Kansas

Track Listings

1. Prelude (Faithful to Me)

2. Whole Again

3. Undo Me

4. Trinity

5. In the Name

6. His Grace Is Sufficient

7. Martyrs and Thieves

8. Romans

9. Refine Me

10. Hold Me Now

11. Visions

12. Fathful to Me (Reprise)

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Self-described as "just a girl with a guitar," Knapp, the winner of the 1999 Dove Award for best new artist of the year, crafts acoustic folk-rock in the vein of Lilith Fair rock-maids, yet founds her lyrics on her relationship with God rather than on that of a beau. Kansas basks in both the relative youth of Knapp as a woman and as a Christian, featuring her smartly communicative songwriting, which examines matters of spirit and faith in an era dominated by pop culture. Rather than railing against the inevitable, Knapp has wisely chosen to embrace this seeming dichotomy with the back to back "Undo Me" and "Trinity"; the former, an infectious rock anthem and 1999's Dove rock song of the year, the latter a harmonically layered scripture-based examination of the Holy Spirit. Blessed with an agile, earthy contralto that reaches from matter-of-fact talkiness to power yowl to melodious balladic lilt, coupled with her taut and circular guitar lines and inspired string arrangements, Knapp's Kansas is a testament to her well-used talents. --Paige La Grone --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

From CCM Magazine -- Subscribe Now!
After doing the indie thing for three years, Jennifer Knapp's experience singing night after night to churches and youth groups has served her well, drawing listeners in to her unwavering vocals and her rootsy music's smart use of repetition.

The singer/songwriter's youthful voice carries just enough gusto throughout the record that producer Mark Stuart (Audio Adrenaline) smartly used little or no effects on it. Knapp tends to overuse her Natalie Merchant-esque vocal treatment throughout the... read more --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Kansas

Tracks:

Carry On Wayward Son
Point Of Know Return
Fight Fire With Fire
Dust In The Wind
Song For America
Hold On
No One Together
Play The Game Tonight
The Wall
The Pinnacle
The Devil Game
Closet Chronicles

Customer Reviews:

much improved collection.......2007-07-08

This is a much better version of the original 1984 release and even the later CD release.

First off I want to say something about Kansas. It still eludes me to this day why a great band like this was lumped in with such bands as Styx and Foreigner and Journey. It still bugs me to this day. Kansas was nothing like any of those bands!!

Anyway, this is a vastly improved collection from the original. It has the hits, a few choice album cuts and a great live version of Closet Chronicles which I wish they would put back into their live album where it belongs!

There are still the 80's tracks here which are not as good as the 70's stuff, but they are only two of them here. While this is not a complete collection of their good stuff it's a good place for a beginner. So if you only know their hits and want to hear a bit more of what these guys were all about, this is definitely for you.

I don't have this in my collection anymore because I have deemed it redundant and I have all these songs on CD somewhere already.

So this collection, though not complete, is still decent. Four stars for this. Recommended for the casual listener only.

Kansas stays strong over the years.......2007-06-27

In the '80s, I heard a few songs by Kansas, but never became a devoted fan. My mistake. After putting this CD into my car stereo, I really didn't want to arrive at my destination. I just wanted to finish hearing all of the songs.

Carry on Wayward Son, Dust in the Wind and Point of No Return are three that I can listen to over and over without ever getting enough.

Kerry Livgren rocks!

Kansas Wayne Gacy.......2007-04-24

What was the thing that Malachai had in the trees that he burned in the Kansas cornfields? Maybe it wasn't a scarecrow. I can't remember. I liked Malachai though. He was very serious and seemed to have a lot of concern for his cause. What was his cause? It was some kind of weird religion thing, but it was very cool.
I mean, really, if you could have done that kind of stuff after school when you were a kid, you would have the time of your life. You get off the school bus, walk home and get some Oreo cookies, and then head to the cornfields for some sacrifices and goat head choppings. These kids had a great childhood, their parents didn't even bug them or anything. Anyway, what was I talking about. Oh yeah, the band KANSAS was utterly horrible.

disappointing representation.......2007-03-16

If you have nothing by Kansas and want ONLY the hits, this is the one to get. (If you have some familiarity with their albums, drop a few extra bucks and get The Ultimate Kansas). The biggest hits are here, but the album cuts are suspect; not representing the best of their material. Hopefully you like some of them. They certainly do not suck, but could easily be replaced by some stronger choices.

Kansas is my favorite band and I would like to see them displayed in their best light. This would be my line-up for a single cd Best Of Kansas:

You're not in Kansas anymore Toto.......2007-03-10

A fine compilation of their best known tunes. If you like some fine examples of great music, then you'll like this one. Fairly unique sounds that are a good example why rock music will be timeless.

Average customer rating:

Okalahoma
MacRae and Jones head a superb and O.K. adaptation
Broadway in a movie setting at it's very best!
Wonderful
Beauiful

Oklahoma! (1955 Film Soundtrack)
Jay Blackton , Charlotte Greenwood , Shirley Jones , Gene Nelson , Gloria Grahame , Rod Steiger , James Whitmore , and Gordon MacRae
Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Musical Theater | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B00005A7XB
Release Date: 2001-03-13

Tracks:

Overture - Rodgers & Hammerstein
Main Title - Rodgers & Hammerstein
Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin' - Gordon MacRae
The Surrey With The Fringe On Top - Gordon MacRae/Shirley Jones/Charlotte Greenwood
Kansas City - Gene Nelson/Charlotte Greenwood/Men's Chorus
Kansas City Ballet - Rodgers & Hammerstein
I Cain't Say No - Gloria Grahame
Many A New Day - Shirley Jones/Girls' Chorus
Many A New Day Ballet - Rodgers & Hammerstein
People Will Say We're In Love - Gordon McaRae/Shirley Jones
Pore Jud Is Daid - Gordon MacRae/Rod Steiger
Out Of My Dreams - Shirley Jones/Girls' Chorus
Out Of My Dreams Ballet - Rodgers & Hammerstein
Entr' Acte - Rodgers & Hammerstein
The Farmer And The Cowman - Gordon MacRae/Charlotte Greenwood/Gene Nelson/J.C. Flippen/James Whitmore/Gloria Grahame...
The Farmer And The Cowman Ballet - Rodgers & Hammerstein
All Er Nuthin' - Gloria Grahame/Gene Nelson
All Er Nuthin' Ballet - Rodgers & Hammerstein
People Will Say We're In Love - Gordon MacRae/Shirley Jones
Oklahoma - Gordon MacRae/Shirley Jones/Charlotte Greenwood/Gloria Grahame/Gene Nelson/Rod Steiger...
Finale: Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin' - Gordon MacRae/Shirley Jones/Charlotte Greenwood/Gloria Grahame/Gene Nelson/Rod Steiger...
Overture (LP Version) - Rodgers & Hammerstein

Customer Reviews:

Okalahoma.......2007-07-17

Very good quality reproduction, and enjoyable to listen to the full length movie soundtrack again.

