KANSAS

Well, I went to Kansas (the band, not the State) after appreciating Proto-Kaw and discovering that Livgren was the founder of both. I had always thought that they were just a kind of country- pop-rock inspired american band like America or Chicago or other geographically sited bands, so after realizing that they were a prog band originated by the "early reocrdings" of Proto-kaw led me to this debut album.

So what I hear? A bit of southern rock on the first tracks, for sure. Choirs like Wishbone Ash (but on The Pilgrimage they are closer to YES), and the imprssive violin that soemtimes sounds country, but on "Journey From Mariabronn" sounds as I have written like Keith Emerson.

Unlike the prog-related Wishbone Ash that after the excellent Argus went to produce more poppy things, in this debut album we can find tracks that are totally progressive, mainly in the second half of the album. So it's better than the Wishbone's debut and one reason may be the fact that they had a previous history as Proto-Kaw before coming to release this one.

It makes me wishing to explore their music more deeply, also considering that in the past I have spent hours listening (and playing) Lynyrd Skynyrd, Arlo Guthrie and Creedence so I'm not against country-rock in general.

So let me retire what I have written in the first line: this is not a southern rock album. This is a progressive album with southern rock influences. And a very good one.

Sorry to have missed you for so much time and having skipped your vinyl albums in the music stores when I was young.

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