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Thread: New Kansas Tune- "Throwing Mountains"

  1. #1
    Moderator Sean's Avatar
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    New Kansas Tune- "Throwing Mountains"



    Curious what you all think.

    It's very much a continuation of the riff heavy angle of the last album. Cool stuff.

  2. #2
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    I like it. Nice arrangement, rockin’ riff (reminds be a tiny bit of the “Convenience” riff from Gentle Giant’s last album) nice violin but somewhat trite melodies and guitar leads That’s OK plenty to like here. IMO.

    Thanks for posting!

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    Not bad. More of the same. Melodic, riffy, kinda heavy. Curious to hear the whole album.

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    NEARfest Officer Emeritus Nearfest2's Avatar
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    Similar sentiment. I like it. Love the heaviness, but there is something missing that is keeping me from going "Wow, I want to hear that again." I feel that way about the last album too. Some of it may be the vocals. Ronnie's voice is nice, but it doesn't have a real defining character.
    Chad

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    I just had it playing in the background and find it much more to my liking than pretty much all of there stuff from the 80's - 90's. I wasn't paying attention and youtube automatically keeps playing more tracks, On The Other Side came up which had me thinking Throwing Mountains while not a bonafide classic holds it's own against the older material very well and sounds like a more refreshed band.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Nearfest2 View Post
    Similar sentiment. I like it. Love the heaviness, but there is something missing that is keeping me from going "Wow, I want to hear that again." I feel that way about the last album too. Some of it may be the vocals. Ronnie's voice is nice, but it doesn't have a real defining character.
    That's my impression. Ronnie's vocals are kind of bland. He's a good singer but just no oomf (or whatever). I'd have to hear the whole album before deciding if it's worth purchasing.
    E-A-T

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    Quote Originally Posted by Nearfest2 View Post
    Similar sentiment. I like it. Love the heaviness, but there is something missing that is keeping me from going "Wow, I want to hear that again." I feel that way about the last album too. Some of it may be the vocals. Ronnie's voice is nice, but it doesn't have a real defining character.
    Quote Originally Posted by Vic2012 View Post
    That's my impression. Ronnie's vocals are kind of bland. He's a good singer but just no oomf (or whatever). I'd have to hear the whole album before deciding if it's worth purchasing.
    I agree with both of you about Ronnie. He's got the voice, I just don't like the glossy shiny vocal effect they use. I would prefer a bit rawer sound, let Ronnie be Ronnie rather than scuplt his vocal timbre to be more similar to Steve's. Ronnie's been in the band long enough and fans have accepted him, so let's back off the vocal effects and let his own voice be a bit gritty and less polished.

    I had considered passing on this album, but who can resist a new Kansas album. Judging from the tracks released it's a well crafted album, and I do like the heavier sound on this one.
    We listened to Implicit Prelude and it's been awhile, but both my wife and I enjoyed it, so guess we're in on this one as well. Only decision is cd or vinyl(I have IP on vinyl which included the cd).
    Soundcloud page: Richard Hermans, musical meanderings https://soundcloud.com/precipice YouTube: [https://www.youtube.com/@richardhermans4457

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    Moderator Sean's Avatar
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    https://www.kansasband.colortestmerc...acm_fZBCJeQz2w
    Pre order here^^ Lots of options.

  10. #10
    Decent song.

    I think I'm in for the album.

  11. #11
    that violin! yeah im getting that now.

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    Sounds great to me!

    Sent from my GT-I8200N using Tapatalk

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    Not to bad. don't like the vocals though. It's a hard thing to be the follow up of two world class guys.
    Somehow Ronnie Sound better live...

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    IMHO, the song is pretty darn good, but it's no classic. The violin parts are certainly cool and add a great, early-Kansas vibe, and the overall musicianship is every bit on par with the standards set by previous Kansas releases, ... however...

    ...the reality for me is that, in a short period of time, I'll probably forget about this song. Perhaps I'm just extremely biased against most of their post-70s output, but on "Throwing Mountains," there is, for me, a sort of underlying blandness that keeps it from achieving a higher musical status. Don't get me wrong; Ronnie is a damn fine singer for sure, but in this context, he sounds kind of generic, and that chorus totally drives this point home for me. Steve Walsh, on the other hand, had a totally distinctive voice.
    Last edited by Koreabruce; 04-18-2020 at 01:18 PM.

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    Marklar Jimmy Giant's Avatar
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    My wife and I both liked this as well as the last album. But, I agree about the vocals being too shiney.
    Definitely should sound less compressed/processed and more raw for sure.
    I also thought more of the old classical influences would have really let this breathe and sound more like the old Kansas brand.
    The way this song sounds it would've been a better 4.5 - 5 min song.
    That said, already ordered the CD and Vinyl. Have to help keep funding the old guard's health care supplement!
    JG

    "MARKLAR!"

  16. #16
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    Just to give an excample what a difference a really great vocalist does to weaker song material
    (and this is not Steve Walsh singing (although it is his solo Album)


  17. #17
    Are these mountains that came out of the sky, or are they being ripped from the ground and then thrown? That would be pretty bad ass.

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rick L. View Post
    Are these mountains that came out of the sky, or are they being ripped from the ground and then thrown? That would be pretty bad ass.
    I had that same idea comming up over the title on the other thread About this Album

  19. #19
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    I kind of get the remarks about Platt: He sounds more like Ted Leonard than Steve Walsh on this song. This is not a rip on him, as Leonard has an excellent voice, but it definitely makes it less Kansas-y. However, Ragsdale's violin is always sweet and I think this song could grow on me fast.
    "Arf." -- Frank Zappa, "Beauty Knows No Pain" (live version)

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    All the coolest mountains come out of the sky.

  21. #21
    Member TheH's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ThomasKDye View Post
    I kind of get the remarks about Platt: He sounds more like Ted Leonard than Steve Walsh on this song. This is not a rip on him, as Leonard has an excellent voice, but it definitely makes it less Kansas-y. However, Ragsdale's violin is always sweet and I think this song could grow on me fast.
    Although Steve was a huge role model for Ted he never tried to sound like him if it comes to
    the voice he just used his singing style and dramatics. And that ment never to be bland for a second…

    Just listen to early Enchant..

  22. #22
    Put me in the camp of those who like it. It's got a nice riff, nice melody, singing is good, playing is good, nice instrumental break. I can even see the wind blowing through hair during the chorus so that's nice. All in all, I'd listen to it again. Look forward to hearing the album.

    Does it blow my socks off? No, but I'm not always looking to be stunned into silence. Like the new Phish album, good is good enough.
    Mongrel dog soils actor's feet

  23. #23
    Moderator Sean's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TheH View Post
    Just to give an excample what a difference a really great vocalist does to weaker song material
    (and this is not Steve Walsh singing (although it is his solo Album)

    Heck, share one Steve was on. Even at this age he has more personality and style than most. Being off the road improved his voice too.


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    I bought "Black Butterfly". Walsh sounds really good on the songs he sings, but overall the album did not really grab me.

  25. #25
    Moderator Sean's Avatar
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    I think the direction they are going in now is more along the lines of what 70s Kansas could have gone towards if the 80s and it's non-prog trends never happened. This arrangement is chock full of all sorts of cool bits.

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