MacRae and Jones head a superb and O.K. adaptation.......2007-03-16

The film adaptation of Oklahoma heralded a technological breakthrough in widescreen cinema just as the original stage musical ushered in the integrated book musical. As such this film adaptation was treated as a special occasion, well-supervised by the creators themselves. The soundtrack, featured here, boasts sterling performances from MacRae and Jones making the most of their portrayals of Curly and Laurey, backed by a charismatic cast and superb orchestrations. And of course let's not forget the enveloping stereo sound that holds up well even today.

Despite being a Hollywood star, Gordon MacRae performs the part of Curly as if he was born to play it even on the stage. He shines vocally in his renditions of Oh, what a Beautiful Mornin' and Surrey with the Fringe on Top. He is well-partnered by Shirley Jones as a fresh and pert Laurey, lending her beautiful voice to the part. Although we don't hear much of her on this soundtrack, her partnering MacRae in People Will Say We're in Love exudes a masterful chemistry, as if they were setting sparks off at each other in their rendition of the song. Gene Nelson makes a dashing Will Parker and is equally well-matched by Gloria Grahame as Ado Annie. Grahame renders I Cain't Say No splendidly and partners Nelson in All er Nothin'. The supporting cast is filled out by Charlotte Greenwood's suitably caustic Aunt Eller and Rod Steiger's Jud. It's a pity that the film cut the song Lonely Room, otherwise Steiger would have better demonstrated the dark hues of the character of Jud. Yet it all adds up to a wonderful renditionh of this classic musical, enough to elicit a spontaneous YEOW! during this year of the Oklahoma centenary.

This EMI-Angel reissue offers one the advantage of the dance music and the main titles. This means that the listener gets the Kansas City and Farmer and the Cowman dance sequences, as well as the extended Dream Ballet. The only downside is the extraneous sound effects lifted from a DVD copy of the movie. Yes I share many of your sentiments that these sound effects tend to grate, and long for Didier Deutsch to have used the original untainted studio vault versions. However, let's at least be thankful that the CD producers have offered us a more comprehensive version of the Oklahoma soundtrack that we could only have dreamt of in the past.

In short, this is a wonderful and valuable addition to the R&H discography, and is an equally celebrated rendition of the score like the original Broadway cast recording. Warmly recommended to those who seek even their first version of Oklahoma.

Broadway in a movie setting at it's very best!.......2007-03-06

I have the original Broadway version, but prefer this movie selection.
The CD is flawless and, in my opinion, there's nothing better than a Rodgers
and Hammerstein musical for music, lyrics and pure joy! This is the best!

Wonderful.......2007-01-30

A great way to introduce oneself to the world of the nearly extinct Hollywood musical.

Beauiful.......2006-06-05

A true musical theater classic. Wonderful melodies that will last for years to come.
Other classics not to forget about are:
Mary Poppins
My Fair Lady
The Wizard of Oz
Chitty Chitty Bang Band
The first Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
The Sound of Music
Oliver
West Side Story
Fiddler on the Roof
Singing in the Rain
The Wiz
Little Mermaid
Aladdin
Beauty and the Beast
Grease
The King and I
Oklahoma
The Music Man
South Pacific

My Voice Students are always asking me for recommendations so I though I'd post it for all! We can't forget about these great musicals!

Average customer rating:

Success at Last
Kansas - A True Classic Album
The Lyrics of Kansas are Rich with Meaning
Kansas's Leftoverture
A CLASSIC American album remastered to perfection

Leftoverture
Kansas
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

General | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

Arena Rock | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
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Point Of Know Return
Song for America
Masque
Kansas
Monolith

ASIN: B00005JA2B
Release Date: 2001-05-22

Tracks:

Carry On Wayward Son
The Wall
What's On My Mind
Miracles Out Of Nowhere
Opus Insert
Questions Of My Childhood
Cheyenne Anthem
Magnum Opus
Carry On Wayward Son (live)
Cheyenne Anthem (live)

Amazon.com

The cover of 1976's Leftoverture pictures a bearded Da Vinci character composing reams of music score with a quill. Appropriate imagery for a band who combined the compositionally complex approach of British bands such as Genesis and Yes with solid Southern-rock jamming. Kansas wasn't new in '76--the group had escaped Topeka, Kansas, to record three prior albums, including the exciting Masque and Song for America. They joined the arena circuit via Leftoverture's "Carry On Wayward Son," an instant hit with its explosive vocal arrangement and indelible guitar riff. For straight-ahead rockers ("What's on Your Mind?") and ornate epics (the five-part suite "Magnum Opus"), guitarist Kerry Livgren and keyboardist Steve Walsh dramatically pair vocal harmonies over classical- and jazz-inspired structures. The 2001 expanded and remixed edition includes live versions of "Carry on Wayward Son" and "Cheyenne Anthem," as well as new liner notes by David Wild. --James Rotondi

Customer Reviews:

Success at Last.......2007-07-04

Kansas had to prove it big with this release. After 4 very medicore albums with really no radio hits (other then 'It Takes a Woman's Love' from 'Masque), the band needed a big hit very desperately. The band delivered. The hit, 'Carry On Wayward Son' propelled them into super stardom. To this day this song is a radio staple that when a block is played you're sure to hear it (which can sometimes be irritating because you have to wonder if the radio station even knows the band has made a lot of other music. Every song on this album is classic and still maintains the sound that Kansas had developed over their past four outings. Maybe, they're striving here to make a commercial sound, but for this album they succeeded in combining the best of both worlds. If you're not familiar with Kansas other then the hits "Carry on Wayward Son' and 'Dust in the Wind' from 'Point of Know Return' start with this album and you won't be disappointed.

