Kansas: Song for America (Kirshner)
Purchased in the Jerry's Bargain Basement
I learned something yesterday. I discovered that this blog has received a few responses over the years, and that I needed to authorize those messages for them to appear. So if you wrote and expected a reply, sorry! I'll check when I sign on hereafter.
One message caught my attention in particular, posted in response to my Stormy Six listening. I tend to not look back at what I've written here and almost treat this blog improvisationally. I must have written something about my history as a prog rock teen, because Chrome Dinette responded: "Is Kansas progressive rock or are they reactionary?"
I'm interpreting this message as being both serious and a joke, a play on words. Kansas was supposed to have been the big American prog rock group, a loosely-defined genre that is largely British, and European. What exactly even counts as prog is open to wide interpretation: Area (the Italian band) clearly is, but what of Etron Fou Leloublan? Is the King Crimson Discipline in the same overall category as the first KC LP? What of Mahavishnu Orchestra? Or more extreme possible offshoots of prog tendencies, such as Ruins, Molecules, or (dare I say it) Microwaves? Those three groups have unusual song forms and sometime irregular meters, two things in common with "traditional" prog rock.
Looking at these thing in such a light, the definitions all start to break down, and that's fine by me. I want to be honest about what things are, but at the same time the labels mean little. Who really cares.
The first record I bought for myself was Kansas' Leftoverture. "Carry On My Wayward Son" was a big rock radio hit (and general pop charter). I was all of thirteen years old at the time, the perfect age to be impressed by that song. I spent a lot of time listening to that album.
I sold off my copy in a record purge when I must been 18-19. I reacted against all the bands I initially liked in junior/senior high school (no middle school for me), eschewed their work, went off to find other things. I've softened on my opinion on some of them; for example, I like Close to the Edge (the third LP I bought, by my recollection).
Decades later, I bought up four Kansas LPs in what used to be the Jerry's Records Bargain Basement: dollar copies of Song for American, Leftoverture, Point of Know Return, Monolith, as well as ELP's Brain Salad Surgery and Works Vol. 1, and probably some other things too.
And I listened. I didn't hate most of it. I know that's faint praise, but what do you expect? I'm not thirteen anymore.
To return to Chrome Dinette's question: what came through listening to Kansas LPs was they didn't sound daring to me any longer. They're in many respects a traditional rock band, just with some prog rock dressing up. Kansas didn't seem bold or original any longer, though I'll give them credit for sounding like Kansas.
This record is possibly the blues-iest of the bunch, with songs such as "Down the Road" and "Lonely Street". It's not necessarily what they do best. Though, they tend to be at their most embarrassing when they're at their most earnest: "Cheyenne Anthem" from Leftoverture is drippingly heartfelt, and it's too much. They have a flair for the dramatic though, as witnessed by "The Satan Game" and "Incomudro-Hymn to the Atman" demonstrate on this LP.
The title song might be their single best moment. Catchy, and at ten minutes, not 7" single length. For all its length, it's a tight piece. Optimistic. The band largely sounds like a good ensemble. I think Steve Walsh was a good singer. There is a not-very-good drum solo towards the end of the second side, but as an ensemble player Phil Ehart is probably better than Carl Palmer (who I find to be very sloppy).
Monolith was the beginning of the end of their height as a major act, with two big albums in between it and this. Bandleader, primary songwriter, and heavyweight instrumentalist would soon depart, having become a Born Again Christian. I guess Kansas was too secular for him. Bassist Dave Hope would soon follow, and there'd be breakups-reunitings on and off over some years.
And you know what? Who cares? Well, blah, I guess someone does. Don't accept my taste in anything. Kansas is on their 50th anniversary tour this year, with two original members: the drummer and rhythm guitarist. I'm sorry, but the two least essential people from the original group. I seriously doubt they're performing anything from Audio-Visions, Drastic Measures, or Power.
While I never owned a physical copy of this album as a teen (I did have a cassette dub, recorded off the radio), it takes me back to the time and place. Being a teenager, in Pleasant Valley, PA, thinking he's listening to something daring. Frankly I'm happy I'm not a teenager anymore. Who needs that. Time to put on other music.
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