Classic Rock Album of the Day- Kansas- Point of Know Return- (1977) ****
When I first reviewed Leftoverture, I think I remember mentioning that it was a near coin toss, between it and this followup companion masterpiece "Point of Know Return" This album contains the most famous Kansas tune, Dust in the Wind, and is overall is stylistically very very similar to its predecessor. Both are fabulous American Prog Rock Creations, and many might say that these are the best two consecutive albums of American contribution to the genre. Point of Know Return outside its commerical example .. Dust... does have somewhat more of an abstract instrumental flare to it. I think the prior success allowed for a tad more experimentation. OTOH, I do think that experimentation did hurt in future sales, as there was much more of an AOR audience than prog audience in the U.S. at the time. These two albums made quad platinum, nothing before after even came close. And that is not to say Kansas didn't great music outside these two. They did, but just not to the level of consistence of these.
The band kept a very tight knit line up during this era of greatness, and the mix and chemistry worked to perfection. Though the arrangements are tad weaker on this LP, I feel they pulled off some amazing and innovate hook that exceed other albums. The power chords at the climaxical end of Sparks of the Temptest are as bad ass as it gets. In any case, Kansas doesn't cheat anyone on this one, and this great album is again one of those rarities that is pretty much filler free. If you want a solid blend of classical, prog, and down right good mid 1970's rock and roll, you will really like this one.
Fun fact: Album's Dust in the Wind contains the only Kansas song to chart in the Top 10. (Peaked at No. 6)
Side 1-
---------
Point of Know Return- Rocking and rollicking, and a great bit radio friendly, band starts nicely with a syncopated based poignant song, that themed with human retrospection. One that would reverb during the entire LP. Some of the bass line in the album too. Excellent tune, and a great start. 3
Paradox- A tad less enjoyable, great musical gymnastics, and obvioulsy a little too much on the technical, and less focus on the listenabiity aspects. Somes prog bands did these things just because they wanted to flex the musical chops. All the greats did it. And sometimes it worked better than others. 8
The Spider- This instrumental suffers for the same reason as the preceding song. No doubt technically brilliant, but meh. 9
Portrait (He Knew)- Nicely done dueling among the musicans, and a most effective use of lyrics, and a nice ode to Einstein. Always thought it was a strange topic for a rock and roll song, but props anyway. Runaway solo-ing at the end by the entire band is some of the best jam on the album. 5
Closet Chronicles- I will honestly misinterpreted this song through the years, as it mostly meant generically just captains of industry, but found out that the song is actually written in tribute to Howard Hughes. Like the earlier song, it was a portrayal of a nice mish mash of instrumental gazadry, and it works nicley. Maybe some of my confusion iof the song's intent was that the band gives the song such a medevial feel at the end- 7
Side 2-
-----------
Lightning's Hand- This is the one that makes the old time fans happy. Very much like a lot of their earlier work, with much a less a prog feel, but more straight forward rock and roll. 6
Dust in the Wind- I think everyone of us college guys had our existentialist phase, and the song is a anthem for that bullshit. I know this was the big hit, and I'll say it, and piss everyone off. I got sick and tired of hearing on the radio. Yes, I know it is constructed as a classic rock beautiful ballad style , but its overplay was awful. And musically, the alternating set strumming was the stuff of like guys who sat on the stairs in Animal House. Like Blutarsky, I wanted to bash the guitar in too. 10
Sparks of the Tempest- Ahhhhh now the album starts cooking- Kansas didn't infuse much Moog, but I just love how this song flows, creeps up, builds, and slaps the listener with massively prophthetic lyrics that were 50 years too soon. And as mentioned earlier, the ax power chords at the conclusion with weaving violin is awesome. 1
They mold you and shape you, so watch what you do
The sparks of the tempest are burnin' you through
Spreading like wildfire, fallin' like rain
Though they may promise, they only bring pain
Your future is managed, and your freedom's a joke
You don't know the difference as you put on the yoke
The less that you know the more you fall into place
A cog in the wheel, there is no soul in your face
Nobody's Home- To me, this is the flip side of Dust in the Wind. Ballad in majestic if content, but beautifully written and delivered. Song is so melancholy, but powerful too. It seems the violin almost cries. To me this is the most under-rated and under appreciated song in the entire Kansas catalog. I know Livgren had one intent of the lyrics, I like to think of it as another. 2
Hopelessly Human- Fantastic finish to a great LP. Songs begins in ballad form, but all hell breaks lose is some of the strongest inter-instrumental play on the album. The bells at the end give goose bumps. What a great album. 4
When I first reviewed Leftoverture, I think I remember mentioning that it was a near coin toss, between it and this followup companion masterpiece "Point of Know Return" This album contains the most famous Kansas tune, Dust in the Wind, and is overall is stylistically very very similar to its predecessor. Both are fabulous American Prog Rock Creations, and many might say that these are the best two consecutive albums of American contribution to the genre. Point of Know Return outside its commerical example .. Dust... does have somewhat more of an abstract instrumental flare to it. I think the prior success allowed for a tad more experimentation. OTOH, I do think that experimentation did hurt in future sales, as there was much more of an AOR audience than prog audience in the U.S. at the time. These two albums made quad platinum, nothing before after even came close. And that is not to say Kansas didn't great music outside these two. They did, but just not to the level of consistence of these.