Kansas - A True Classic Album.......2007-06-20

Few bands can say that they have written and recorded a song that can be considered an all time classic. On Kansas's 4th album the instant you hear the opening harmony vocal arrangement of "Carry On My Wayward Son" you can't help but be hooked. I have heard this song a million times over the years and I still crank it up and enjoy I when it comes on the radio. It ranks right up with "Stairway To Heaven", "Freebird" and others and one of the all time most enduring classic rock songs. "Leftoverture" is the album that would break the band into the mainstream. Almost overnight they went from opening act status to headlining arenas. The great thing about it was that they hit these commercial heights without compromising the quality of their music. This is a great album from start to finish and shows the continuing maturity of the Livgren / Walsh songwriting tandem. Musically everything here is killer. There are no super long progressive rock epics on this one, but there is still plenty to please the prog rock fan with the 8 minute quirky closer "Magnum Opus" to the shorter, but still brilliant "Cheyenne Anthem" and ""Miracles Out Of Nowhere". The rest of the album is also dazzling. "The Wall" remains a live favorite. "What's On My Mind", "Opus Insert" and "Questions Of My Childhood" are shorter, but great in their own way. You really can't go wrong with this album as it deserves the level of success that it reached. This is also the album where the first hints of Kerry Livgren's conversion to Christianity begin to show up in the lyrics. At this point it is still pretty subtle, but it would eventually be the cause of Steve Walsh leaving the band a few years later.

The Lyrics of Kansas are Rich with Meaning.......2007-05-12

By now it is fairly well known that the album Leftoverture contains lyrics written by Kerry Livgren during his years of spiritual searching. As Kerry himself wrote in his book "Seeds of Change," the albums Leftoverture, and its follow up, Point of Know Return, are excellent listening for those considering Christianity.

Kerry's lyrics reflect the struggle of not knowing for sure what life is all about, but each song always seems to end on a hopeful note. From Carry on Wayward Son: "Now your life's no longer empty--surely heaven waits for you." From The Wall: "Smiling back at all who wait to cross--there is no loss."

And of course, the music of Kansas is just great! The combination of rock and blues with violin makes them unique in the annals of popular music.

I highly recommend this CD.

Kansas's Leftoverture.......2007-04-03

Like I said before.The 70's had great music.This cd is excellent.I have'nt heard the album in a long time since I had it in cassette.This is better.I love the sound.The reissue is great with lyrics and pictures.The bonus tracks are outstanding.Looking forward getting more Kansas reissues(As well as Heart).

A CLASSIC American album remastered to perfection.......2007-03-05

Previous reviewers have said it all! It's a must have classic/prog rock CD,folks.By year 1977,this recording was in the collection of everyone I knew, a huge statement. For the price Amazon is selling this masterpiece, only a fool would pass this buy up.
Buy this CD now!

Average customer rating:

Ravishing A Cappella Choral Singing of a Russian Liturgical Masterpiece

Grechaninov: Passion Week [SACD]

Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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Handel - Il trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno

ASIN: B000N39HC6
Release Date: 2007-04-24

Tracks:

Behold The Bridegroom
I See Thy Bridal Chamber
In Thy Kingdom
Gladsome Light
Let My Prayer Be Set Forth
Now The Powers Of Heaven
At Thy Mystical Supper
The Wise Thief
Thou Who Clothest Thyself
The Lord Is God...The Noble Joseph
Weep Not For Me, O Mother
As Many Of You...Arise, O God
Let All Mortal Flesh

Customer Reviews:

Ravishing A Cappella Choral Singing of a Russian Liturgical Masterpiece.......2007-05-25

For starters, this CD contains some of the finest a cappella singing I've ever heard. Its sumptuous choral tone must be heard to be believed. It is done by two professional choirs from seemingly unlikely places, the combined Kansas City Chorale and Phoenix Bach Choir. I have raved about their prior recordings both separately and in combination but this release possibly tops anything they've done, at least in terms of ineffably beautiful a cappella choral sound. The Grechaninov 'Passion Week' is a setting of thirteen pieces with texts in Church Slavonic meant to be sung individually over the period of Passion Week, the days leading up to the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. (And, frankly, I would suggest that listeners ration their listening to one or two sections of the work at a time, in order to experience the unique effect of each individual piece, although there is something to be said for listening to the whole thing -- 74-plus minutes -- to experience its almost hypnotizing cumulative effect.) The Russian Orthodox Church has a tradition of morning and evening services during Passion Week when the passion week's events are recalled almost in 'real time.' The music itself is generally slow, meditative, largely monophonic and almost trance-like. It must be incredibly difficult to sing. One can only imagine the kind of breath support required. One notices that the usual number of singers in these two choirs has been supplemented by several additional basses, no surprise considering the long legato lines required of that section. Their low C's and even B's resound like the tolling of great bells throughout the work. One could almost surmise, if one didn't know, that this was the singing of a Russian choir, so noted for their deep basses, except that the blending and rounding of the choral tone is so very much more subtle than is generally heard from Russian choruses. The work is entirely choral, but there are occasional soprano, tenor and baritone solos which consist mostly of chants sung against the main body of massed sound.

Aleksandr Tikhonovich Grechaninov (1864-1956) was a few years older than Sergey Rachmaninov and his sacred music is in many ways similar in style to that of the better-known composer. Grechaninov's 'Passion Week' was written in 1912, shortly before Rachmaninov wrote his well-known 'Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom' which has also been recorded by the Kansas City Chorale in a lauded release which unfortunately is not easily available these days but worth seeking out. After the Revolution Grechaninov emigrated from the Soviet Union and eventually wound up in the US where he became a citizen. He continued, even after leaving Russia, to write music for emigré congregations of the Russian church although he also began writing liturgical works for the Roman Catholic Church as well. His sacred music is what he is best known for, although he also wrote operas, songs and orchestral works.

There is no question that Charles Bruffy, the conductor of both the Phoenix Bach Choir and the Kansas City Chorale, is one of the most talented choirmasters currently working anywhere in the world. He may very well be the US analog to Eric Ericson of Sweden or Laurence Equilbey of France. Certainly his choruses' style is more European than English, and it is to the English Chandos label's credit that they have added these two Bruffy-directed choirs to their roster. One looks forward to any and all future releases from these marvelous groups.

This is a hybrid SACD disc which means it can be played on both a regular CD player or on SACD equipment. In either format the sound is rich, warm and true.

The previous release of the combined Phoenix Bach Choir and the Kansas City Chorale, featuring mainly the Mass for Double Choir by Frank Martin, is here: Eternal Rest - Phoenix Bach Choir, Kansas City Chorale

Scott Morrison

Average customer rating:

Great Cover
Kansas - The Band At The Top Of Their Game
Kansas of Topeka!!!!!!!!!!!
A fresh perspective...
Better with age...

