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Gerinski View Drop Down
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Points: 5154 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 11 2012 at 11:21
Originally posted by Dayvenkirq Dayvenkirq wrote:

Originally posted by Gerinski Gerinski wrote:

Ah, and the fact that Livgren could switch between guitar and keyboards (skillful at both) and the ability of Steve Walsh to play also keyboards gave them a versatility in their sound, especially live of course, that other bands couldn't have.
... except for GG ... and Robert Fripp ... and ... I know forgot someone. Smile
You nitpicky man Wink Did I have to write in full that many other bands coudn't have ?
btw I guess you referred to Adrian Belew? never saw Fripp himself playing keyboards (although I wouldn't doubt that he can play them, I'm asking just out of curiosity).
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Points: 5154 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 11 2012 at 11:13
Originally posted by Jbird Jbird wrote:

 
What do you guys think is the best Morse-era song? My vote would go to "Bells Of Saint James".
I think that the question is relevant enough for this thread.
I personally like Ghosts, it's not what you would call a prog masterpiece but for some reason it's hooky.
Bells Of Saint James is also good, the rest of the album is decent but far from great.
 
Somewhere To Elsewhere was a very decent return to form, a bit underrated I think.
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Points: 10970 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 11 2012 at 11:09
Originally posted by Gerinski Gerinski wrote:

Ah, and the fact that Livgren could switch between guitar and keyboards (skillful at both) and the ability of Steve Walsh to play also keyboards gave them a versatility in their sound, especially live of course, that other bands couldn't have.
... except for GG ... and Robert Fripp ... and ... I know forgot someone. Smile
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Points: 5154 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 11 2012 at 11:07
Ah, and the fact that Livgren could switch between guitar and keyboards (skillful at both) and the ability of Steve Walsh to play also keyboards gave them a versatility in their sound, especially live of course, that other bands couldn't have.
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Points: 5154 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 11 2012 at 10:59
To those not very familiar with the band, two advices:
 
1. don't get fooled by the radio hits, Kansas made a lot of great prog too, rocking symphonic we could call it, but similar to ELP putting some controversial track in most of their albums, Kansas included some very american rocker tracks here and there which may put down some people, I guess especially non-US people. Here in Europe I know people who are a bit put down by these.
 
2. my advice as ideal starter to better know the band would be the excellent double live Two For The Show but you should get either the original double LP or the 2008 edition with a bonus disc, because the original CD edition eliminated Closet Cronicles which IMO is one of the highlights of the original LP. While having the obvious limitations of a live album in terms of sound perfection, the tracklists contains many of their best songs and shows the high quality and energy of the musicians.
Like many other bands they went through a rather weak period, stick to the most highly rated albums.
 
And now to my list, in no particular order
 
Magnus Opus
The Wall
Closet Cronicles
Icarus
Icarus II
The Spider
Portrait
Lamplight Symphony
Cheyenne Anthem
Song For America
 
 
 
 
 
 


Edited by Gerinski - December 11 2012 at 11:00
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sltheory View Drop Down
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Points: 9 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 11 2012 at 09:18
Impossible to choose only 10 top songs.
There are at least 5-6 top songs of mine on each of their albums..
HUGELY underestimated band mostly because of "Dust In The Wind"'s radio success
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Points: 29593 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 03 2012 at 04:02
Originally posted by Throw Sand Throw Sand wrote:

Originally posted by Ye Bobbum Man Ye Bobbum Man wrote:

Whichever 10 of their songs are the shortest (mercifully) Tongue.In all seriousness I've only ever heard their classic rock radio staples and have NOT been impressed, however they seem to be getting a lot of love here on PA so I may use these top ten lists as a starting point.



Kansas's radio hits are the equivalent of Yes's "Owner of a Lonely Heart" - they are out of character for the band and do not do justice to their music as a whole.

 

 

I quite like the radio hits. Dust In The Wind and Carry On Wayward Son are classics in my eyes. Owner Of Lonely Heart is okay but never considered it 'classic'
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Points: 29 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 02 2012 at 05:41
Originally posted by Ye Bobbum Man Ye Bobbum Man wrote:

Whichever 10 of their songs are the shortest (mercifully) Tongue.In all seriousness I've only ever heard their classic rock radio staples and have NOT been impressed, however they seem to be getting a lot of love here on PA so I may use these top ten lists as a starting point.



Kansas's radio hits are the equivalent of Yes's "Owner of a Lonely Heart" - they are out of character for the band and do not do justice to their music as a whole.
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Points: 249 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 01 2012 at 14:40
1. Carry on Wayward Son
2. Song for America
3. Journey from Mariabronn
4. The Pinnacle
5. Dust in the Wind
6. Miracles out of Nowhere
7. Apercu
8. Incomudro - Hymn to the Atman
9. Icarus - Borne on Wings of Steel
10. Closet Chronicles
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Points: 9 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 31 2012 at 21:59
Whichever 10 of their songs are the shortest (mercifully) Tongue.

