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Category: KANSAS

KANSAS / KERRY LIVGREN

KERRY LIVGREN – Q​.​A​.​R. (2022)

Of course KERRY LIVGREN is best known as one of the founding members, guitarist, keyboardist, and primary songwriter for the group KANSAS, however the musician has a solo career much longer and prolific than his permanence in the iconic progressive rock act.
2022 Livgren is releasing a new album titled “Q​.​A​.​R.“, which curiously in the press release he said: ”What that mean? – Don’t ask”. Anyway, what matters is the music, and we have here a delicious collection of melodic progressive rock with many elements recalling classic Kansas.
Wonderful KANSAS violinist Robby Steinhardt (who passed away last year) makes a guest appearance – yes, “Q​.​A​.​R.” was many years in the making – as well as Steve Morse (ex Deep Purple), superb vocalist John Elefante (ex Kansas, Mastedon), Warren Ham (ex Kansas, Toto), Greg X. Volz (ex Petra) an more.
Longtime Kansas fans will love this new Livgren album (probably his final), as he even does a re-worked version of ‘Nobody’s Home’ (from Kansas ‘Point Of Know Return’ classic LP) re-titled ‘Everyone’s Home’…

KANSAS / KERRY LIVGREN / REMASTER / SHM-CD / STEVE WALSH

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.
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.

KANSAS / KERRY LIVGREN / REMASTER / SHM-CD / STEVE WALSH

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.
“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…

KANSAS / KERRY LIVGREN / REMASTER / SHM-CD / STEVE WALSH

KANSAS – Point Of Know Return [Japan Blu-spec CD remastered +2] HQ

Few days ago we started posting 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.
KANSAS fifth album ”Point Of Know Return” sports one of most iconic image from the album rock era, and of course, includes the timeless hit ‘Dust In The Wind’…

KANSAS / KERRY LIVGREN / REMASTER / SHM-CD / STEVE WALSH

KANSAS – Leftoverture [Japan Blu-spec CD remastered +3] HQ

We started posting 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.
KANSAS fourth effort “Leftoverture” was their breakthrough album and a thorough representation of its assorted musical sensibilities combining hard-driving group instrumentation (with a dearth of flashy solos) with short, tight melody lines and melodic singing.
And it has the timeless classic ‘Carry On Wayward Son’, but there’s much more inside…

KANSAS / KERRY LIVGREN / REMASTER / SHM-CD / STEVE WALSH

KANSAS – Masque [Japan Blu-spec CD remastered +2] HQ

We started posting 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.
Third effort ”Masque”, their second album of 1975 (yes, two albums the same year!) found Kansas stumbling upon their identity in real time, building from featherweight rockers to majestic instrumental progressive workouts. The sextet would seamlessly bridge those two paths by 1976’s ‘Leftoverture’, but ”Masque” laid a crucial foundation…

KANSAS / KERRY LIVGREN / REMASTER / SHM-CD / STEVE WALSH

KANSAS – Song For America [Japan Blu-spec CD remastered +3] HQ

Truth to be said, you need the very first KANSAS albums in your collection to understand how contemporary Rock music has evolved over its history. And how better than this Japanese cardboard reissue 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.
“Song For America”, their second album released April 1975 is a killer full tilt symphonic rock LP comprising four lengthy intricate pieces and two very American style romps. Kansas’ second album very admirably showcases the band’s trademark duality as proggers and rockers…

KANSAS / KERRY LIVGREN / REMASTER / SHM-CD / STEVE WALSH

KANSAS – Kansas [Japan Blu-spec CD remastered +2] HQ

Truth to be said, you need the very first KANSAS albums in your collection to understand how contemporary Rock music has evolved over its history. And how better than this Japanese cardboard sleeve reissue 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.
“Kansas“, their debut album from 1974 still remains unheard by many, and it’s more than a regarding listen feeling fresh and innovative even today, 2021…

