Audio-Visions (Remastered)

I’m a die hard Kansas fan and have been from the very beginning. I know lots of fans consider the band’s move towards Christian themes were their downfall - in truth, they were there from the beginning but over time became more “overt”. I kind of liked that but that’s just me. What matters is the writing and the performances, and both are stellar on this album. Personally, I think Steve Walsh’s vocals in “Curtain of Iron” are beyond belief. All that said...who in the world did the remastering? It’s TERRIBLE. It’s as though some kid spotted a graphic EQ in the signal chain and arranged the sliders in a big smile. Ugh. Vocals get buried, cymbals stick out, lower range sounds muddy and almost manufactured. If you have the original master, you’re far better off.

My favorite Kansas album after Leftoverture and Point of No Return. Same great Kansas sound but with lyrics with more Christian overtones to them. Steve Walsh at his best.

Audio visions is probably the original line-ups worst album, though it still has some great songs, all of which are on side one. Relentless is a powerful opening number, it is unfortunately followed by one of Steve Walsh's worst songs, Anything For You. I think the next song, Hold On, may be one of the best Kansas songs ever. Loner is another highlight, with it's folky verses, tropical sounding bridge and it's heavy metal chorus and guitar riff. One of Steve's best songs. After the way cool Livgren song Curtain of Iron, the album goes downhill and doesn't pick back up until the last song and even then, not that much. No One Together, one of the longer songs here, is my least favorite Livgren tune. How it made it on a best of Kansas album is above and beyond me. Still, the first half of the album is good and I love the artwork.

This album had its brilliant moments. Walshes vocal preformance on "Hold On" is outstanding as well as "Back Door" and "No one together", but Livgrens conversion to Christianty proved to be the dagger in the heart of Kansas and this album clearly shows a divide in direction. Walsh left after the tour and the great band that made Leftoverature and Point of Know Return was sadly gone.

In three short years, Kansas went from the brilliance of Point of Know Return to this bantamweight radio rock. Kerry Livgren was writing Christian music and Steve Walsh didn't like it. But Walsh was saving all his good music for his solo albums. High points of this album are Hold On, Livgren's Jesus-inspired plea to his wife, and No One Together, where the music is top-notch progressive Americana, but the lyrics are pretty hokey. Another musically interesting point is Don't Open Your Eyes. The rest is mediocre at best.

lillipad2, well said--you did strike gold, and i hope you mine the rest of the catalogue. i also can't believe there are no other reviews. if steve walsh could no longer tolerate kerry livgren's spiritual direction for the band, this was a fitting exit. "back door" is a solemn swan song for his departure. the rest may not be masque/leftoverture era kansas, but the band was still evolving without compromising. while "got to rock on" is less in keeping with the band's stylistic flourishes (maybe where walsh was heading), the other compositions are tight and not a note is wasted. "curtain of iron" is a heavy slap in the face of authoritarian regimes courtesy of that" meatwall" rich williams signature approach. "no one together", is on par with "icarus" or "journey from mariabronn", imo. sweeping passages, counterpoint violin, nice harmonies, just awesome. it would be 20 years till the originals came together again, perhaps for the last time.

... Well then let's make it a good one! I found this in my basement. It was my mom's, and it was still in the plastic. I had heard Carry On Wayward Son and I was like, "I have to check out these guys!" So I was rummaging around my parents' old vinyl albums, and this one was in there. I thought I had struck gold! I pulled off the plastic, slipped that beauty out of the sleeve, placed it under the needle, and I was blown away. This is a great album! Not a dud on it. And I love how they are so creative with that violin. I can't believe that there are no reviews for this yet. This was my first real taste of Kansas (I'm a teen. Unfortunately I was not alive during that renaissance known as the 1980s.). Don't sit and think about buying this. It's an awesome album that is worth your money!