KERRY LIVGREN – Seeds Of Change [Rock Candy remaster] (2014)

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If you are a Kansas fan, then “Seeds Of Change”, the solo release from keyboardist/guitarist KERRY LIVGREN is the stuff of legends. Quite hard to find for many years, now it’s being reissued by Rock Candy Records with a pristine remastering.

Of all the greats to emerge from the vibrant American scene in the seventies, few could match the grandiose vision of Kansas. Rising up from relatively inauspicious beginnings in Topeka, in less than a decade they were crafting multi-platinum albums and selling out arena tours right across the States.
One of its founding members and primary songwriter, guitarist Kerry Livgren was the chief architect behind that inexorable rise to success and songs such as ‘Carry On Wayward Son’ and ‘Dust In The Wind’ became indelibly etched on the musical psyche of a generation.
As the decade drew to a close, however, inevitable changes were beginning to sweep through the Kansas camp.
Pieced together during snatched moments of downtime away from the ‘Audio Visions’ recording sessions, Livgren’s first solo album “Seeds Of Change” is a long forgotten jewel.

Featuring guest appearances from most of his Kansas colleagues, as well as guest appearances from the likes of Ronnie James Dio, Jethro Tull drummer Barrie Barlow and Ambrosia frontman David Pack, it not only showcased the guitarist’s versatility as a songwriter, but also allowed him to push the envelope like never before.
“Seeds Of Change” has a spectrum of songs that would sit comfortably on a Kansas album to those that would not.
The album’s high points are the two songs sung by Ronnie James Dio – who had then recently replaced Ozzy Osbourne in Black Sabbath after himself having been replaced in Rainbow by Graham Bonnet – “Mask Of The Great Deceiver” and “To Live For The King”.

“Mask Of The Great Deceiver” is the masterpiece of the project, worthy of album-closer status, but too awesome to hold off for that long. One of the proggiest pieces here, weighing in at 7:34, with nearly two-minutes of majestic synth and guitar engulfing the listener before the late, great Ronnie James Dio’s unmistakable pipes appear. This is one of the most impassioned performances that Dio ever laid down on tape, which is unusual, as he didn’t write the lyrics.
The bass work by Atlanta Rhythm Section’s Paul Goddard is more memorable than any ARS song I can recall; and Jethro Tull’s Barriemore Barlow drumming is full of tasty high hat and double bass play.
It’s an essential Dio track that deserves broader distribution.

Jeff Pollard of LeRoux belts out a strong vocal lead on “Just One Way”, the most Kansas-like song on the album “How Can You Live” is appropriately sung by Steve Walsh, while closer “Ground Zero” is another fantastic piece where Ambrosia’s David Pack takes the mic and half of Kansas members provide the instrumentation.
“Seeds Of Change” is a record that still sounds fresh today, even more with this Rock Candy remaster.
Highly Recommended.

“Just One Way” (Track #1)
Lead Vocals – Jeff Pollard
Drums – Barriemore Barlow
Bass – Paul Goddard
Trumpets and Percussion – Bobby Campo
Background Vocals – Jeff Pollard, Mylon LeFevre, John Fristoe
Guitars, Piano, Synthesizers – Kerry Livgren

“Mask of the Great Deceiver” (Track #2)
Vocals – Ronnie James Dio
Drums – Barriemore Barlow
Bass – Paul Goddard
Guitars, Synthesizers – Kerry Livgren

“How Can You Live?” (Track #3)
Lead Vocals – Steve Walsh
Drums – Barriemore Barlow
Tambourine – Bobby Campo
Background Vocals – John Fristoe, Joey Jelf, Mylon LeFevre
Bass, Guitars, Piano, Organ, Synthesizers – Kerry Livgren

“Whiskey Seed” (Track #4)
Vocals – Kerry Livgren, Mylon LeFevre
Drums – Phil Ehart
Bass – Paul Goddard
Harmonica – Darryl Kutz
Background Vocals – “The Moaning Multitudes”
Guitars, Mongo Drums – Kerry Livgren

“To Live For the King” (Track #5)
Lead Vocals – Ronnie James Dio
Drums – John Thompson
Bass – Gary Gilbert
Background Vocals – Joey Jelf, Steve Walsh, Donna Williams
Guitars – Kerry Livgren

“Down to the Core” (Track #6)
Lead Vocals – Davy Moire
Drums – Barriemore Barlow
Background Vocals – Victoria Livgren
Horns – Bobby Campo
Bass, Guitars, Clavinet, Fender Rhodes – Kerry Livgren

“Ground Zero” (Track #7)
Drums – Phil Ehart
Lead Vocal – David Pack
Background Vocals – Donna Williams, M. LeFevre, Davy Moire
Violins – Robby Steinhardt
Gong – John Thompson
Piano, Guitars, Synthesizers, Percussion – Kerry Livgren

BUY IT !
www.amazon.co.uk/Seeds-Change-Kerry-Livgren/dp/B00H4L3I8O
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