After experimenting with all manner of hard, progressive and sounds on their first two albums, Wichita, KS would finally embrace wholeheartedly -- and start defining the epic formula that would become their trademark -- with their third, 1983's . But that's not to say they got boring with their songwriting. Anything but, as selections varied from brisk, economical singles like and to more elaborate offerings in the title track and album standout to the full-blown, 12-minute epic adventure of The latter, in particular, revealed an evident debt to bands like (in fact copping a riff from their classic ), and therefore, won't sound unfamiliar to fans of contemporaries such as or -- all of which had indeed drunk from the same wellspring. But what set apart from these bands was a hard to define, explorative innocence that only their geographical isolation could possibly explain. One of these quirks, leader 's warbling, somewhat nasal vocal style might not sound brittle enough to get over with some fans; but his slashing guitar playing is simply beyond reproach, boasting an inventiveness and electrifying attack worthy of the era's best major market guitar heroes. Ironically, 's singular talents probably found their best showcase in non-album single which was originally featured on ' sampler, but was later added to most CD reissues of . And it was this final and belated ingredient that helped transform the album into an all around tour de force, which remains one of 's finest albums. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia