Unknown Soldier

Next up is Kansas Point of Know Return

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Big Ears

Good choice!

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Trollheart

Cool! I need to hear more Kansas.

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Trollheart

For once I intend not to be last with my review. And so, I'll be first this time.

I should point out that I think it's fair that, although we have two weeks to listen to the albums and form our thoughts, we can post anytime within that timeframe, from the moment we get the album or rec to two weeks after. Therefore my review may seem like it's coming early, but I've listened to the album enough now to know what I want to say, and there's little point in waiting, so here goes.

As this was Kansas's followup to "Leftoverture", which gave them their first major hit, I can see how they were trying to go in a more commercial direction, but I applaud them for staying true mostly to what appears to have been their root sound. I also like the puns in their album titles.

1. What were your VERY FIRST impressions on listening to the album, say from the first five minutes in?

I've heard not that much of Kansas, one album really ("Somewhere to elsewhere") and was at times bowled over and at times underwhelmed by that. The problem is that while some tracks are great, others are in comparison quite poor. I found this to be the same with this album. The opening track originally left me cold (though after repeated listens I've warmed to it a bit) and the followup plus its, to my mind, unneccessary runoff, the instrumental "The spider", just didn't do it for me. I was, to be honest, quite disappointed and it was a case of deja vu.

2. What did you think of the opening tracks?
As above, I thought the opener was a bit trumpety-keyboard heavy and had that sort of seventies progressive feel I often don't like, despite being a prog head. It's hard to explain: almost felt jazzy to me, which I know it isn't but I didn't like it. The second track wasn't much of an improvement --- if anything, it was a disimprovement: I've gotten used to the title track now but "Paradox" still leaves me cold, and "The Spider" is to me just an needless extension of the music from that.

3. What did you think of the later tracks?
Ah well now you're asking! Directly after "The spider" goes out on a descending pitch bend on the keys, the album, for me, takes a total upswing, at least for a time. "Portrait (He knew)" is a belter, a real blues rhythm to it and it chugs along gloriously, reminding me very much of "Disappearing skin tight blues" from "Somewhere to elsewhere", one of the highlights of that album for me. "Closet chronicles" I love, a slower, moodier song but not quite a ballad, but then I could live without "Lightning's hand". Of course, "Dust in the wind" is a classic, and always will be...

4. Did you like the vocalist? Hate him/her? Any impressions?
Yeah, I like Steve Walsh's voice. It has that kind of rough, ragged sound you get from ZZ Top mixed with a flavour of Steve Earle and maybe Ronnie Van Zandt too. Certainly a voice that commands you to listen.

5. Whether or not you enjoyed the vocal performance, did the music throughout the album generally appeal to you, or not?
Yes, it did in the main. The album --- presumably like most of Kansas's work --- is heavily keyboard oriented, and Kerry Livgren does a great job, though there are times his arpeggios get a little wearing, as related above. But also the violins and violas of Robbie Steinhardt add a great sense of calmness and grandeur to some of the songs.

6. Did the album get better or worse as you listened to it (first time)?
Absolutely got better. I didn't like the three opening tracks, then the next two were streets ahead, a dip then for "Lightning's hand" and back to form then for pretty much the rest of the album.

7. What did you think of the lyrical content?
I must admit I didn't concentrate as much on the lyrics as perhaps I should have this time round, but in general they seem to concern man's fragility and his place in the cosmos. Songs like the seminal "Dust in the wind", "Nobody's home" and "Closet chronicles" all seem to speak of things passing and our inability to prevent it.

8. Did you like the instrumental tracks?(Note: For any albums without any purely instrumental compositions, this question should not be answered or answered as "not applicable")
There was only one instrumental and as noted above I did not like it at all.

9. What did you think of the production?
Sounded fine to me for a seventies record.

10. How well do you already know the band/artist?
Who doesn't know OF Kansas? But apart from their hits I had only actually listened to the one album prior to this.

11. What sub-genre, if any, would you assign this music to?
Progressive rock I think is the only one that fits, though occasionally Kansas can flirt with a softer AOR sound.

12. On repeated listens, did you find you liked the album more, or less?
Much more. It took a few listens to get past the opener, and there are still tracks I don't like but generally I enjoy it more when I spin it now compared to the first time.

13. What would you class as your favourite track, if you have one?
Other than the obvious? I think perhaps "Nobody's home" or "Closet chronicles", or possibly "Portrait (He knew)"

14. And the one you liked least?
Either "Paradox" or "The spider".

15. Did the fact that this album is a debut allow it, in your mind, any leeway, and if so, was that decision justified or vindicated?
Not applicable.

16. Are you now looking forward to hearing other albums by the band/artist?
Basically yes, I'd be interested in hearing some more of their catalogue. I would hope though that not every album of their has this disjointed a structure, from my point of view.

17. Did you get, thematically, the idea behind the album if there was one?
As I said in the lyrics question, essentially the powerlessness of man in the face of time, the elements, and the cosmos in general.

18. Did the album end well?
After a few duff tracks the album picked up brilliantly with "Dust in the wind" and sort of never really flagged from there on. The closer, "Hopelessly human" is a great track, though I did see some resemblance to the one that preceded it. Nevertheless I'd still class it as a really strong closing track.

19. Do you see any way the album could have been improved?
I'd have done without the more pomp-rock tracks such as the first three and had more like "Closet chronicles" and "Paradox". And no instrumental. Or at least, a better one.

