the ship with the brooding, intense "Going Through the Motions." Without question, it's one of the best songs Kansas did during the entire decade of the 80s...compelling, rocking, complex, bold...it's a tour de force sonically. But, on DRASTIC MEASURES, it seems that what goes up, must come down...the lyrics for "Get Rich Now" are embarrassing and somewhat historically inaccurate. At points, the song is passable musically, but it finally sinks under the weight of its own heavy-handedness. Elefante contributes another love song, "Don't Ever Take Your Love Away," which is actually pretty good...it's a pop song, but it has some nice time changes and the usual stellar musicianship. By now, you're thinking this may be one of the best Journey albums ever made. Fortunately, Kerry Livgren steps back into the picture for the final two tracks. "End of the Age" is apocalyptically heavy, lyrically and musically. Some smoking guitars and Elefante's bluesy shouting are accented by skittering keyboards; the song has an urgency and passion that makes it indispensible. The closing song, "Incident on a Bridge," is a melodic masterpiece--it's pop, but it's painted on a recognizably Kansan canvas. Again, Elefante's vocals are topnotch here, and keyboards propel the inspiring storyline. Had Kansas continued in the direction charted by the best tracks on DRASTIC MEASURES, they could have achieved some amazing heights in the 80s. As it was, this proved to be the end of the Elefante age with the band. He went on to great success as a producer and songwriter and has released some superb solo albums...definitely check out his work. Livgren and Hope formed the band A.D., which released four outstanding albums before calling it a day in the early 1990s. Of course, the Kansas story was a long way from being over...Ehart and Williams were the keepers of the flame, and they were re-joined in 1986 by Steve Walsh and two new cohorts for a brand-new album. But, that's another story for another time.

I understand why old-time Kansas fans had a problem with this album when it came out, but for me--someone who grew up in the 1980s loving melodic rock--this album hits the spot. While it is certainly a change in direction from the more progressive style of Kansas, it is still a good musical album.

Highlights include the classic, rocking lead track "Fight Fire With Fire", the epic closer "Incident On A Bridge", and the pretty, anthemic, and touching "Don't Take Your Love Away". "Everybody's My Friend" also has strong melodies and for some reason reminds me a bit of late '70s Cheap Trick with the vocal delivery. "Mainstream" is also a fine track, although its lyrics are ironic, for sure, considering the musical direction of this album.

Whether or not you like this album depends upon your perspective. For me, a moderate Kansas fan but a big '80s melodic rock fan, this album is very good. Even with much of the original lineup gone, this album is still worth a listen. Whether or not it should be called a Kansas album is a whole other story.

"Drastic Measures" had the unique distinction to be the first Kansas album without a violin. Founding member Robbie Steinhardt left (or was fired) prior to this album and the band moved on as a 5 piece unit. In the end the album would be the last from the John Elefante era of the band. Kansas would basically cease to exist for more than a decade after this album and tour. John Elefante (and his songwriting partner, brother Dino) really comes to the fore on this disc writing the lion's share of the material. Many of the songs deal with the impact of sudden fame. Kerry Livgren only contributes three songs all in the with mainly Christian oriented lyrics. The single "Fight Fire With Fire" was a great rocker and managed to get both radio and MTV airplay. I also like "Everybody's My Friend", and "Mainstream" the longest track on the disc. The rest is all pleasant enough, but does not come close to what the band had previosly achieved. Overall for Kansas fans it is worth owning, but if you are a more casual fan there are many other albums that I would purchase prior to this one.

I want go on and on I just want anyone debating to buy this CD to buy this underrated and worthy disc. Every song is memorable and infectious and what more can you ask for in a CD.

OK a bit of a shock to me and many other Kansas fans this cd was
On first play I hated it , but I`m a ... for punishment and i played it a few more times and you know ? its not half bad. Mainstream and Going through the motions are great songs I can tolerate Fight fire with fire I like everybody is my friend and Andi is a good song. Plus there are bits and pieces on side two that also send the kansas ZAP. Kerry Livgren was going through writers block at the time and this CD sounds not much like the Kansas we know and love, but if you keep an open mind with this one you may find some great songs and enjoyment. Dont give up on it as its worthy of being called a Kansas cd. I will give this CD 3 stars because I actualy like it much more than most of the stuff that was released by other artist in the early 80`s