AUDIO-VISIONS

Kansas

Symphonic Prog

3.08 | 353 ratings

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ZowieZiggy
Prog Reviewer

The highs of the band is obviously past history (IMO the first two albums were the best ones).

The opener "Relentless" is one the best song of the album. Nice vocals, subtle piano at times and catchy melody. The AOR flavour is very present though. "Anything for You" is a good rock number, but nothing extraordinary. The rock ballad "Hold On" has a catchy melody and features s a nice guitar break in the middle section.

From time to time, we even get a true hard-rocking Kansas song like in the good old days. "Loner" is one of them and is one of the best moments ogf this album together with "Curtain Of Iron" which is a more traditional Kansas song : longer composition, more sophisticated with rythm and theme changes. Good violin break as well. Basically, all the ingredients that makes a good Kansas song.

The worse is reached with "Got to Rock on" : tasteless, repetitive and bad FM music. When you look at the lenght of "Don't Open your Eyes" you might think : this is another Kansas epic. Well, the melody is nice, there is are interesting intrumental breaks here and there; good rock parts as well. This track is rather pleasant, featuring lots of mood changes. A grand finale would have been welcomed. A good song, overall.

"No Room for a Stranger" is not a great song although that vocals are generally very nice. It has a jazzy flavour which is not (but you know that jazz is not my cup of tea). The closing number "Back Door" is a quit and pleasant tune. A nice ballad Then, "No One Together" : very good intrumental parts (lots of violin), great harmonious vocals, fabulous rythm (good bass and drumming). This is Kansas as I was used to. The best song of the album and one of the ten best Kansas ever. "Audio-Visions" was the last of seven straight Kansas albums to go gold or platinum and the last album made by the group's most successful lineup.

It is not a bad effort. Some good to even very good moments. Not a masterpiece but a decent effort. Three stars.

ZowieZiggy | 3/5 | 2007-4-15

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