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HomeMusicRockProgressivePoint Of Know Return |
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|  | | | Customer Reviews: | | | Average Customer Review:
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 The land of ahhs Oct 27, 2008
This is one of several great works by a very unique band from the great central plains, the heart of America.
Never to Return Sep 25, 2008
It doesn't get much better than this!!! Consistency, great musicianship, good pop sensibilities - mixed just right!!! As a drummer in a school band at the time this was originally released, the drumwork blew me away along with the big organ,the fragile violins and the rest of the LP (the big vinyl round things before CDs). And the record had the album design printed onto it - a treasure long since lost. Alas the genius was never recaptured - like many good bands, too many great musicians in one outfit lead to inevitable tensions. Do yourself a huge favour and buy this one NEW.
How Long? Sep 05, 2008
Kansas is great progressive rock. I think this is their greatest album. After "Leftoverture" they really made their way through. "Point of Know Return" is one of my favorite songs ever. "Paradox" is a great song and should have been in a collection. Also the instrumental "The Spider" is excellent. "Portrait (He Knew)" has exciting sounds. "Dust in the Wind" is the song which is probably the most played radio song even made by Kansas. I might be wrong but I think I've heard this peaceful song many times before. "Sparks of the Tempest"? A great song for live gigs! Old Kansas is even better than old Genesis. The keyboard solos rule!
Stars: Point of Know Return, Dust in the Wind, Paradox
All-around excellent album Jul 11, 2008
Brilliant songwriting, masterful vocals, and stirring instrumentals - what more could one want out of one album? This type of rock 'n' roll merits the designation "art". Kansas delivers it all and keeps the listener coming back for more.
Kansas' second consecutive best seller is still a classic 30 years on Apr 28, 2008
Kansas bred progressive rockers Kansas' fifth album entitled Point of Know Return was released in September of 1977.
The album was the follow-up to their Top 5 Quadruple Platinum selling masterpiece Leftoverture. The pressure was now on for singer/keyboard player Steve Walsh (who had writer's block on Leftoverture but co-wrote six songs on PoKR (including the title cut with drummer Phil Ehart and violinist Robbie Steinhardt whilst the rest were co-written with Kerry Livgren) and wrote the instrumental The Spider himself), guitarist/keyboard player Kerry Livgren (who wrote or co-wrote eight of the PoKR album's ten songs), guitarist Rich Williams, drummer Phil Ehart, bass player Dave Hope and violinist/vocalist Robbie Steinhardt to create an album that would either be as good as or better than its predecessor. They went back to the same studio as their two previous albums but didn't get much done so they went to Nashville to finish the record and mix in Los Angeles and the results were amazing (as I found out in 1996 when I first heard the entire album as a friend owned this CD).
We open with the album's classic title track which is a classic rock radio standard that peaked at #28 on the US singles charts in 1977. It's a nice and classic footstomping song. Next is the excellent rocker "Paradox" which sees the band playing like their lives depended on it. The instrumental "The Spider" is next and is a great piece that jumbles around place to place in its 2 minute running time. We then segue into the rocker "Portrait (He Knew)" which is one of the best rockers Kansas ever wrote. The first half closes with the epic "Closet Chronicles" which is a song that is beautiful, majestic and rocking. Great piece.
The album's second half kicks off with "Lightning's Hand" which is a great rocker with some fine guitar work by Livgren and Williams and Robbie Steinhardt singing lead vocal here. Next is the band's biggest hit and another last minute song by Livgren which was the acoustic mega-hit "Dust in the Wind". This song needs no explanation to why it is a catchy number. Next is another rocker "Sparks of the Tempest" which has some funky sections and riffing. Steinhardt does the lead vocals here whilst Wlash only sings the chorus. The next track "Nobody's Home" is another classic Kansas number which is majestic with some fine musicianship. The closing epic "Hopelessly Human" with lead vocals by Steinhardt on verses and Walsh on choruses and is a superb finale to another classic album by America's top progressive rock band.
Point of Know Return would become Kansas' highest charting album in the US reaching #4 on the Billboard album chart and tied its predecessor's sales tally with 4 million in US sales.
In 2002 for its 25th anniversary, the album was re-released in a remastered version featuring two bonus tracks. One was a killer live version of Sparks of the Tempest from 1978 and the other was a new mix of Portrait (He Knew). The sound on this remaster is fantastic and also the album's artwork is nicely re-created.
RECOMMENDED!
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