AUDIO-VISIONS

Kansas

Symphonic Prog

3.08 | 353 ratings

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b_olariu
Prog Reviewer

I will begun quoting what is on the back on the CD about this album, being agree with this statement:

"The home grown art rock pioneered by Kansas saw it's greates commercial succes with Audio-Visions. Featuring hits like Hold on and Don't open your eyes, this CD demonstrates the unique blend of technical virtuosity and majestical balladry"

Kansas in 1980 - the last album with original lineup is more then a decent work IMO. Audio Visions is to me better then Monolith in any way, the album sounds very strong, some parts are truly progressive rock all the way, the other parts are in traditional Kansas sound begun with Monolith, more rockier but still good. I'm not agree that this is a weak album, some pieces stands among the best Kansas ever done like No one together, a truly progressive rock piece that stands as the best from the album, with excellent parts played by all musicians involved here, keybords, violin, guitars and specially the excellent voice of Walsh is present here, this piece can easy puted on any other older albums, has the atmosphere of Song for America or Leftoverture for sure, Curtain of iron is another good ex of Kansas at best moments, Don't open your eyes and Relentless is fine tunes in Kansas tradition. The rest are ok, maybe not realy great but ok, not a bad moment here realy. Even the difrences of opinion made Wals to live for some years returning with Power album in 1986, Audio Visions stands as among the best Kansas albums IMO. Of course not better then Song for America, Masque, Leftoverture or Point but close behind and better then Monolith and the albums will come after this one. Some more harder edged arrangements then before but melted very well with progressive elements in Kansas style made this album to be good to great in places, 3.5 rounded up to 4 because of the cover arts , both front and specialy the back cover is excellent showing exactly what is on album, visions of the new decade, future, new sounds and aproaches in music, great. I might say is one of my fav Kansas albums who still stands very well today. Quite underrated album from their career and really is not a bad record at all.

b_olariu | 4/5 | 2010-7-11

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