Top tracks — play these first
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Fight Fire With Fire Start here — The opening track sets a fierce tone with its driving rhythm and aggressive lyrics, addressing themes of conflict and resilience that resonate throughout the album.
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Mainstream — This track critiques societal conformity and commercialism, showcasing Kansas's ability to blend thoughtful lyrics with their characteristic melodic complexity.
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End of the Age — With its introspective lyrics and rich instrumental arrangement, this song epitomizes the band's art rock sensibilities while reflecting on existential themes.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album blends polished rock with progressive elements but lacks standout depth or cohesion.
What we noticed
- The first track opens with a driving guitar riff and maintains a high energy level throughout, setting a tone that persists into the second track.
- Composition 25% of the score
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6/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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7/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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5/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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5/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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6/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- steady progression with climactic builds
- thoughtful moments for reflection
- engaging melodies for casual listening
- balanced mix of depth and
Maybe skip if you
- prefer instant gratification tracks
- seek purely upbeat energy
Where this album fits
- In the catalog
- Breakthrough — Marked commercial success and notable airplay for Kansas in the early '80s.
- Themes
- societal conformity critique· conflict and resilience
- Career context
- Released on July 1, 1983, Drastic Measures was Kansas's eighth studio album and their first after the departure of original violinist Robby Steinhardt. This album came during a transitional period for the band, as they sought to adapt their sound to changing musical landscapes while retaining their signature progressive rock identity.
Tracklist
- 1 Fight Fire With Fire Start here 3:42
- 2 Everybody’s My Friend 4:01
- 3 Mainstream 6:36
- 4 Andi 4:17
- 5 Going Through the Motions 5:48
- 6 Get Rich 3:44
- 7 Don’t Take Your Love Away 3:39
- 8 End of the Age 4:33
- 9 Incident on a Bridge 5:38
If this landed
Records by other artists that run on the same instinct.
Paradise Theater
Styx
Shares polished production and explores themes of societal change and personal conflict.
Grace Under Pressure
Rush
Combines progressive rock elements with lyrical themes of resilience in the face of societal pressures.
90125
Yes
Maintains a polished sound while balancing anthemic rock with introspective themes of existence.
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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