Point Of Know Return
Kansas
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music

Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

General | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

Arena Rock | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Leftoverture
Song for America
Masque
Kansas
Monolith

ASIN: B00005Y1M3
Release Date: 2002-02-12

Tracks:

Point Of Know Return
Paradox
The Spider
Portrait (He Knew)
Closet Chronicles
Lightning's Hand
Dust In The Wind
Sparks Of The Tempest
Nobody's Home
Hopelessly Human
Sparks Of The Tempest (Live) (Bonus Track)
Portrait (He Knew) (Remix) (Bonus Track)

Customer Reviews:

Great Cover.......2007-06-29

Great cover and great cd. This would have to be the companion album to 'Leftoverture'. Trying to follow-up to that monster hit seemed impossible but Kansas delivered. Although at first listen, quite different and maybe a bit disappointing for Kansas fans at the time, this album just grew on you listen after listen. Totally different than 'Leftoverture', but still in the same vein as that recording this really put Kansas in a class all by themselves. Album covers in the day were how sometimes you purchased (no sound bytes in those days) and this one was great and the music inside was impeccable, but, so much so that Kansas would have a difficult time living up to these two albums for the rest of the their career. Great music then that is still very viable today and worth every listen.

Kansas - The Band At The Top Of Their Game.......2007-06-20

In terms of album sales "Point Of Know Return" would be Kansas high water mark. The band had come to the attention of mainstream radio with their previous disc and America seemed ready to embrace what Kansas had to offer. The album spawned another huge classic rock staple "Dust In The Wind" that to a younger generation may be more associated with a car commercial. The title track "Point Of Know Return" was another huge single, and one of the few hits penned by Steve Walsh. "Closet Chronicles" also received a lot of AOR airplay. This album shows a band at the absolute top of their game as the band had become experts at combining progressive rock with more accessible styles to come up with this true winner of an album. Along with the above mentioned tracks everything else here is great, "Paradox", Walsh's killer little instrumental "The Spider", a tribute to Albert Einstein "He Knew", one of the heaviest songs they ever did, "Lightning's Hand", the almost funky "Sparks Of The Tempest" with it's duel lead vocals from Walsh and Steinhardt, "Nobody's Home", and the beautiful album closer "Hopelessly Human". This is all top notch stuff and shows off all of Kansas strengths. This one is essential Kansas.

Kansas of Topeka!!!!!!!!!!!.......2007-05-21

My first Kansas album ever. Although being a fan of the group old standards,it was time to discover.having worn out my "Best of" set.of course,this album has "Point of Know Return" & "Dust In The Wind".But,there are so many other greats,I have discovered.Starting of with,"Paradox"."Portrait","Lightning's Hand" & "Nobody's Home". The latter being one of my new faves of Kansas.See for yourself and buy this NOW!!!! If you like Kansas and that style of rock you will be super pleased.
All we are is just,Dust In The Wind!!!!

A fresh perspective..........2007-02-08

This album was recorded before I was born so I am not offering a biased opinion of something that I hold sentimental value in. I have recently been going back into the catalouge of rock history and listening to a lot of early progressive rock.

Kansas - whenever I used to hear the band's name it made me think of country rock. Of course I was familiar with the songs 'Carry On Wayward Son' (from the previous album Leftoverture) and 'Dust In the Wind', but those songs were the only thing I knew about Kansas music.

For those who may not know - Kansas is a PROGRESSIVE ROCK band - not country rock (although hints of southern style rock are incorporated into the music at times). This music is much more similar to the likes of Yes and Genesis than it is with bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd or The Allman Brothers. Crazy keyboard instrumentals, ambient sound effects, and offbeat drumming and guitar rythyms are throughout this great album.

The highlight point of the album for me is the awesome guitar leads of 'Lightning's Hand' leading directly into the mellow acoustic ballad 'Dust in the Wind' and then picking up again on the funky jazz rock song 'Sparks of the Tempest' - the diversity of these three songs for me sums up this album and what Kansas is about. An amazing album that I wish I had heard in its entirety years ago.

RECOMMENDATION: For younger readers - If you enjoyed this album then you should also check out 'The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway' by Genesis. I will be posting more reviews of older albums as time permits - see my profile for some recommendation lists and other stuff.

Better with age..........2007-01-28

A lot of 70's rock that I used to like now sounds ridiculous to me, but Point of Know Return comes off better than ever. The sound quality on this CD is fantastic and Point of Know Return is the high point of Kansas' discography. The extra tracks were a little disappointing as the live version of Hopelessly Human is barely distinguishable from the album cut and the live recording of Lightning's Hand fails miserably to capture the power of the the real live performance of this song. Still, if you ever liked Kansas you won't be disappointed with this CD in your changer.

Sousa: Marches; Band of HR Royal Marines; Lt. Col. G.A.C. Hoskins

Average customer rating:

Sousa By the Royal Marines
Still Among the Best
How Sousa Should Sound

Sousa: Marches; Band of HR Royal Marines; Lt. Col. G.A.C. Hoskins
John Phillip Sousa , Lt. Col. G. A. C. Hoskins , and Band of HR Royal Marines
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Marches | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

Classic Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

$7.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

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Sousa Original II / United States Marine Band
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Fennell Conducts Hands Across the Sea

ASIN: B0000CE7FX
Release Date: 2004-06-01

Tracks:

King Cotton
The Gladiator
Semper Fidelis
The Belle Of Chicago
The Invincible Eagle
Manhattan Beach
The Liberty Bell
El Capitan
The Washington Post
The Crusader
The Black Horse Troop
The Fairest Of The Fair
The High School Cadets
The Stars And Stripes Forever
The Pride Of The Wolverines
Hail To The Spirit Of Liberty
From Maine To Oregon
The Diplomat
Powhatan's Daughter
Kansas Wildcats
Sound Off
The Thunderer

Tracks:

Hands Across The Sea
The Royal Welch Fusiliers
The Legionnaires
Daughters Of Texas
The Gallant Seventh
Golden Jubilee
Solid Men To The Front
Marquette University
The Beau Ideal
The Rifle Regiment
The Northern Pines
Nobles Of The Mystic Shrine
New York Hippodrome
The Gridiron Club
The Charlatan
The Lambs
The National Game
On The Campus
La Flor De Sevilla
Jack Tar
The Glory Of The Yankee Navy

Customer Reviews:

Sousa By the Royal Marines.......2007-03-31

This is a great CD re-issue of the Band of the Royal Marines School of Music under Graham Hoskins. This band did a three LP series on Sousa marches some years ago that was better than most on this very well covered topic. Sousa march recordings will always come and go, but some like this stand out more than others. For one, there is nothing like the panache of a Royal Marines band. Their sound is a time honored development that gets passed from one generation to the next. Even as the number of RM bands continues to change and downsize, there are now about four bands left in the service, their sound quality continues to be superb.

