AD: TIME LINE

So this is what Kerry was planing while waiting to leave Kansas. OK what we have here is essentially a CD that was born in the MTV years, grew up in the MTV years and remains in the MTV years. Very much the same techno pop that was being recorded by Duran Duran. Big heavy 80's synth line with the guitar more subdued. Originally this CD was conceived as a solo project by Livgren but during the recording he felt the people he assembled worked so well together they took this out on the road. There was some potentially good pop songs here that were never promoted by CBS hoping that Kerry would return to the fold of Kansas being the main songwriter at the time he left. The biggest problem Kerry faced is that this time the world of Radio rock/pop would not play music with overtly Christian lyrics that changed just a few years later with Stryper. So with no promotion and no Kansas songs in the set this band was doomed to failure.

So what about the CD. Hmmm. I like this CD but to review it in this day and age to someone who has never heard it is hard. It is just that, 80's techno pop, and there isn't much else to say except that the musicians are probably much better than others in that class. At times there are some very good keyboard work as in High on Hill and Slow Motion Suicide. The vocals are really good Warren Ham and Mike Gleason do well as a duo. Warren taking the more blues style and Mike the high tenor. Mike also plays a bit of guitar and a lot of keyboards but the guitar is so clean sounding now that it is almost non existent except on a song like New Age Blues. There is a mini epic in Welcome to the War where Kerry tries to recreate his last good one Crossfire from Vinyl Confessions. Warren also adds some Flute, Sax and Harmonica that give off some color. The drums are way to understated both in the playing and recording and most of the time Dave Hope just cruises through his bass line, nothing special. Kerry still writes some great melodies though but where in Kansas they would be explored a bit more deeply here they are rushed through.

Well the Livgren fan in me would like to give this a 3 star but I just can't do it. Unless you are really wanting to complete your Livgren collection or your already a big fan (in which case you probably already own this) there isn't just enough to go on. Doomed to failure from the start I am afraid. The only real good thing that came out of this was Livgren was able to purchase a studio to continue to make projects. 2.5 stars.