KANSAS – Audio-Visions [Japan Blu-spec CD remastered]

We started posting here all KANSAS early albums as these are essential to understand how this great band and overall contemporary Rock music has evolved over its history. And how better than this Japanese reissue cardboard sleeve series pressed on high quality Blu-spec CD format, fully remastered and including bonus tracks.
Early KANSAS albums needed a proper remastering to update / clean the sound but also preserve the original harmonics and analog tapes warm nature. These Blu-spec CD are amazing, believe me.
1980’s “Audio-Visions” was to be the last album with the band’s original lineup until 2000’s, and where they started to embrace the rising AOR sound from the beginning of the decade, much like STYX did around the time.

On “Audio-Visions” you can hear Walsh’s more straight-ahead melodic rock proclivities and Livgren’s deeper, complex, spiritual yearnings. “Relentless” is a fantastic, driving rocker with superb lyrics and great, passionate performances all around.
Then there’s “Hold On” a magnificent, gorgeous ballad that is a unique love song: a plea from Livgren to his wife to listen to the call of Christ. This song is both stately and impassioned which explains a lot about its enduring appeal. Walsh’s vocal work here ranks with his best ever.

“Loner” is a blazing little track, quite unlike anything else the band has done, with Walsh singing his guts out. The whole band really cooks here. And “Curtain of Iron” kicks it up a notch–it has the feel of those classic epics of yore. The lyrics are very prescient, with memorable instrumental passages in a suite-style presentation.
Walsh’s contributions like “Don’t Open Your Eyes”, “Got To Rock On,” and “No Room For A Stranger” are among the most commercial the band released so far, melodious easy listening rockers.

Livgren wrote the classic “No One Together,” which is a superb prog presentation…stellar arranging, superb playing, uplifting lyrics, intriguing mood shifts. Closing track, “Back Door” is another winner, with a lovely melody, heartfelt words, and an innovative sound — is that bagpipes at the end?

Overall, several tracks here rank among the absolute best that Kansas has ever done, especially if you like their more melodic rock side, interspersed with very good proggy compositions with all Kansas trademarks.
HIGHLY Recommended

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01 – Relentless
02 – Anything For You
03 – Hold On
04 – Loner
05 – Curtain Of Iron
06 – Got To Rock On
07 – Don’t Open Your Eyes
08 – No One Together
09 – No Room For A Stranger
10 – Back Door

Steve Walsh – keyboards, vibraphone, lead and backing vocals
Kerry Livgren – guitars, keyboards, percussion, backing vocals
Robby Steinhardt – violin, viola, lead and backing vocals
Rich Williams – guitar, percussion, backing vocals
Dave Hope – bass guitar, backing vocals
Phil Ehart – drums, percussion, backing vocals
with:
Donna Williams – additional voice and sounds
Joey Jelf – additional voice and sounds
Lisa White – additional voice and sounds
Victoria Livgren – additional voice and sounds
Terry Ehart – additional voice and sounds
The Four Bassmen – additional voice and sounds

Out of print
www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/EICP-20079