When these recordings were made RM bands were still at their height in the British service and their quality was amazing. Most bands numbered over 60 in this period, and that is why many Americans may be surprsed at the volume of music produced here. This is not one of your small, though excellent regimental bands! Americans tend to think that British military band instrumentation is on the thin side. Not so here! Of course Sousa always sounds best with either the Allentown band or the US Marine band.

This CD is evidence of how popular Sousa has always been in the UK, and with RM bands in particular. The selection here on two CDs covers most of the standard Sousa fair, with a few different selections here and there. Unfortunatley there are none of Sousa's fine transcriptions for classical music, or selections from his operettas. This music is always wonderful to have in combination with the marches as it shows how much variety he was capable of in his compositions. For that kind of concert the reader is referred to the very fine collection of Sousa music being done under the Naxos label by the Band of the Royal Artillery.

Here you will find a solid collection of Sousa's great marches. Roughly a third of those 136 compositions are contained here. The Royal Marines give a sharpe and clear sound to these works which should certainly inspire. You will also get a very nice idea how RM bands sounded back in the 1980s. Graham Hoskins was a fine director of music, typical of the inhouse genius of the Royal Marines Band Service at that time. He took this band on a USA tour in 1985 with the Arygll & Sutherland Highlanders. Devotees of Sousa should enjoy these spirited versions of the march king's music as performed across the pond.

Still Among the Best.......2006-06-01

I bought two audio casettes with these marches back in the 1980's and wore them out. These performances are hard to beat for virtuosity, enthusiasm, and sparkle. The sound quality is outstanding. And there are some marches that are rarely, if at all, available.

How Sousa Should Sound.......2006-03-07

Great value 2 cd disc set cut in the early 1980's & remastered the sound of the Royal Marines Band is nothing short of terrific. Judging by the sound would not be surprised for this to be a combined double RM band. These 1st chair players give Sousa's great marches that extra kick that takes the "March Kings" music to that higher level. By the center quick march!!!!

Average customer rating:

the best of their early albums
Kansas - 2nd Album And Another Winner
fantastic cd
real Kansas
L A M P L I G H T S Y M P H O N Y ! !

Song for America
Kansas
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Kansas
Masque
Leftoverture
Point Of Know Return
Monolith

ASIN: B0002CHK54
Release Date: 2004-06-29

Tracks:

Down The Road
Song For America
Lamplight Symphony
Lonely Street
The Devil Game
Incomudro - Hymn To The Atman
Song For America (Single Edit)
Down The Road (Live)

Customer Reviews:

the best of their early albums.......2007-07-07

This album is the best of their output before their big breakthrough in 1976. I bought this soon after buying their first album.

This remastered version sounds incredible. Down the Road still has the ability to make me tap my feet. It's a bit of a dark song lyrically but ends on a high note as the man in the song disappears 'like a greyhound down the road' to get away from some nasty enemies.

The title cut here is great. This was unlike anything I had ever heard before. The melodies caught me at once and the story of the song was almost a jump back from the dark city depicted in the previous song. But thankfully the next song here, Lamplight Symphony, takes us back to the country--or at least a dark twisted wintertime wood. This song is basically a dark ghost story.
Lonely Street takes us again to the dark city images. This is a song about a convict who takes revenge on other convicts for bragging about their crimes. It's hard hard blues and pulls no punches. The song starts quietly with a bass riff and whispered lyrics. The song then explodes into loud chords that are truly stinging. The Devil Game is another dark song and thankfully this remastered version contains the lyrics which I never had before. This is one of the best things they've done. The last song here, Incomudro--Hymn to the Atman, is an awesome 12 minute slab of progressive genius. The lyrics are mystical and religious (which I usually don't go for) but in this song they are OK. There are quiet parts, sections with glittering synths, and even a drum solo. The song builds to a crescendo and finally ends with a deep throbbing note that slowly fades away.

The bonus tracks here are not too bad either. The live version of Down the Road is filled with all the enthusiasm of this great band and was recorded back in 1975. The 3 minute edit of Song for America was great to hear. The point of the song still comes across well. A ten minute song reduced to three. So it's an interesting curio to have, but not really essential.

So this may not be their bestselling album but it is one of my favorites. This gets 5 stars. It's well recorded, well produced and well worth seeking out if you have any interest in progressive music at all.

Kansas - 2nd Album And Another Winner.......2007-06-19

Kansas second album was another slice of prime American progressive rock mixed in with more straight ahead rockers. Of the first three albums this one is probably my least favorite, but it is still chocked full of great material. The album opens with the rocking "Down The Road" featuring Robby Steinhardt on lead vocals. This one has been a concert staple for years with Steinhardt also ripping it up on violin. "Song For America" follows. For many this is an ultimate Kansas track, but I have heard it so many times over the years (this is another live staple) that I have somewhat grown tired of it. "Lamplight Symphony" is an 8 minute progressive rock masterpiece. "Lonely Street" is a prime example of Kansas use of blues mixed with prog. Steve Walsh is great on this one and it has always been a favorite of mine. "The Devil Game" is another scorching rocker, and the album closes with another progressive rock epic "Icomudro-Hymn To The Atman" clocking in at over 12 minutes. Not a bad song in the bunch really and another really strong album from the band.

fantastic cd.......2007-01-19

Kansas's best album, experimental and fun to listen to.
I have enjoyed it for 28 years now

real Kansas.......2007-01-13

Excellent in your face street rock. This is Kansas in its prime. Insane vocals by Steve Walsh. Add this one to your collection and "Masque" too.

L A M P L I G H T S Y M P H O N Y ! !.......2006-08-23

It is worth your hard earned bucks to buy the Kansas CD, SONG FOR AMERICA just for the track, LAMPLIGHT SYMPHONY. While other reviewers say that it is a ghostly love story. I found this track to be mesmerizing and full of emotion. So full of imagery. It's a masterpiece!!