The band kept a very tight knit line up during this era of greatness, and the mix and chemistry worked to perfection. Though the arrangements are tad weaker on this LP, I feel they pulled off some amazing and innovate hook that exceed other albums. The power chords at the climaxical end of Sparks of the Temptest are as bad ass as it gets. In any case, Kansas doesn't cheat anyone on this one, and this great album is again one of those rarities that is pretty much filler free. If you want a solid blend of classical, prog, and down right good mid 1970's rock and roll, you will really like this one.
Fun fact: Album's Dust in the Wind contains the only Kansas song to chart in the Top 10. (Peaked at No. 6)
Side 1-
---------
Point of Know Return- Rocking and rollicking, and a great bit radio friendly, band starts nicely with a syncopated based poignant song, that themed with human retrospection. One that would reverb during the entire LP. Some of the bass line in the album too. Excellent tune, and a great start. 3
Paradox- A tad less enjoyable, great musical gymnastics, and obvioulsy a little too much on the technical, and less focus on the listenabiity aspects. Somes prog bands did these things just because they wanted to flex the musical chops. All the greats did it. And sometimes it worked better than others. 8
The Spider- This instrumental suffers for the same reason as the preceding song. No doubt technically brilliant, but meh. 9
Portrait (He Knew)- Nicely done dueling among the musicans, and a most effective use of lyrics, and a nice ode to Einstein. Always thought it was a strange topic for a rock and roll song, but props anyway. Runaway solo-ing at the end by the entire band is some of the best jam on the album. 5
Closet Chronicles- I will honestly misinterpreted this song through the years, as it mostly meant generically just captains of industry, but found out that the song is actually written in tribute to Howard Hughes. Like the earlier song, it was a portrayal of a nice mish mash of instrumental gazadry, and it works nicley. Maybe some of my confusion iof the song's intent was that the band gives the song such a medevial feel at the end- 7
Side 2-
-----------
Lightning's Hand- This is the one that makes the old time fans happy. Very much like a lot of their earlier work, with much a less a prog feel, but more straight forward rock and roll. 6
Dust in the Wind- I think everyone of us college guys had our existentialist phase, and the song is a anthem for that bullshit. I know this was the big hit, and I'll say it, and piss everyone off. I got sick and tired of hearing on the radio. Yes, I know it is constructed as a classic rock beautiful ballad style , but its overplay was awful. And musically, the alternating set strumming was the stuff of like guys who sat on the stairs in Animal House. Like Blutarsky, I wanted to bash the guitar in too. 10
Sparks of the Tempest- Ahhhhh now the album starts cooking- Kansas didn't infuse much Moog, but I just love how this song flows, creeps up, builds, and slaps the listener with massively prophthetic lyrics that were 50 years too soon. And as mentioned earlier, the ax power chords at the conclusion with weaving violin is awesome. 1
They mold you and shape you, so watch what you do
The sparks of the tempest are burnin' you through
Spreading like wildfire, fallin' like rain
Though they may promise, they only bring pain
Your future is managed, and your freedom's a joke
You don't know the difference as you put on the yoke
The less that you know the more you fall into place
A cog in the wheel, there is no soul in your face
Nobody's Home- To me, this is the flip side of Dust in the Wind. Ballad in majestic if content, but beautifully written and delivered. Song is so melancholy, but powerful too. It seems the violin almost cries. To me this is the most under-rated and under appreciated song in the entire Kansas catalog. I know Livgren had one intent of the lyrics, I like to think of it as another. 2
Hopelessly Human- Fantastic finish to a great LP. Songs begins in ballad form, but all hell breaks lose is some of the strongest inter-instrumental play on the album. The bells at the end give goose bumps. What a great album. 4
