POINT OF KNOW RETURN

Ultimately we all are dust in the wind, but the truth is that some of us blow less than others. This was a note written on the sleeve of the remaster edition, a worthy note in that. It was almost 30 years ago when I first listened to 'Dust in the Wind' in a lunchtime program on our local radio station, during lunch (of course) after got back home from my junior high. It hooked me up to this date particularly because of its sheer simplicity (yet it sounds better every time I listen to it).

However, this album is not just 'Dust in the Wind', there are a lot more vintage and original progrock gems we can find within. The intro to the second song, 'Paradox', is an example of a classic progrock intro and it utilizes violin sound as the sonic vehicle to stab us on our heart and ask us to pay serious attention to the following driving yet beautiful rhythm. The subsequent song, 'The Spider', may be heard as an extended epilogue to 'Paradox', a short but tasteful instrumental.

'Portrait (He Knew)', 'Closet Chronicle', 'Spark of the Tempest, and 'Hopelessly Human' are strong progrock songs with Kansas signature etched firmly and catalogued forever as Kansassound (if there is any such a sonic dictionary). 'Nobody's Home' is a semi ballad song, quite nice with an orchestration feel that makes it sounds grand. The only minor drawback is 'Lightning's Hand' which a bit out of place within this album -my personal view and taste, of course-for it is too groovy too my progrock liking.

It is a must for standard collection of progrock music lovers.

(This review is dedicated to Sekar Utami who loves 'Dust in the Wind')