Average customer rating:

A treasure
another great album
Kansas - May Be Their Best Album
Here is "Two Cents Worth", enjoy this fine recording!
One of the best

Masque
Kansas
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Song for America
Kansas
Leftoverture
Monolith
Point Of Know Return

ASIN: B00005JA2C
Release Date: 2001-05-22

Tracks:

It Takes A Woman's Love (To Make A It Takes Man)
Two Cents Worth
Icarus (Borne On Wings Of Steel)
All The World
Child Of Innocence
It's You
Mysteries And Mayhem
The Pinnacle
Child On Innocence (rehearsal recording)
It's You (demo)

Customer Reviews:

A treasure.......2007-07-12

I recently made a mix disc of my favorite Kansas tunes, and the majority of songs came from Masque. This is such a diverse album - pop, hard rock, prog, and all these styles work together well. The music is exhilarating, the lyrics are interesting and the musicianship is stunning. They really listen to each other while they play so they sound like a band, not like a solo artist with backup musicians. Also, there are two powerful vocalists, who alternate singing on different tunes, and their harmonies kick butt. Hard to believe this was recorded in 1975... more proof that killer music has no expiration date. This is such a treasured disc that should be in every music fans collection.

another great album.......2007-07-07

This album is their third and was released in October 1976. When I first heard this is was a bit strange. The album is a bit disjointed, but still a pleasurable listen. It Takes a Woman's Love is an OK song, but not a very good opener. It's basically a simple three minute song they thought the record company wanted since they bugged the band for something they could make a single out of. Oh well. Two Cents Worth is a great little song that I always liked. Lyrically it's a great piece of self examination.

Icarus is a song I always liked, but as with a few of their other songs I prefer the live version. All the World is a song about dropping the hate and just being tolerant. It's a bit sappy I guess, but still a good song overall. Child of Innocence is a rocker that I wish they would have played live more often. This is another well written and well played song that ranks as one of my favorites.

It's You is a short little love song that kind of has the same feel as the first song. Recorded for use as a potential single (it didn't happen). LOL! Mysteries and Mayhem is a straight out rocker that really smokes. The several live versions i have of this are also awesome. The Pinnacle is a great ending to this album. This song has so many different bits and sections but it always seems part of a whole.

The bonus tracks here are a bit disappointing. There is a live version of Child of Innocence here. Even though I saw it was a rehearsal recording i wasn't prepared for the sound quality. They must have had a great concert performance of this somewhere they could have released instead. Oh well. It's still nice to hear them play it 'somewhat' live. The other tracks is a demo of It's You. This is nothing to get excited about and it only has a bit of a different intro and alternate parts.

Now to the sound. The original CD I had of this sounded terrible. It was hissy and heavy and just sounded like it was recorded through a damp sponge. This version however is freakin great! This truly does sound like a completely new album. All the instruments are cleaner and clearer and well mixed. The organ is more audible and the bass is deep and colorful. Even the vocals are better. I would recommend this just based on the sound quality.

So this is easily 5 stars. Buy this and give it a listen.

Kansas - May Be Their Best Album.......2007-06-20

This may be my all time favorite Kansas album. To me it combines the best of what Kansas is all about with shorter rocking songs and epic progressive rock. My all time favorite Kansas composition "The Pinnacle" closes out the album. For some it may be overly melodramatic, but for me it is everything I love about progressive rock. Every band member shines on the track and Steve Walsh turns in one of his all time best vocal performances. The buildup to the dramatic climax of the piece still gets to me every time I listen to it. The rest of the album is also great. The two commercial straight ahead rockers "It Takes A Woman's Love" and "It's You" are both simple, but great little tunes. "Two Cents Worth" and "All Over The World" are two of Kansas more underrated compositions. You never hear them mentioned when people talk about their favorite Kansas tracks, but they are both great. Not really prog rock, but not really straight forward either. "Icarus - Borne On Wings Of Steel" has become a Kansas classic and again showcases Walsh's incredible vocal range. "Child Of Innocence" combines heavy rock with prog again with everyone in the band gelling perfectly. The trade off lead vocals between Robby Steinhardt and Steve Walsh totally compliment each other. "Mysteries And Mayhem" serves as the first half of "The Pinnacle" story and has remained a concert favorite for years. "Masque" did not sell as well as the previous album and certainly increased record company pressure to come up with a hit, but for me this is as good as anything the band did. If you are a Kansas fan and never picked this one up, the album should be an essential part of your collection.

Here is "Two Cents Worth", enjoy this fine recording!.......2007-06-03

As the author of the Jefferson Airplane book "Take Me To A Circus Tent" and a former radio disc-jockey, I am frequently asked to write and speak about various rock recordings from the 60's and 70's.

Kansas in the later years was often maligned for being "Corporate Rock." An unfair slam because it should never be the style of music you are judged on but the particular record in question.

"Masque" was a bit before the anti-hype and it is a necessary album in ones collection. Some don't like "It Takes A Woman's Love" as the opening track. I could see the validity to that. Please don't misconstrue where the song is located as being a throw away tune. It fits into the scope of the project. "Icarus" may be the best moments on the disc with "Mysteries And Mayhem" and "The Pinnacle" right there for the ride.

If you have been holding off on upgrading Kansas in your collection, the bonus tracks should win you over!

Once you have listened to "Masque" several times there is always the first record and "Song For America" waiting for a nice home.

Thanks and always be well,
Craig Fenton
Author of the Jefferson Airplane book "Take Me To A Circus Tent"

One of the best.......2007-03-09

I have allmost all of Kansases albums and this one is one of my favorites so it was a real treat to hear it digitaly remastered on CD. In my openion Masque has some of there best music on it and the previousley unreleased bonus tracks were great, a real treat to hear! This one makes a great addition to any Kansas lovers CD collection.

Average customer rating:

great first album
Kansas - Outstanding Progressive Rock Debut
The first one....
Screw the critics - Kansas is awesome!
blast of the past

Kansas
Kansas
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Song for America
Masque
Point Of Know Return
Leftoverture
Monolith

ASIN: B0002CHK5E
Release Date: 2004-06-29

Tracks:

Can I Tell You
Bringing It Back
Lonely Wind
Belexes
Journey From Mariabronn
The Pilgrimage
Apercu
Death Of Mother Nature Suite
Bringing It Back (Live)

Customer Reviews:

great first album.......2007-07-07

I have been a Kansas fan for over half my life. When I was younger I heard all their big hits on the radio. So I remember buying the albums and loving them. I was unaware that they even had earlier material. So i had to do my homework. Since this was back in the early 80's I couldn't just pop on online and find discographies and whatnot. So i had to do it the hard way.

