Kansas
The Prelude Implicit

If you decided to staple all sold Kasas albums on one another you would get a rather big tower of albums, if the problems like the fact that you need an insanely long ladder and that the weight from the albums on top would crush the once further down was somehow negated, that is. The pile would actually reach into space and if you decided to fly a hang-glider when you were done stapling the albums you would also be an astronaut. That is how many albums they have sold, eight gold albums, three sextuple platinum albums and some million selling singles as well. For me Kansas is Carry on Wayward Son and the album Leftoverture as I grew up hearing that song and that album, along with some other great music of course. Said album Leftoverture was by the way released 40 years ago in 1976, long before I was born should also be noted.

They are actually doing some anniversary shows for that album but they are also releasing their fifteenth studio album this year and that means that they have been releasing albums for four decades now. It has been a long wait since last time around, sixteen years to be exact so the fans have been waiting a while for a new studio album. And they certainly have not been waiting in vain as the new album bears the Kansas trademarks with grand choruses, strong melodies, progressive touches, some classical influences and many other things. The production is excellent, the vocals are great and the album oozes high quality.

I think it is one of the better albums I have heard this year, and I am sure that it will avoid alienating Kansas’s current fans; it may even win them some new fans. The songs are all very good on this album but maybe one can argue that it lacks that super-hit that we got when Carry on Wayward Son was released, the best track now is the opening With This Heart but it takes that honour by the slimmest of margins.

I think Kansas prove that they are still relevant despite four decades of history and aging, sure there aren’t that many around from the early days but still. I recommend that you take a closer look at this album, and if you already are a fan of Kanses I suggest you buy the album at once. Great stuff from this legendary band, don’t miss it!

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