Great album.

This is the first album of Leo's that I remember hearing, and still my favorite, although I've barely scratched the surface. The last reviewer gave this three stars, and sounds as if he is familiar with a wider array of Leo's stuff. If this is a three star album, then his five-star albums must be astronomical.

Leo Kottke stands out to me as one of the most distinctive and talented guitarists of our day, along with the likes of Michael Hedges, Pat Metheny, Phil Keaggy, Andy Summers, The Edge, Johnny Marr, and probably a few others. His style is unlike anyone I know, full of rich acoustic textures and a voice that grows on you after a while.

It's not bad.....

This is by no means Kottke at his best, but BALANCE does have it's moments. Kottke fans will want to have it. As for new comers, I don't strongly recommend this one.

Kottke with a band(?)

Released in the thick of his Chrysalis contract, Balance finds Kottke singing almost every song and having a band back him up. The result is almost a little more country (gulp) than folky.

Of course, that doesn't mean that non of Kottke's sensibilities shine through on this album. He is simply flexing his songwriting muscles more than his instrumental composer ones. It still ends up sounding like him: a little quircky, a little off the mark, a bit corny, but very sincere too.

The other reviewer is correct in assuming that Kottke's five star albums are better. Balance has moments of true musical breathe, but nothing like My Father's Face, One Guitar No Vocal, and Mudlark (that stuff is GOLD, man). The most effective track here is the one that Kottke didn't write: Buddy Holly's Learning The Game. With only a 12 string guitar and a vocal track, Kottke performs an oh-my-god-how-can-I-go-on heartbreak song as if he really meant it.

Aside from all that, this isn't really an album indicative of Kottke's usual style. It's for the fan/completist or just plain curious.