Search - Kansas :: Always Never the Same

A tad overblown, but really quite good!

Darth Pariah | North America | 01/12/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Deep Purple have done it, KISS have done it, Metallica have done it, but about the only rock band who have credibly recorded with an orchestra (the London Symphony Orchestra, no less!) are Kansas.



I wonder how they were able to afford it, given that at this point they were on a small label and playing clubs, county fairs and virtually anywhere else that would have them.



A big point of note is the return of violinist/vocalist Robby Steinhardt to the Kansas fold. David Ragsdale had done a commendable job but Steinhardt's voice, violin and compositional skills were so much a part of the Kansas sound that his absence was always quite glaring.



Kansas' classic sound was of course quite orchestral to begin with (especially on "Song For America") so many of their songs would be a natural to be performed with an orchestra. The classics here sound quite good with the lush orchestral backing. I also commend them for not including "Carry On Wayward Son", not because it's a bad song (it isn't), but because they would have been expected to do so to boost album sales.



However, I am not pleased with the fact that Steve Walsh changes the lyrics of "Hold On" to be more vague about God. He had disagreements with Kerry Livgren over the direction of Kansas' lyrics when Livgren became a Christian, but Livgren wrote this song to be specifically Christian and it should have been left as such.



The cover of "Eleanor Rigby" is very good. However, the new songs ("I Need To Know", "In Your Eyes" and "The Sky Is Falling") are not terribly outstanding and without the orchestra could sound like outtakes from "Power" and "In The Spirit Of Things". Also, is the band actually playing on "Preamble" and "Prelude & Introduction", or is it just the LSO?



Of course, this album didn't sell, not in the U.S. anyway. By this time the "music" scene had been taken over by pre-packaged pop singers, boy bands and gangsta (c)rap and there was no place for a group of real musicians who could play their instruments and write songs.



It is a little overblown, but kudos to Kansas for doing it. Get it, if you can find it."

A mistake from the get go...

NEOPROG RAN | EL PASO TX | 11/14/2006

(2 out of 5 stars)

"Kansas with an orchestra...oh no the Moody Blues disease! Kansas is a mini orchestra- they don't need a orchestra to back them..silly, silly. The new songs are O.K. but I bet they would have more power without the orchestra. A major disappointment. ( I did see Kansas on this tour w/o the orchestra and they were excellent. I think they sold themselves short by buying into the orchestra idea)"