Freaks of Nature (Kansas album)
1995 studio album by Kansas
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Freaks of Nature is the twelfth studio album by the American rock band Kansas, released in 1995.[6][7][8] Two edited singles were issued but did not chart, nor did the album itself, making it the only Kansas studio album not to appear on any Billboard chart. The band promoted the album by touring with the Alan Parsons Project, and then opening for Styx.[9][10]
| Freaks of Nature | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | May 29, 1995 | |||
| Recorded | 1995 | |||
| Studio | Caribbean Sound Basin, Trinidad, West Indies | |||
| Genre | Art rock, hard rock | |||
| Length | 45:14 | |||
| Label | Intersound (US)[1] Essential/Castle Communications (Europe) Sony Music (Japan) | |||
| Producer | Jeff Glixman | |||
| Kansas chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [3] |
| Entertainment Weekly | B−[4] |
| (The New) Rolling Stone Album Guide | [5] |
Production
Recorded in Trinidad, the album was produced by Jeff Glixman.[11][12] Violinist David Ragsdale cowrote four of Freaks of Nature's songs.[13] The band chose to forgo the overproduction of previous albums, including eschewing orchestral instrumentation.[14]
Critical reception
Entertainment Weekly wrote that "the techno synths and hoedown fiddles of 'Need' and the AOR schmaltz and African drums on 'I Can Fly' are fairly innovative syntheses."[4] The Washington Post determined that the band "continues to sound like a middle-American knockoff of such British predecessors as Yes."[15]
The Deseret News noted that "the world-rhythm-inspired 'Need' adds a new angle to Kansas' Midwest progression while the album's title cut is pure, blues-based rock-a-rolla."[16] USA Today concluded: "If you insist on listening to overblown art-rock, the band's new Freaks of Nature album isn't any worse than 'Carry On Wayward Son'."[17]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "I Can Fly" | David Ragsdale, Steve Walsh | 5:21 |
| 2. | "Desperate Times" | Walsh | 5:25 |
| 3. | "Hope Once Again" | Walsh | 4:34 |
| 4. | "Black Fathom 4" | Walsh, Ragsdale | 5:54 |
| 5. | "Under the Knife" | Walsh, Ragsdale | 4:54 |
| 6. | "Need" | Walsh | 3:59 |
| 7. | "Freaks of Nature" | Ragsdale, Walsh, Phil Ehart | 4:05 |
| 8. | "Cold Grey Morning" | Kerry Livgren | 4:14 |
| 9. | "Peaceful and Warm" | Walsh | 6:44 |
Personnel
- Phil Ehart - drums, percussion
- Rich Williams - guitar, backing vocals
- Steve Walsh - lead vocals, keyboards
- Billy Greer - bass, guitar, backing vocals
- Greg Robert - keyboards, backing vocals
- David Ragsdale - violin, backing vocals