Page 1 of 6 12345 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 25 of 141

Thread: KANSAS- New Album: Music & Album Art Talk

  1. #1
    Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Burlington Twp, NJ
    Posts
    2,272

    KANSAS- New Album: Music & Album Art Talk

    I couldn't find the old thread that we had where there was MUCH discussion about the new album artwork and the prominence (or lack thereof) of the Kansas logo - I think the thread devolved into too much talk on The Guess Who at the time.

    But anyway - thought this was worth sharing - Phil talks about the art, the artist, and nipples.


  2. #2
    Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2015
    Location
    Sussex, England.
    Posts
    3,094
    Got the cd today, got a nice postcard of the cover too. The album artwork is really beautiful if you ask me, its a very nice package. As for the music, well I've had an MP3 for the last month that leaked via Dime but I've only played it a couple of times, was waiting for the real thing with the lyrics. It does sound great on a first play for sure, also interesting that all the music is written by Zak and Tom. Looking forward to a good listen this evening...

  3. #3
    Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Kalamazoo Michigan
    Posts
    9,578
    Quote Originally Posted by Steve983 View Post
    Got the cd today, got a nice postcard of the cover too. The album artwork is really beautiful if you ask me, its a very nice package. As for the music, well I've had an MP3 for the last month that leaked via Dime but I've only played it a couple of times, was waiting for the real thing with the lyrics. It does sound great on a first play for sure, also interesting that all the music is written by Zak and Tom. Looking forward to a good listen this evening...
    I am hoping it is in my mailbox when I get home from work tonight as I pre-ordered it directly from the band.

  4. #4
    Still waiting on my physical copy to arrive, but I listened to the whole thing today on Apple Music. In short: I liked it, a lot. The keyboards definitely get more prominence this time around, thanks to Tom Brislin. Looking forward to spending more time with it.

  5. #5
    Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2015
    Location
    Sussex, England.
    Posts
    3,094
    I am really enjoying it now and yes, the keyboards are excellent. Great production, mix and sound quality too. Of course it's not Leftoverture but they have really nailed the Kansas sound.

  6. #6
    Man of repute progmatist's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Mesa, Arizona
    Posts
    3,809
    Bought a vinyl copy locally yesterday. The same artwork is etched into side 4, since there are only 3 sides worth of music.
    "Well my son, life is like a beanstalk, isn't it?"--Dalai Lama

  7. #7
    Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Parlin, New Jersey
    Posts
    2,631
    where's the prominent Kansas logo we all know and loved?

  8. #8
    Moderator Sean's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2001
    Location
    Georgia
    Posts
    2,935
    Kinda small and faded at about 2 o'clock. It's present, but a bit absent. :P Obviously, deliberately. I think they should have run it across the top of the front like the old days, especially since this art is so UN-Kansas and odd for them. It's hard to tell who it's from at a glance.

  9. #9
    Member Man In The Mountain's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Chicago area
    Posts
    1,066
    Just amazing to me that he accepted whatever she came up with on the fly. "I don't know what it is, but it has nipples." And that was good enough for Phil.

    She did a good job on the Prelude Implicit, I didn't know it was the same artist.

  10. #10
    Ember
    Join Date
    Sep 2015
    Location
    Delaware County PA
    Posts
    897
    Well, Brislin just moved right in and made himself at home, didn't he?

    I'm listening to the 5.1 Blu-ray at the moment. It sounds like Kansas, no question, very densely mixed and not a lot of use of the surrounds. Liking it a lot.

  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by Man In The Mountain View Post
    She did a good job on the Prelude Implicit, I didn't know it was the same artist.
    She did a good job with this one too. I prefer it to some other covers in the Kansas catalog, that’s for sure.

  12. #12
    Member Man In The Mountain's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Chicago area
    Posts
    1,066
    Quote Originally Posted by aith01 View Post
    She did a good job with this one too.
    No she didn't. But, that's on Phil, not her. But whatever, people think the Paul Whitehead covers for Genesis are sensational too. If there's one thing I've learned being in the cover art industry, if you make a cover for a classic album, your artwork becomes classic as well. Just ask Burton Silverman.

  13. #13
    Member moecurlythanu's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    The Planet Lovetron
    Posts
    13,023
    ^ So people don't have different tastes in cover art?

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by moecurlythanu View Post
    ^ So people don't have different tastes in cover art?
    Evidently not.

  15. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by Man In The Mountain View Post
    No she didn't.
    I disagree. The artwork is beautiful to my eye. Looks like a long lost Italian prog album cover. I like it way better than some other Kansas cover artwork (like Vinyl Confessions, or Freaks of Nature).


    Quote Originally Posted by Man In The Mountain View Post
    But whatever, people think the Paul Whitehead covers for Genesis are sensational too.
    The Paul Whitehead covers are sensational. They fit the music perfectly too.

    If you don't like the covers for Trespass, Nursery Cryme, and Foxtrot, that actually gives me a better understanding of how our tastes differ.