20. Do you think the album hung together well, ie was a fully cohesive unit, or was it a bit hit-and-miss?
I'd have to say hit and miss, though in fairness more the former than the latter.

Ratiing:7.5 out of 10

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Powerstars

Can you send this to me, please?

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Electrophonic Tonic

It's on Grooveshark. Check it out here... Grooveshark - Free Music Streaming, Online Music

I'll have a review up at some point on Friday. And, I'll squeeze in the previous album (by a Wakeman, I believe...) at some point in the near future.

Unknown Soldier

Full album is on You Tube

Kansas - Point of Know Return (Full Album: Remastered) - YouTube

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Powerstars

Alright, I'll check it out sometime this week.

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Unknown Soldier

1. What were your VERY FIRST impressions on listening to the album, say from the first five minutes in?

The first five minutes of what I deem to be a classic album are actually very average indeed, but from then on the album turns into one of the bands greatest achievements.

2. What did you think of the opening tracks?

The opening and title track is a decent song, but the problem with "Paradox" and "The Spider" is that both of these songs actually sound like stereotypical prog tracks for the era. In that they actually sound like that they've been recorded for the benefit of somebody that really doesn't know prog that well and the songs serve as a kind of introduction to prog. It's kind of like they've used ELP for this example.

3. What did you think of the later tracks?

"Portrait (He knew)" is where the album comes up quality wise and the band move into a sound that they know how to dominate, which is earthy mid western rock with a strong rhythm section. "Closet Chronicles" a great song that I can't fault as it combines the concept of a slow song with that of a prog track. "Dust in the Wind" a timeless classic. Then the three closing classics "Sparks of the Tempest" "Nobody's Home" and the stunning "Hopelessly Human".

4. Did you like the vocalist? Hate him/her? Any impressions?

Steve Walsh is primarily the lead vocalist of the band and the heavier vocals on other songs are provided by Robbie Steinhardt. Steve Walsh vocal wise always had a hearty voice that usually was employed on the more commercially sounding tracks of the band. He always reminded me of Tommy Shaw of Styx vocal wise. Robbie Steinhardt has a much heavier vocal presence and the band seem to have got things right with vocal choices for their songs.

5. Whether or not you enjoyed the vocal performance, did the music throughout the album generally appeal to you, or not?

Kansas with keeping up to what's expected in a prog band have always been top-notch musicians. I'd be hard pressed to pick an individual out in this but I guess in you like heavy keyboard work and don't mind violins then musically the listener is going to enjoy the instrumentals of Kansas. Saying that though, I've always had a soft spot for Rich Williams on guitar.

6. Did the album get better or worse as you listened to it (first time)?

First heard this album in the 1980s and bit by bit it grew on me.

7. What did you think of the lyrical content?

Most of the songs seem to reverberate around man and his turmoil with civilisation.

8. Did you like the instrumental tracks?(Note: For any albums without any purely instrumental compositions, this question should not be answered or answered as "not applicable")

"The Spider" was nothing special.

9. What did you think of the production?

I've always liked Jeff Glixman's earthy production.

10. How well do you already know the band/artist?

The whole discography really well, have listened to it like a million times and it's one of the most solid from any 70s band. The band went off the boil in the 1980s with too much of a switch to a christian sounding band and line-up changes.

11. What sub-genre, if any, would you assign this music to?

Progressive rock meets AOR = Pomp rock and this was something that was uniquely the realm of both Kansas and Styx in the 1970s. Kansas are distinctly an American band and a mid-western one at that, as they mixed American root sounds to British progressive rock.

12. On repeated listens, did you find you liked the album more, or less?

I've heard it so many times and it always gives me a warm feeling on every listen.

13. What would you class as your favourite track, if you have one?

"Closet Chronicles" "Dust in the Wind" "Sparks of the Tempest" "Nobody's Home" and "Hopelessly Human"

14. And the one you liked least?

"Paradox" and "The Spider".

15. Did the fact that this album is a debut allow it, in your mind, any leeway, and if so, was that decision justified or vindicated?

N/A

16. Are you now looking forward to hearing other albums by the band/artist?

Not really as I know them all already

17. Did you get, thematically, the idea behind the album if there was one?

In the early days Steve Walsh would write the more commercial material whilst Kerry Livgren (the brain of the band) wrote the proggier epics. On this album they combine their powers together and as far as I can perceive, they've come up with man's notion of creating a belief about something when there is no actual proof. The cover lends credence to this as it shows a ship sailing off the end of the world, when man believed the Earth to be flat.

18. Did the album end well?
After a few duff tracks the album picked up brilliantly with "Dust in the wind" and sort of never really flagged from there on. The closer, "Hopelessly human" is a great track, though I did see some resemblance to the one that preceded it. Nevertheless I'd still class it as a really strong closing track.

19. Do you see any way the album could have been improved?

Remove the second and third tracks and replace them with something more focused in line with rest of the album.

20. Do you think the album hung together well, ie was a fully cohesive unit, or was it a bit hit-and-miss?

Despite a few duffers, this is a classic album of its time.

Ratiing:9.0 out of 10

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Trollheart

Wow, US! Considering you know the album and band so well, I'm surprised that most of what you said ties in with how I found the album --- weak opening tracks, crappy instrumental, strong closer but sounds like the penultimate track --- which makes me feel that I really "got" this album. I was sure you were going to say maybe I need to listen to Kansas more, or something, but it seems like we mostly agree. For someone who has been listening to the band for what thirty years or so, and another who has only really heard one other album, that's quite remarkable really.

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