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Audio-Visions

Kansas - Audio-Visions Audio CD

A fair review of the Kansas "Audio-Visions" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Kansas reviews here, or go back to the Kansas tabs.

Band: Kansas
Title: Audio-Visions
Rating:

Release Date: 2008-03-01
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Relentless 2: Anything for You 3: Hold On 4: Loner 5: Curtain of Iron 6: Got to Rock On 7: Don't Open Your Eyes 8: No One Together 9: No Room for a Stranger 10: Back Door

No Filler, Mostly Killer
" So it's surprising that the lesser-known "Audio-Visions" is so incredibly solid from start to finish, and might be their hardest-rocking album overall along with "Song for America. Even a hardcore Kansas fan will admit there are some throwaway tracks on the band's two milestones--"Leftoverture" and "Point of Know Return. "

There isn't a musical monument on here like "Carry On My Wayward Son" or "Dust in the Wind", but "Hold On" is pretty close, and if you like that Kansas signature "sound"--biting guitar, tight drumming, violin and keyboards in unison, and soaring vocal harmonies, then "Audio-Visions" is a must own. The artwork will mess with your head too if you stare at it long enough!

Ironically, this is the last LP from the original lineup, just as they seemed to perfect their craft together, they parted ways, and the band was never the same again. A perfect swan song for a unique collection of musical visionaries. .

Audio Visions
It has some of thier best riffs, Steve Walsh's vocal are awe inspiring. One of thier best albums. .

Kansas' original lineup's classic swan song for some 20 years

During the band's Monolith tour, guitarist/keyboard player Kerry Livgren and bass player Dave Hope were "spritually awoken" and became born-again Christians. Kansas' seventh studio album (eighth overall) entitled Audio-Visions was released in September of 1980. As a result, Livgren's songwriting went more spiritual and Christian oriented whilst singer/keyboard player Steve Walsh was still writing straight-ahead rock and roll and living the rock star life.
The opening rocker "Relentless" is a great rocker with superb lyrics and awesome performances all around (especially from Livgren and guitarist Rich Williams trading leads in the middle). The pop rocker "Anything for You" follows and is a great pop number. Next is the album's first single which was "Hold On". The track is a great ballad that's a unique love song: a plea from Livgren to his wife to listen to the call of Christ. Walsh's vocal here is superb as is violinist/vocalist Robby Steinhardt's violin work. Next is the rocker "Loner" which is a blazing little rocker with Walsh singing his heart out and drummer Phil Ehart's playing almost punkish but great. "Curtain of Iron" (the first half ender) kicks the album into high gear.
The album's second half begins with Walsh's rocker "Got to Rock On" which was the other rock radio hit from the album. Next is the almost complete band composed "Don't Open Your Eyes" which is a great piece. Next is arguably Livgren's greatest contribution to the album which is the classic "No One Together" which proved prog wasn't dead (much to critics' chagrin). The Williams/Walsh collaboration "No Room for a Stranger" is a rocker which is a great piece. The closing track is "Back Door" which was Walsh's last contribution on a Kansas album until he returned in 1986 as he would leave the band in late 1981 for creative and personal reasons.
Audio Visions was another winner and another Gold seller for the band but the album didn't sell as well as previous efforts and was the first studio album since 1975's Masque to miss the US Top 20 but nevertheless is a great album (especially the remastered CD released in early 1996).
Recommended!
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Last of the Classic Line-up
It's now the 80's, and this album shows it. KANSAS - Audio-Visions (1980) (*** ) 10 tracks (43:27)

Audio-Visions represents KANSAS's last album with their original line-up still intact. The pop trends of that era show up strongly on this release.

Unlike the famous writing duo of Lennon/McCartney, who seemed content to write together and share most of the credit, KANSAS's main songwriters, Steve Walsh and Kerry Livgren almost always write seperately. There is always a balance of songs on each album written by the two. Just about a 50/50 split, with a couple of tracks co-written with other members of the band. After a while of listening to the two writing "styles" of Walsh and Livgren, one can guess with about 90% accuracy who wrote each song as they are presented. Walsh leans to a more "pop" style and Livgren still leans towards a more "classical" style of arrangement. And, as usual, the biggest hit on this was penned by Kerry Livgren. Mainly "Hold On". The most recognisable song from this album. The second most popular song is "Got to Rock On" by Steve Walsh. It definitely has a "pop" feel to it. It's enjoyable, but it's not the KANSAS of old and it's absolutely not progressive. Those days are long gone, sadly. After this album was complete, Steve Walsh left the band. This time for good. The personal and musical differences between him and Kerry Livgren were just too much to take anymore.

This is the first KANSAS album to be "remastered" by EPIC/Legacy, way back in 1996. Therefore, it has a decent 7 page booklet, which duplicates what one got with the original album release: original album art (front & back) plus all lyrics and production notes. The remastering job isn't quite up to today's standards, but it's allright.

Best Tracks: Hold On and No One Together
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Kansas - The Album That Broke Up The Original Lineup Of The Band
The album is pretty much split between Kerry Livgren's blatantly Christian oriented songs and Steve Walsh's rebellious rockers. "Audio Visions" would prove to be the album that broke up the original lineup of Kansas. Walsh has made it clear in interviews over the years that he was no longer comfortable singing many of Kerry's lyrics and he would leave the band because of it after the tour for this album. Although this album is not as good as the first 5 I like it quite a bit better than its predecessor "Monolith". The band got back on the singles charts with Kerry Livgren's Christian ballad "Hold On". He also contributes the great rocker "Relentless" and the two most prog oriented pieces on the disc "Curtain Of Iron" and "No One Together". Walsh's songs display very much where he was coming from at the time. The lyrics for rockers like "Loner" and "Got To Rock On" pretty much predict his eventual departure from the band. Both are great tunes by the way. Robby Steinhardt's violin is used much less here than on previous discs, an unfortunate trend that would continue on their next album and lead to his eventual departure. Overall this is a very good (but not great) Kansas album and defiantly worth owning.

You can see a complete list of all Kansas discography, or go back to the Kansas tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.