Kansas

You are listening to the genuine Hi-Fi stereo sound transferred from the actual vinyl record in the best possible quality. Kansas is the debut studio album by American progressive rock band Kansas, released in 1974 by Kirshner in the US and Epic Records in other countries. Kansas's debut album followed the merging of two Topeka musical camps: Kerry Livgren, from a previous Kansas line-up, and White Clover, which played mainstream rock and blues. The newly formed group signed with Kirshner Records in 1973 and traveled to New York to record their first release. The material on Kansas, written mostly by guitarist/keyboardist Livgren and vocalist/keyboardist Steve Walsh, had been culled from the repertoire of both groups. Kansas was promoted by print advertisements which included the tagline "Kansas is Koming." A promotional 7-inch single titled "Man the Stormcellars: Kansas is Koming!" was sent to radio stations and featured Don Kirshner hyping the album. Two 7-inch singles were released: "Can I Tell You" and "Lonely Wind". The album cover depicts abolitionist John Brown in a scene from Tragic Prelude, a mural by Kansas native John Steuart Curry. The original mural is painted on a wall at the Kansas State Capitol in Topeka. The album cover image is severely discolored and cropped to show only a small part of the original painting. Ranking on the Billboard album chart as high as #174, the Kansas album in the months subsequent to its release in the spring of 1974 sold over 135,000 units. The platinum success of Kansas' fourth and fifth album releases: Leftoverture (1976) and Point of Know Return (1977), revived commercial interest in the band's early output, it being reported in January 1978 that both the albums Kansas and Song for America had at that point each sold between 300,000 and 400,000 units, with the third Kansas album, Masque (1976), having been certified Gold for sales of 500,000 units the previous month. Both Kansas and Song for America would eventually be certified Gold for selling 500,000 units, Song for America as early as 1980 but Kansas not until 1995. Kansas: Steve Walsh – piano, organ, Fender Rhodes, congas, lead and backing vocals Kerry Livgren – guitars, piano, organ, Moog synthesizer, backing vocals Robby Steinhardt – violin, lead and backing vocals Rich Williams – electric and acoustic guitars Dave Hope – bass, backing vocals Phil Ehart – drums 🔘 Side 1: Can I Tell You Bringing It Back Lonely Wind Belexes Journey from Mariabronn 🔘 Side 2: The Pilgrimage Aperçu Death of Mother Nature Suite

You are listening to the genuine Hi-Fi stereo sound transferred from the actual vinyl record in the best possible quality. Masque is the 3rd studio album by American progressive rock band Kansas. The album was released in September 1975 in the US and in October in the UK. Masque is considered a transitional album for Kansas, blending the raw progressive/hard rock of their first two albums (Kansas and Song for America) with the more polished, melodic sound that would define their classic era (Leftoverture and Point of Know Return).It features heavier use of violin (Robby Steinhardt) and more complex arrangements, while beginning to incorporate the catchy hooks that later made them arena-rock stars. Masque peaked at #70 on the Billboard album chart, and approximately 250,000 units were sold within months. Like all three of Kansas' first three album releases, Masque attracted new commercial interest due to the platinum success of the band's 4th and 5th studio albums (Leftoverture and Point of Know Return), being certified Gold for sales of 500,000 units in December 1977. Kansas: Steve Walsh – lead vocals, keyboards Kerry Livgren – guitars, keyboards Rich Williams – guitars Robby Steinhardt – violin, vocals Dave Hope – bass Phil Ehart – drums 🔘 Side 1: It Takes a Woman's Love (To Make a Man) Two Cents Worth Icarus - Borne on Wings of Steel All the World 🔘 Side 2: Child of Innocence It's You Mysteries and Mayhem The Pinnacle

