By Monk
When you mention the name Kansas to most rock fans, their thoughts inevitably and immediately stray to one song and one song only – their massive country rock-tinged anthem ‘Carry On Wayward Son’. And, justifiably so, because, in the parlance of some of our younger reviewers, it is a helluva ‘banger, a tune that definitely and defiantly has stood the test of time. But. like many bands with a pedigree that stretches back half a century – as this timely and suitably epic retrospective collection amply demonstrates – that is only the tip of the iceberg and just one short chapter in the band’s story.
Alongside the latterly more commercially successful Rush, Kansas were one of the pioneers of the nascent north American prog rock scene, drawing heavily on influences more akin to the folkishness of Jethro Tull than, say the symphonic electronica of Yes or Floyd, who were truly starting the extrapolate the genre into its most bombastic and pretentious, with increasing commercial success. Not that the band’s core of Steve Walsh, Rich Williams, Kerry Livgren and the late Robby Steinhardt weren’t averse to exploring their own levels of bombastic pomposity, as this 41-track compilation more than amply demonstrates.
An integral element of Kansas’ immediately identifiable sound, of course, was Steinhardt’s violin playing. He had an innate ability to combine classic miens with Appalachian/cajun/folk insertions with an effortless ease. Over the course of their career, the band also proved they could also grind it out with the best of them, as the punchy, thrashtastic main riff and solos on ‘Icarus II’, while ‘House On Fire’ is pure NWoBHM through and through, a symbol of how the band sought to survive and move with the changing musical times.
When one thinks of ÜS prog rock, our thoughts justifiably turn to the likes of Dream Theater. But, it could be argued that, without Kansas and their drive to experiment and integrate, there would be no ÜS prog rock – and, ergo, no Dream Theater et al. From out-and-out OTT pretentious symphonics through Blue Mountain roots via Steinman-esque Broadway soundtracking to unadulterated AOR commercialism, Kansas have touched all bases in their half a century long career and left a legacy that, while both they and many of their more casual fans may not realize it, has gone a long way towards shaping most if not all of the modern American prog music to which we listen today.
The beauty of this compilation is that, apart from the de rigeur inclusion of the obligatory ‘Carry On…’, albeit in a live version, it eschews their more commercial offerings and concentrates on Kansas’ progressive diversity and sense of innovation, and thus offers an excellent opportunity for those who previously may have passed no more than a cursory glance in their direction to explore the deep wealth of their huge back catalogue, as well as providing deep cut fans with an invaluable summary of their career in a single entity.
- ‘Another Fork In The Road – 50 Years Of Kansas (EU Version)’ is released tomorrow (Friday 9 December). You can get your copy HERE.
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