KANSAS

KANSAS – Point Of Know Return Live & Beyond (2021)

KANSAS are releasing their new album ”Point of Know Return Live & Beyond”, available on 2-CD & vinyl. The 22-track double album documents 12 shows from 2019 and 2020, recorded during their anniversary tour behind 1977’s Point of Know Return. This release includes that LP in full, alongside other deep cuts and hits.
“We knew we wanted to release a live album of the Point of Know Return anniversary tour,” said Phil Ehart, the band’s drummer and the record’s co-producer, in a statement. “Being unable to tour for more than a year has given us the opportunity to work on Point of Know Return Live & Beyond and release it for our fans who are missing live concerts as much as we are.”
This live album sounds great, capturing and representing how Kansas sounds live in concert now. And the material is top class.
Highly Recommended

KANSAS / REMASTER / REMASTER ROCK CANDY / STREETS

STREETS – Crimes In Mind [Rock Candy remaster]

As we said on the previous post, the two excellent albums from melodic rockers STREETS featuring the awesome Steve Walsh (Kansas) and guitar master Mike Slamer have been brilliantly remastered by Rock Candy Records. “Crimes In Mind” is the band’s second and final album, another superb melodic record with some AOR touches.
Fast forward ever so slightly to 1985 and the band’s follow up “Crimes In Mind” has production duties this time around being taken care of by the much acclaimed, and then man of the moment, Beau Hill.
If Street’s 1st is a great one, then wait to hear the terrific “Crimes In Mind”.
From the start with the wonderful “Don’t Look Back”, we’re blessed with…

KANSAS / REMASTER / REMASTER ROCK CANDY / STREETS

STREETS – Streets 1st [Rock Candy remaster]

The two excellent albums from melodic rockers STREETS featuring the awesome Steve Walsh (Kansas) and guitar master Mike Slamer have received a brilliant remastered treatment by Rock Candy.
Streets were formed in 1983 by Steve Walsh after his departure from Kansas, who decided to take more control of his musical destiny and was joined by bassist Billy Greer and drummer Tim Gehrt. The final piece of the puzzle was completed by super talented Mike Slamer, a British born former member of City Boy who had relocated to the US in order to seek out new musical opportunities.
The combination of Walsh’s…

KANSAS / REMASTER / REMASTER ROCK CANDY / STEVE WALSH

STEVE WALSH – Schemer Dreamer [Rock Candy Remastered & Reloaded]

“Schemer Dreamer” is the first solo album by STEVE WALSH, the original keyboardist / vocalist of progressive rock band Kansas, ‘Remastered & Reloaded’ by Rock Candy Records. This version was requested by a reader and really worth to check because not only it’s a good record, but one that indeed needed a proper remastering. Kansas were one of the most...

KANSAS

KANSAS – The Absence Of Presence (2020)

America’s legendary progressive rock band KANSAS will release their highly anticipated new studio album “The Absence of Presence” on 26th June 2020. The album features nine all new tracks written by the band where they rock hard with stellar musicianship. The addition of guitarist/producer Zak Rizvi in 2016 and keyboardist Tom Brislin in 2019, two powerhouse players from New Jersey...

KANSAS / SHM-CD

KANSAS – Power [Japanese SHM-CD Limited Edition] Out Of Print

A year and a half after KANSAS disbanded at the end of 1983, former lead singer and keyboardist Steve Walsh returned to revive the group along with original band members Phil Ehart and Rich Williams.Bass player and excellent vocalist Billy Greer (who had worked with Walsh in the short-lived band Streets after he left Kansas in 1981, and now front...

KANSAS / UNRELEASED

KANSAS – Wheels And Other Rarities (2018)

America’s preeminent progressive rock band, KANSAS, are touring select cities in the United States and Canada, expanding the celebration of the 40th Anniversary of their massive hit album Point Of Know Return. For the first time in history, the band is performing the LP in its entirety. The tour showcases more than two hours of classic Kansas music including hit...