KANSAS – Monolith [Japan Blu-spec CD remastered +1] HQ

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.
Their first studio album to be produced by the band themselves, ”Monolith” would be the third studio album release by Kansas to rank in the Top Ten of the Billboard album chart, including the single ‘Reason to Be’, a fan favorite from the the group’s catalog.

For many, Kansas hit their artistic stride with three albums: “Leftoverture”, “Point of Know Return”, and ”Monolith”. While “Monolith” sold less – well, if you think Platinum + 1,000,000 is ‘less’ – the album is perhaps the best – of if you prefer the most complete – of the triad.

Like a lot of progressive rock bands in the late 1970’s there was pressure to adopt mainstream styles and Kansas was certainly not immune to this. Although the epic prog works of the 1974-1975 timeframe were well behind them, Kansas still managed to forge onwards with a good album that exhibited well-thought out compositions and a high standard of playing.
Clearly, although the times were changing, ”Monolith” (1979) is certainly more musically interesting than albums that were being released by the English prog giants at the time and even the sci-fi/fantasy influenced cover art suggested that the band may not have been willing to completely let go of the proggier material.

On ”Monolith”, although the general sound is still that of the trademark progressive hard rock sound that characterized their output, the proggy aspects of the typical Kansas composition had been pushed to the background somewhat and more mainstream styles started to turn up here and there – the “breezy” tune ”People of the South Wind” is a good example of this tendency. And it’s one of the highlights.
Actually, in all fairness there are some excellent pieces on ”Monolith” that feature fantastic playing, composing, and sophisticated arrangements including ‘Angels Have Fallen’, ‘On the Other Side’, ‘Away from You’, and the superb ‘Reason to Be’, which also stands among some of my favorite Kansas compositions.

“Monolith” is a great Kansas album that has a bit of the prog punch of earlier works, while moving in a more mainstream direction. It’s commercial and intricate at the same time, joyful and plenty of amazing arrangements.
“Monolith” is one of Kansas’ albums in desperate need of an update, as in my opinion the keyboards were buried in the mix. While this isn’t a remix of the album, this remastering on Blu-spec make them and the whole instruments much more clearer and defined.
HIGHLY Recommended

ＳＯＮＹ ＭＵＳＩＣ ＪＡＰＡＮ ＢＳＣＤ ／ ＥＩＣＰ～２００７８
「 ＣＡＲＤＢＯＡＲＤ ＳＬＥＥＶＥ ＲＥＩＳＳＵＥ ＳＥＲＩＥＳ 」

01 – On The Other Side
02 – People Of The South Wind
03 – Angels Have Fallen
04 – How My Soul Cries Out For You
05 – A Glimpse Of Home
06 – Away From You
07 – Stay Out Of Trouble
08 – Reason To Be
BONUS TRACK:
09 – On The Other Side (Live)

Steve Walsh – keyboards, lead and backing vocals
Kerry Livgren – guitars, keyboards
Rich Williams – guitars
Robby Steinhardt – violin, lead and backing vocals
Dave Hope – bass
Phil Ehart – drums

Out of print
www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/EICP-20078