You are listening to the genuine Hi-Fi stereo sound transferred from the actual vinyl record in the best possible quality. Leftoverture is the 4th studio album by American rock band Kansas, released in 1976. It was the band's 1st album to be certified by the RIAA, and remains their highest selling album, having been certified 5 times Platinum in the US. Leftoverture opens with the song "Carry On Wayward Son", which Livgren wrote as a sequel to "The Pinnacle", the final song from the previous album Masque (1975). "Carry On Wayward Son" became the band's 1st top 40 hit, reaching No. 11 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in early 1977. The song has since remained a classic rock radio staple and a signature song for the band. The single "Carry On Wayward Son" has been certified 4× Platinum in the US and Platinum in the UK. The album's title, Leftoverture, is a portmanteau of leftover and overture. Kansas: Steve Walsh – lead vocals, piano, organ Robby Steinhardt – backing vocals Kerry Livgren – guitar, piano Rich Williams – acoustic and electric guitar Dave Hope – bass Phil Ehart – drums 🔘 Side 1: Carry On Wayward Son The Wall What's on My Mind Miracles out of Nowhere 🔘 Side 2: Opus Insert Questions of My Childhood Cheyenne Anthem Magnum Opus a. Father Padilla Meets the Perfect Gnat b. Howling at the Moon c. Man Overboard d. Industry on Parade e. Release the Beavers f. Gnat Attack

You are listening to the genuine Hi-Fi stereo sound transferred from the actual vinyl record in the best possible quality. Point of Know Return is the 5th studio album by the American progressive rock band Kansas, and it remains their most commercially successful and iconic record. Released: October 1977. Label: Kirshner (CBS Records). Producer: Jeff Glixman. Peaked at #4 on the Billboard 200. Certified 4× Platinum in the U.S. (over 4 million copies sold). Standout Tracks: Dust in the Wind – Acoustic ballad that became a worldwide classic and a staple on radio. Their biggest hit (#6 on Billboard Hot 100). Point of Know Return – The title track, with its memorable violin riff and sailing/return metaphor. Portrait (He Knew) – Tribute to Albert Einstein. Closet Chronicles – Inspired by Howard Hughes. Album Cover (painting by Peter Lloyd): The famous painting of a ship teetering on the edge of the world (actually the edge of a flat disc) perfectly captures the album’s themes of searching, existential questions, and sailing into the unknown. Point of Know Return is widely regarded as one of the cornerstone albums of 1970s American progressive rock, blending complex arrangements and classical influences with accessible melodies. Even people who don’t know Kansas by name almost always recognize “Dust in the Wind.” It’s one of those albums that still sounds fresh almost 50 years later. Kansas: Steve Walsh – keyboards, lead vocals Kerry Livgren – guitars, keyboards, main songwriter Rich Williams – guitars Robby Steinhardt – violin, lead vocals Dave Hope – bass Phil Ehart – drums 🔘 Side 1: Point of Know Return Paradox The Spider Portrait (He Knew) Closet Chronicles 🔘 Side 2: Lightning's Hand Dust in the Wind Sparks of the Tempest Nobody's Home Hopelessly Human

You are listening to the genuine Hi-Fi stereo sound transferred from the actual vinyl record in the best possible quality. Two for the Show is the 1st live album by American progressive rock band Kansas, released in October 1978. The album was recorded over the course of the band's 3 previous tours in 1977 and 1978 at the Palladium in New York City; Pine Knob Music Theatre in Clarkson, Michigan; Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland. It was certified Gold and then Platinum shortly after its release. One single, "Lonely Wind," was released from the album. The single version was edited to under 3 minutes, and included a small amount of the piano solo that precedes it on the album. It received a reasonable amount of airplay and rose to No. 60 on the pop charts. The album cover art, featuring 2 cleaning ladies in a movie theater reading playbills, was inspired by Norman Rockwell's painting The Charwomen (also known as The Charwoman) published on the cover of the Saturday Evening Post. Phil Ehart suggested swapping playbills for Kansas programs to create a unique live album cover. The elaborate cover was brought to life by artist Tom Drennon, who found models to mimic Rockwell's style, making it a memorable piece of art for the band. Kansas: Steve Walsh – keyboards, vocals Robby Steinhardt – violins, vocals Kerry Livgren – guitars, keyboards Rich Williams – guitars Dave Hope – bass Phil Ehart – percussion, drums 🔘 Side 1: Song for America Point of Know Return Paradox Icarus - Borne on Wings of Steel 🔘 Side 2: Portrait (He Knew) Carry On Wayward Son Journey from Mariabronn 🔘 Side 3: Dust in the Wind (acoustic guitar solo) (piano solo) Lonely Wind Mysteries and Mayhem Excerpt from Lamplight Symphony The Wall 🔘 Side 4: Closet Chronicles Magnum Opus