This album was the first I bought after their two big albums (Leftoverture and Point). At first I didn't like it. It seemed a bit boring to me and had no songs I knew. But i decided to soldier on and listen to it a few more times. I became aware of what they were trying to do and slowly fell in love with this album.

Can I Tell You is a great tight song that I feel should have been more of a long jam. Bringing It Back was a awesome song that i was not aware was actually a cover of JJ Cale until years later. A nice slow song, Lonely Wind, was an awesome balled with some great lyrics. Belexes was a rocker and one of my favorites. I never had the lyrics for this in the beginning but I found out I was mostly right. Journey From Mariabronn became my favorite. It was epic, it was big and told a great story. I later fell in love with the live version, which I actually prefer over this one.

The Pilgrimage was always a bit of a light and somewhat crappy song to me. The lyrics were a bit cryptic and strange. Apercu was another of my favorites. In turns, it was quiet and moody and loud and aggressive. This is one of the most intelligent songs here. It's well written and performed well and there was really no need to figure out what Apercu meant. Death Of Mother Nature Suite is a great closer here. Even back in the 70's there were concerns about the environment and the way we destroy it.

So all in all this album is 4 stars. It's not as good as later works but still a great debut album.

Kansas - Outstanding Progressive Rock Debut.......2007-06-19

Kansas debut album was a slice of Americanized progressive rock that would set the stage for a career that would span over 30 years, and is still going strong. The mix of progressive rock, pop, and blues was the perfect combination. Kerry Livgren wrote most of the prog and Steve Walsh wrote the more straightforward rockers. Together they were a potent combination that gave Kansas a sound that was uniquely theirs. To this day there is no other band that sounds like Kansas. They concocted a style that has never really been duplicated. The debut album is divided into two halves. The first half contains more straight ahead rockers, like the single "Can I Tell You", a rousing cover of J.J. Cale's "Bringing Back From Mexico", the beautiful Steve Walsh ballad "Lonely Wind" the Livgren penned "Belexes". The second half of the album is all pure progressive rock; "Journey From Mariabronn", "The Pilgrimage", "Apercu" and the classic finale "Death Of Mother Nature Suite" which was used to close out the band's live shows for years. Any of the critics out there who don't think Kansas could stand up to their British progressive rock counterparts need to take a good listen to these last 4 tracks. They are simply stunning. The debut album is not the band's best, but it is a great one.

The first one...........2007-02-10

The first one . You can feel from now on how important this guys would be. What else can i say about Kansas? Is great . There is nothing in the American Rock in the 70's with a sound like that... "Journey from Maria Bronn" and "Death of mother nature suite" are my favourites in this REALLY GOOD album..

Screw the critics - Kansas is awesome!.......2006-11-28

Few bands have gotten a harder rap than Kansas. They were the only American band that dared challenge the admittedly awesome scope of British prog-rockers like Yes or Genesis. Critics have made a tradition of dismissing Kansas' achievements as mere bombast that hides a lack of truly interesting themes and that is devoid of imagination. Or something along those lines.

Well, who needs critics anyway? These are, after all, the same critics who praised other bands for daring to create lengthy side-long suites. Compare this to Yes' Close to the Edge (admittedly, one of my favorite albums) or ELP's Tarkus (again, one of my favorites) and you'll find that by comparison, Kansas is downright modest. There's nothing as long as "Close to the Edge" or "Karn Evil 9," nothing as daring as Keith Emerson's deconstructions of Mussorgsky and Ginastera, and no lyrics as incomprehensible as Yes at their best ("A seasoned witch could call you from the depths of your disgrace / And rearrange your liver to the solid mental grace"). Which is not to say that fans of those bands will not be impressed by the musicianship here - there may not be a Steve Howe or a Keith Emerson in this band, but the band sounds incredible, especially for a debut.

Disclaimers aside, Kansas is a thrilling album that manages to play well both on rockers ("Can I Tell You?," "Bringing it Back," "Belexes"), ballads ("Lonely Wind"), and epic, progressive pieces ("Death of Mother Nature Suite," "Apercu," especially "Journey from Mariabronn"). Kansas is more accessible than many other prog-rock bands because they are not afraid to trim back the pretension and deliver something as visceral as the tremendous "Belexes," or "Can I Tell You?" And they're distinctly American. Robbie Steinhardt's dynamic violin work immediately gives them a unique flavor, as do their blues and straightforward rock influences. Some may point to that as this band's fatal flaw, but I think it's the secret to their success.

This album is highly recommended for Kansas fans. It's a great place to start listening to them, although none of their big hits can be found here. This album should receive four and a half stars - in light of their later achievements, it cannot be ranked as the peak of their work.

But it's close.

blast of the past.......2006-05-20

In September, 1970, a semi-local band was hired to play the back-to-school dance at my high school here in KCMO. The dance comittee had no idea what they were getting into, but the student body was treated to the best music that had come to the school cafeteria, EVER. It was the loudest, ballsiest, most beautiful thing we had ever seen/heard! The band? Kansas! A couple of years later Kansas released their debut album. That was one of the high points of the year. The album stands on it's own merit, as with listenings throughout the years, the music soars every time. It is good that the biz people finally decided to remaster this masterpiece of rock history. What a great debut album!!!

Average customer rating:

On the Down Swing
Kansas - Decent Album But Nearly As Good As The First 5
Although not as proggy, this is still a decent album
a good album
Darkeyes

Monolith
Kansas
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Audio-Visions
Masque
Song for America
Kansas
Point Of Know Return

ASIN: B0000025GF
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

On The Other Side
People Of The South Wind
Angels Have Fallen
How My Soul Cries Out For You
A Glimpse Of Home
Away From You
Stay Out Of Trouble
Reason To Be

Customer Reviews:

On the Down Swing.......2007-06-28

Back in the seventies Kansas was trying to keep the momentum going following their smash release 'Leftoverture'. 'Point of Know Return' very much succeeded although quite different from its predecessor. Then comes along 'Monolith'. As a Kansas fan from before they were commercially famous I was, of course, expecting another killer release. It was and it wasn't. Some good tunes here, but then again, not in the same vein as their past two (now)trademark albums. Maybe, the tension in the band was starting to grow as Livgren moved closer and closer to Christianity. Who knows. This is still a solid release, and I can appreciate it more now than I could then, but it still doesn't even come close to their previous albums. This album was much gloomier (so were their first three) and maybe that was the turn off for alot of people; a little bit more rigid and the cohesiveness of the songs just wasn't the same as in the past. Very difficult to put a finger on with this one, but part of it could have been from the record label to produce more top 40 hits instead of focusing on what Kansas was all about. Somewhere along the way they were starting to lose their originality and progressiveness as evidenced in further releases and the eventual break-up of the band and re-formation (on again / off-again kind of thing). You played it and then waited to see what they would do with the next and hopefully find their way back again.