  16. #16
    Member Man In The Mountain's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Chicago area
    Posts
    1,066
    Quote Originally Posted by moecurlythanu View Post
    ^ So people don't have different tastes in cover art?
    They sure do, as we see here. But if I was her art teacher or art director/supervisor, and she was handing that in for her grade or project work, it would not get an A. The colors are brilliant, but much of the work would need to be redone. It's even questionable if the subject is correct for the project... seems even Phil Ehart agrees with that. I mean geeze, it looks like the guy is being attacked by corona virus.

    If you want to think I'm arrogant, so be it. I've been in the design field for 40 years, have directed dozens of other artist, and have created cover art for many professional bands for 20 years. I have even been asked to do covers AFTER bands have bought cover art from Paul Whitehead & Huge Syme, and were not happy with they did.

    If she was working for me, the cover would be worked further until ready. But so what, it's good enough for Phil Ehart and that's all that matters. Good for her!
    Last edited by Man In The Mountain; 07-19-2020 at 02:23 PM.

  17. #17
    Member Kcrimso's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Espoo, Finland
    Posts
    2,381
    I agree with Mountain Man. That cover is hideous and just plain... wrong.
    My progressive music site: https://pienemmatpurot.com/ Reviews in English: https://pienemmatpurot.com/in-english/

  18. #18
    Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Parlin, New Jersey
    Posts
    2,631
    perhaps the Kansas logo being hidden in the artwork is a metaphor for the music being hidden in a Kansas album.....

  19. #19
    Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2015
    Location
    Sussex, England.
    Posts
    3,094
    Quote Originally Posted by Kcrimso View Post
    I agree with Mountain Man. That cover is hideous and just plain... wrong.
    Why?? Its hand painted, its not as if its some CGI cut and paste job.

  20. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by Man In The Mountain View Post
    But if I was her art teacher or art director/supervisor, and she was handing that in for her grade or project work, it would not get an A. The colors are brilliant, but much of the work would need to be redone.
    Why?


    Quote Originally Posted by Man In The Mountain View Post
    It's even questionable if the subject is correct for the project... seems even Phil Ehart agrees with that.
    What about Phil's comments gave you that idea?


    Quote Originally Posted by Man In The Mountain View Post
    I mean geeze, it looks like the guy is being attacked by corona virus.

    *sigh* No, it doesn't. Do you know what a coronavirus looks like?


    Quote Originally Posted by Man In The Mountain View Post
    If you want to think I'm arrogant, so be it.
    Honestly, I don't know you well enough to think that.

    However...

    Quote Originally Posted by Man In The Mountain View Post
    I've been in the design field for 40 years, have directed dozens of other artist, and have created cover art for many professional bands for 20 years. I have even been asked to do covers AFTER bands have bought cover art from Paul Whitehead & Huge Syme, and were not happy with they did.
    ...this comes across as unnecessary. What does it have to do with the discussion, other than that you think Paul Whitehead's album covers are bad?

    Whatever happened to beauty being in the eye of the beholder?

  21. #21
    Is there another thread dedicated to discussing the music itself? Couldn't find one so this will have to be it...

    On first listen the album didn't really grab me. Wasn't a big fan of The Prelude Implicit but it was pleasant enough with some Kansas-y instrumental bits and catchy melodies. I guess this one is the same and needs a few more listens.
    I think I just have to accept that Ronnie's vocals don't work for me - to me his voice just sounds strained and forced even in the mid range. I'm sure live he's an improvement over latter day Steve Walsh but without wanting to bash him further it just feels like a missed opportunity - so many great singers out there. Or even in the band - I would take Billy as lead singer in a heartbeat. I'm shocked he didn't get a lead vocal this time (especially while Brislin did), "Summer" was a highlight of the last album for me.

  22. #22
    Moderator Sean's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2001
    Location
    Georgia
    Posts
    2,935
    Go ahead and post about it here. We did have a thread about the music but some folks turned it into a Guess Who thread so I killed it.

  23. #23
    Quote Originally Posted by Sean View Post
    Go ahead and post about it here. We did have a thread about the music but some folks turned it into a Guess Who thread so I killed it.
    I forgot about that.

    Hoping that the new CD will be in my mailbox today; it didn't come over the weekend. While I liked The Prelude Implicit quite well, in my book Tom Brislin's keyboard work elevates this one further. I was working from home while I listened to it, and there were multiple moments that made me stop what I was doing to just pay attention to the music. Both of these recent CDs are way better than I was expecting for how far into the Kansas career they arrived. Especially considering that Somewhere to Elsewhere, which was also quite good IMO, came out 20 years ago... Holy cow, how has it been so long already?

    These two recent discs may not hit the heights of those classic years (and how could they? I mean, Kerry Livgren and Steve Walsh in their prime? C'mon...), but they're both respectable efforts. The band should be proud.

  24. #24
    Moderator Sean's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2001
    Location
    Georgia
    Posts
    2,935
    That's exactly how I feel about this one!

  25. #25
    Quote Originally Posted by Sean View Post
    That's exactly how I feel about this one!
    Right on, brother!

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •