The Kansas thread

OK, I am doing everyone a favor who only wants to hear just the “prog” songs Kansas did.  I have made a list by album (Only Original Lineup) which songs would fit as the definition of “prog” I have seen here:

 

Album                                                             Songs

Kansas:                          Belexis, Journey To MariaBronn, Aprecu, Death of Mother Nature Suite       

 

Song For America:      Title Track, Lamplight Symphony, Imcamudro-Hymn to the Atman

 

Masque:                         Mysteries and Mayhem, The Pinnacle, All the World, Icarus

 

LeftOverature:             Miracles Out of Nowhere, Opus Insert, Cheyenne Anthem, Magnus Opus   

 

Point of Know Return:       Closet Chronicles, Nobodys Home, Helplessly Human

 

Monolith:                        On the Other Side, Away from you, Angels have Fallen, Glimpse of Home

 

Audio Visions:                   No One Together, Curtain of Iron

 

Somewhere to Elsewhere:  Icarus II, Myriad, Distant Vision  

 

If all you are looking for is this format this list should help you but I think you are missing out on so much more theat these guys have to offer.

correction....1st 3 songs

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   . That is just my taste.7th...I like dark/depressing lyrics and I just don't find Kansas very dark and depressing. Once again....just my tastes. I realize Gabriel wasn't depressing but I love his eccentricity

There is just something small missing from Kansas's lyrics and because of their social songs and their upbringing it rings Hick Progressive to my ears....albeit good Hick Progressive

 

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I understand what you are saying.  There was a time I felt I neede the darkness of things also.  Pete wrote some very dark stuff on Tresspass IMO.  It is funny You say they are too lighthearted I had one friend told me Kansas was too depressing for their tatste.  Whatever. :-) I am glad you enjoy them and didn't let that stop you from enjoying what you can.  They have been part of my life for thirty years and are as important to me as all of the groups you mentioned. One nice thing is they still tour almost every year too.

arcer wrote: In fact, forgot to mention, I currently have a personally burned 2CD best of set in my car CD changer at the moment - any band that can make me stretch a best of to 160mins can't be that bad!

 

Those are great thoughts. Here in the states in 1974-5 there was never a question about this band at all. They were the real deal whether it was progressive, rock, blues or ballads these guys could do it all. Maybe that it what it is about them that is great.  BTW Monolith Kerry had not yet converted so if it is preachy I don't know where that came from.  He converted in between that album and his solo album Seeds of Change(Which has two great songs with Ronnie James Dio doing vocals)  about a year or so after Monolith.

James Lee wrote: gdub411 wrote: Also I must add I call this music as Hick Progressive because he comes across a bit backwoodslike to me. I feel I am qualified to make a statement like this as I was raised in the backwoods of Wisconsin. Compared to the cultured and more sophisticated European bands they just don't measure up lyrically speaking. Do not get me wrong....I like Kansas Hick progressive- interesting term; I wish there were more bands like that. That's the main reason I compare Kansas to Jethro Tull (a UK hick progressive, if you follow me...I guess the Caravan end of Canterbury kinda makes them UK hick progressives too). Comes from the folk influence, and since our folk music is country, bluegrass, and blues that's what goes into the sound. I'm probably the only person in the world that would like to hear a prog bluegrass band...

James....I finally have figured you out. With permission I would love to share this with you but I do not want to offend you either and you might not take what I say too kindly. So what say you?

Just saw this thread (away form a couple of days at Rush in Glasgow) and have to applaud whoever started this thread. I absolutely love Kansas (from Kansas to Monolith) though I seem to be one of the few Europeans here who thinks they're cool - most of the posts have been from the Americas.

Funny, I was instroduced to them by a New Yorker (a mate of my older brother) around the time Monolith was released and got a bunch of cassettes with Leftoverture, Two For The Show and Monolith on and fell in love with the band.

Granted they're not pur prog but what constitutes 'pure prog'. Are they too melodic? Not fiddly enough in their playing?

The melodies are great, the playing is excellent, and the Keystone Cops chase bits in most of the long songs are great fun (just check 'em out if you don't believe me, Magnum Opus, Incomudro etc etc all contain a comedu chase scene!) 

From Journey From Mariabronn to Song For America, Closet Chronicles to Cheyenne Anthem, Icarus to Questions of My Childhood - they're all great.

The only caveat is the blatant evangelising on Monolith, it doesn't ruin the experience but certainly compromises it. Therefore after Monolith I lost 'em though I do believe that their reunion album Somewhere to Elsewhere has a couple of good tracks...

Other than that they rule. Top dungaree-wearing, fiddle playing, prog chaps!!

 

Then try Hayseed Dixie, great band who does some AC/DC covers 

James Lee wrote:

  I have to admit I was put off when the religious aspect became more obvious and less symbolic- he had been so good at metaphor and allegory. But by then the band's sound had changed enough to let the two of us go our separate ways anyway..

I couldn´t agree more James, same thing with Neal Morse

The only " Spiritual Band " I can listen to is Echolyn, they don´t try to force feed you the Spiritual Crutches that they need to get through this life.

I have to admit I was put off when the religious aspect became more obvious and less symbolic- he had been so good at metaphor and allegory. But by then the band's sound had changed enough to let the two of us go our separate ways anyway...

A few months after Vinyl Confessions was relñeased, I was watching TV in Miami, while I was changing channels I saw Kerry Livegren and stopped there. It was the 700 Club with Pat Robertson (A program I would never normally see mostly because it's not about religion it's simply a business IMHO).

Well, Kerry was almost forced (with directed questions) to say that Kansas was evil, at first he refused to say that, but when he gained some confidence (or confused with the tendency of the questions) he said that Kansas was his worst experience, that his music was sad, depressing and negative but now he had found the Lord he was happy.

I have nothing about Religion, I'm also a religious man, but when somebody tries to make us believe every secular thing is bad, then I hate it because it reminds me of those who used to burn books.

Thanks God that Kerry saw the light and started to compose good music again, he understood you can be a reborn Christian and a great musician at the same time. If a skilful artist or professional wastes the talent God gave him, it's a sin, even if that man uses his time to pray.

Last week on a TV show I don't like very much (The King of the Hill), the father said to a Christian musician at Messiahfest "Playing that music you're not making religion better, you're making rock worst"

That's what Kansas did when tried to change into a Christian Rock Band.

Iván

Garion81 wrote: In fact most of Kerry Livegrens lyrics from the first 7 albums was about a personal spirtual search.  Amazing how anyone could get that personal with his feelings like that in a public forum.  If you see something different I would really like to know what.

I agree completely- I think it was clear in the lyrics that this was a man who was deeply spiritual, constantly questioning and investigating, and longing for a satisfying answer (very much like Peter Hammill, although the two couldn't have been more different in their approach, or their conclusions). I have to admit I was put off when the religious aspect became more obvious and less symbolic- he had been so good at metaphor and allegory. But by then the band's sound had changed enough to let the two of us go our separate ways anyway...