COLLECTOR'S SEDITION

Y2K produced more than just a computer scare and the threat of destruction of civilisation as we know it but also a Kansas reunion and a new solo CD by Kerry Livgren. As Kerry states in the liner notes some of these songs have been around for decades, Cold Grey Morning was a K-2 song, but by the time they got on here they have become new compositions. Kerry also states that this period around this project pushed him into a very prolific period of writing that spawned a lot of tunes on this CD as well as the Kansas Reunion CD Somewhere to Elsewhere.

This is a good effort from Livgren. Several rockers Red Money, The Man with the Iron Heart and On the Air, a couple of ballads The Navigator and At Every Turn and some very good symph rock The Sentinel, The Dragon, Am Juenglen Tage and Cold Grey Morning. The latter was originally recorded by Kansas for the Freaks of Nature album without Livgren but I think this version is so much better. There are much better vocalists, Jake Livgren shines here, than other solo works however Kerry's lack of a pro quality drummer hurts some of the more proggier songs. (Kerry plays the drums here)

Good sound quality and production give this a good feel to it. Kerry's keyboard and guitar work are solid as always. I like this one better than most of Kerry's solo work. The Sentinel is worth the price alone. I'll give this one 4 stars.

This is the best KERRY LIVGREN solo album. Long and epic. How can he composed this great CD one time with great Somewhere to Elsewhere. Collector's Sedition Volume 1 starts with epic synthesizers in Am Juengsten Tage, then On the Air starts rocky, but suddenly grow in many epic atmospheric episodes. Then dramatic The Sentinel, accoustic The Navigator with nice bass passages, loud No More Time For Love, souly Song Du Jour, bloody Red Money, christiany Handsight, in Proto - Kaw key The Man With An Iron Heart. As It Should Be weak moment (misic complicate but synthetic sound). At Every Turn medieval accoustic epos. Safe Alone funy, but not great. AND NOW COLD GRAY MORNING, forget Kansas version from Freaks of Nature , this is one of the best symphonic prog songs that i ever heard. KERRY LIVGREN personally sing this song (great vocal, why he don,t sing more). Ends album with little epic drama symphony The Dragon.

Great vocals, great guitars and compositions (but weak drums, because electronic, thats only 4.5 stars).