Kansas - Decent Album But Nearly As Good As The First 5.......2007-06-21

By the time "Monolith" came out in 1979 Kansas had two multi-platinum albums in a row and had become huge concert draws. The band put together a massive tour for this album with a huge stage show incorporating top notch lighting, lasers, pyro, special effects, a rotating drum riser for Phil Ehart, and even had roadies playing parts in the show. It was truly a spectacle to behold and was Kansas at their absolute peak as a live act. The band also decided to play the then new album "Monolith" in it's entirety on the tour. Unfortunately the album was a definite slide in quality from the band's previous efforts. For many Kansas fans "Monolith" was the album that represents the beginning of a downward spiral for the band. "Monolith" is not a bad album, but it was probably the band's weakest effort up to this point in their career. The pressure of trying to write a follow up to the hugely successful "Point Of Know Return" seemed to affect the writing on this one. It is definitely more commercial in nature with the longest song clocking in at just over 6 minutes. Although there are bits and pieces of the bands progressive rock roots, most of the material here is more "mainstream" (for lack of a better word), which is not necessarily a bad thing, but a bit less than what Kansas fans had come to expect. Commercially the album did not do nearly as well as the last two. The single "People Of The Southwind", although a cool little song, came and went on the charts fairly quickly. Kerry Livgren's Christian influence really starts to show up here too especially on songs like "A Glimpse Of Home". The highlights for me on the album are the opening track "On The Other Side", and "Angels Have Fallen". Tracks like "Stay Out Of Trouble" written by Steve Walsh give a glimpse of what he would eventually do in his solo career and his other band "Streets". All in all this is a decent Kansas release, but not nearly on the level of the previous 5 albums in my opinion.

Although not as proggy, this is still a decent album.......2007-03-15

Like a lot of progressive rock bands in the late 1970's there was pressure to adopt mainstream styles and Kansas was certainly not immune to this. Although the epic prog works of the 1974-1975 timeframe were well behind them, Kansas still managed to forge onwards with a good album that exhibited well-thought out compositions and a high standard of playing. Clearly, although the times were changing, Monolith (1979) is certainly more musically interesting than albums that were being released by the English prog giants at the time and even the sci-fi/fantasy influenced cover art suggested that the band may not have been willing to completely let go of the proggier material. Well, let us just say that they loosened their grip a bit on Monolith.

The lineup included Phil Ehart (drums, percussion); Dave Hope (electric bass guitar, Autogyro); Kerry Livgren (electric and acoustic guitars, synthesizers); Robby Steinhardt (lead vocals, viola, violin); Steve Walsh (lead vocals, synthesizers, organ, and piano); and Rich Williams (acoustic & electric guitars). The guys all turned in the typical high level of musicianship, although the keyboards seemed buried in the mix on this album - especially in contrast with albums like Song for America (1975) and the excellent Leftoverture (1976). As usual, Phil and Dave blast away and do a great job.

On Monolith, although the general sound is still that of the trademark progressive hard rock sound that characterized their output, the proggier aspects of the typical Kansas composition had been pushed to the background somewhat and more mainstream styles (e.g. disco) started to turn up here and there - the "breezy" tune People of the South Wind is a good example of this tendency. The songs range in length from 3'38" to 6'37" with most in the 3-5 minute range - as always though, the band still managed to say a great deal in a short amount of time and there are some extremely proggy moments on the album. Actually, in all fairness there are some excellent pieces on Monolith that feature fantastic playing, composing, and sophisticated arrangements including Angels Have Fallen, On the Other Side, Away from You, and the superb Reason to Be, which stands among some of my favorite Kansas compositions.

My hope is that this album will get remastered at some point - it really is in desperate need of an update. Maybe then I will be able to really hear the keyboards.

Well there you have it. Monolith is a good Kansas album that has a bit of the prog punch of earlier works, while moving in a more mainstream direction. For folks that are new to Kansas, I would personally recommend Song for America, Leftoverture, and Point of Know Return (1977) as good starting points. In conclusion, Monolith stands as a fitting bookend to a great series of adventurous albums of progressive hard rock released in the 1970's and is recommended.

a good album.......2007-02-03

This is one of Kansas's over looked CD's. I had this on both cassette and vinyl back in the day and own the cd now. This was originally released in 1979. I was always more interested in listening to albums that came before and after a bands high point. This certainly fits. This came after two of their most commercially succesful albums. Most bands would have released some half baked piece of musical crap that only hints at the glory they once had. After success most bands just have nothing more to strive for and churn out something boring and lifeless.

But this is not the case here. This album has many great songs. On The Other Side has everything you would expect a Kansas song to have and is every bit as good as anything from Leftoverture or Point Of Know Return. People Of The South Wind is a bit light and fluffy but still enjoyable. Even the two worst songs here (How My Soul Cries Out For You and Stay Out Of Trouble) are still filled with all the variety you expect to hear in a Kansas song. A Glimpse Of Home and Away From You are classics. I am only hoping now that they remaster this album as they did for all their other releases. This is the last album that needs it. After listening to what they did to the Masque album i am excited to hear what they could do to this album as well.

So this was a solid effort. So instead of buying Leftoverture or Point Of Know Return first, i would suggest buying this album, along with Audio Visions (1980) and their earlier albums.
KANSAS-1974
SONG FOR AMERICA-1975
MASQUE-1975
and TWO FOR THE SHOW-1978. an excellent live album that features great songs from these albums like Journey From Mariabronn, Song For America, Icarus, Mysteries and Mayhem, Lonely Wind and a beautiful excerpt from Lamplight Symphony.

Happy listening.

Darkeyes.......2006-08-24

A great Kansas album !! If you love classic rock, and dispise the current flow of repititious,boring,mainstream rock, than this album is for you!

Music Review:

Music Review

Music Review

1. Prelude (Faithful to Me)
2. Whole Again
3. Undo Me
4. Trinity
5. In the Name
6. His Grace Is Sufficient
7. Martyrs and Thieves
8. Romans
9. Refine Me
10. Hold Me Now
11. Visions
12. Fathful to Me (Reprise)