In all seriousness I've only ever heard their classic rock radio staples and have NOT been impressed, however they seem to be getting a lot of love here on PA so I may use these top ten lists as a starting point.
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Points: 1455 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 31 2012 at 01:10
Originally posted by richardh richardh wrote:

I could have swore this had been done but couldn't find anything using search option. So
1 Death Of Mother Nature Suite
2 Song For America
3 Incomudro- Hymn To The Atman
4 Can I tell you
5 Apercu
6 Lamplight Symphony
7 The Spider
8 Carry On Wayward Son
9 Icarus II
10 Dust In The Wind
I like the first 8 on your list, but then I substitute two that Epignosis mentioned for #9 & #10:  Journey from Mariabronn, and The Pinnacle...
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Points: 7868 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 30 2012 at 07:48
Originally posted by Dayvenkirq Dayvenkirq wrote:


Originally posted by Jbird Jbird wrote:

What do you guys think is the best Morse-era song? My vote would go to "Bells Of Saint James".

Ask that in a different thread where that question is relevant.
Gimmie my headphones now!!! 🎧🤣
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Dayvenkirq View Drop Down
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Points: 10970 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 30 2012 at 07:34
Originally posted by Jbird Jbird wrote:

What do you guys think is the best Morse-era song? My vote would go to "Bells Of Saint James".

Ask that in a different thread where that question is relevant.
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Points: 338 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 30 2012 at 07:31
I still think Song For America is their magnum opus Wink


What do you guys think is the best Morse-era song? My vote would go to "Bells Of Saint James".
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Points: 2 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 29 2012 at 18:04
Just registered, I must be in the right place because I see a discussion of the most inspirational band of my lifetime so ok then, not in any particular order:

Hopelessly Human
Journey From Mariabronn
On The Other Side
Icarus II
The Pinnacle
Song For America
Crossfire
Peaceful and Warm
When The World Was Young

I only listed nine because it would have been way too tough to have sorted out a tenth song out of the multiple choices left by their vast and deep catalog. Of course, this list is subject to change based on the day and time that I'm asked or need to think about it. So sending caution to the wind, I will pick a tenth song and today it is

End of the Age

which I consider to be the last great Livgren-penned song from what would end up being the swan-song album of the Livgren-era (and, unfortunately, what happened to be one of their worst albums ever, Drastic Measures indeed, with few redeeming qualities, the song picked being one of the few IMHO).

Peace,
Alex
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Points: 29593 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 29 2012 at 15:42
Originally posted by progbethyname progbethyname wrote:

I just know CARRY ON WAYWARD SON and DUST IN THE WIND. I like both tracks, but I haven't been inspired enough to explore KANSAS further. Maybe some day, but for now consider me Wayward to this forum.
My favourites are the first two albums (Kansas and Song For America) when they were much more symphonic in approach.They also made a cracking good album about 12 years ago called Somewhere To Elsewhere. I think you might like that one.

Edited by richardh - October 29 2012 at 15:42
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Points: 7868 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 28 2012 at 22:48
I just know CARRY ON WAYWARD SON and DUST IN THE WIND. I like both tracks, but I haven't been inspired enough to explore KANSAS further. Maybe some day, but for now consider me Wayward to this forum.
Gimmie my headphones now!!! 🎧🤣
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Points: 1069 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 28 2012 at 20:31
1-Dust In The Wind
2-Rainmaker
3-Magnum Opus
4-The Pinnacle
5-Carry On My Wayward Son
6-Portrait (He Knew)
7-Song For America
8-The Wall
9-Ghosts
10-Hopelessly Human
I shook my head and smiled a whisper knowing all about the place
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Points: 4659 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 28 2012 at 19:52
 
Originally posted by Epignosis Epignosis wrote:


Excellent to see "No One Together" getting some attention.  What a brilliant piece of songwriting.


A great and under-appreciated song, even when it was released.  it was originally recorded for 'Monolith' and Livgren  says it ended up on 'Audio-Visions' because it wouldn't fit on the vinyl version of 'Monolith', but that's not really accurate and a more plausible reason it the lyrical content and Walsh's objection, and possibly because Walsh (and maybe the rest of the band) felt there was already enough Livgren material on that album.

And yes, this thread has been done before, but it's always nice to see a little appreciation for Kansas in the forums... Tongue
"Peace is the only battle worth waging."

Albert Camus
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Points: 19557 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 28 2012 at 10:51
Made a Kansas Poll some tiome ago

Quote
3 [5.56%]
6 [11.11%]
0 [0.00%]
0 [0.00%]
4 [7.41%]
0 [0.00%]
1 [1.85%]
3 [5.56%]
3 [5.56%]
2 [3.70%]
0 [0.00%]
0 [0.00%]
1 [1.85%]
7 [12.96%]
0 [0.00%]
0 [0.00%]
0 [0.00%]
0 [0.00%]
0 [0.00%]
11 [20.37%]
2 [3.70%]
8 [14.81%]
0 [0.00%]
1 [1.85%]
2 [3.70%]
            
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