Featured CD - Proto-Kaw: Before Became After

[Duncan Glenday]

Per the world's finest prog reviewer :

The Harry Potter books introduced the word 'muggle' as someone who isn't a wizard. In our world we might use the word to describe those unfortunates who are not progressive rock fans.

The next time a 'muggle' asks you that annoying 'what is progressive rock' question, play this record for them. Like its better-known sister group Kansas, Proto-Kaw has just enough AOR approachability to have immediate appeal to your muggle friend. But once they're hooked, they'll start to appreciate the real music on Before Became After. There are jazzy sections, there are sweeping vistas of gorgeous symphonic rock, and it is one of the more melodic, emotionally appealing bodies of work to emerge from the American music scene in years.

Nine tracks spread across an hour and 3 minutes yielding an average of 7 minutes even, giving each song all the time it needs to develop character and explore complex shifts in tempo, key and time signature. The vocals are excellent, the instrumental delivery is flawless, and this record is arguably more 'progressive' than the early Kansas classics. Which brings us back to your muggle friends. Tell them that prog is an advanced version of Kansas, and by the time they've spun the CD four or five times and are hooked by the melodies and lost in the grand symphonies and nodding their head to the fusion sections …. They'll get it!

Reviewer: Duncan Glenday
Score:

http://www.seaoftranquility.org/revi...ontent&id=1292

[Sunhillow]

Great album. Better than a LOT of Kansas-albums after ... well ... Monolith. I like the two subsequent releases too, though they didn't impress me as much as this one.

[mellotron storm]

It's okay but then i'm not a Kansas fan. No violin or Steve Walsh vocals here though. The only real Kansas related album I really like is the early recordings of pre-Kansas which is more in the King Crimson/VDGG style with some experimental bits, so nothing like Kansas at all.

[Gerardo]

Great record! I also liked the follow up 'The Wait of Glory'. Their last one 'Forth' I liked although is not as "progressive", it sounds more like a classic rock record which is a good thing, imho.

[emperorken]

I like this album a lot. Better than any Kansas album except for "Song For America". The songs Axolotl and Theophany are the highlights of this album for me.

[Garion81]

Great album. Mix of older songs form the 70's (newly recorded) and new songs written for the album. I really like Leaven, however could find no you tube for the song. One of the best Kerry ever wrote and it is very unique for him. Still pull this album out.

[Sean]

Quantum Leapfrog is a fave!

[SteveSly]

Here is a review that I wrote back in 2008:

"Proto Kaw is actually a very early version of the seminal American progressive rock band Kansas. There were actually two versions of Kansas before the one that most fans know. The band featured here is Kansas Mark II. It features Kerry Livgren, but no other members of the band that went on to become famous. A few years ago Kerry found a bunch of demos of the Kansas Mark II lineup and Cuneiform records decided to release them. For Kansas fans this was like unearthing some long lost time capsule. The music had elements of latter day Kansas and indeed included a couple of tunes that would later be recorded by the famous version, but the music also contained a jam like quality that incorporated elements of fusion and a generally more open ended sound into the mix. The demo CD was successful enough that the Kansas Mark II lineup decided to get back together and record a new album. "Before Became After" is the result and a nice surprise it was. If you are a fan of Livgren's Kansas or solo material you should eat this stuff up. The band picks up right where they left off 30 years ago. Singer Lynn Meredith's voice has held up remarkably well and all of the players sound like they have been keeping their chops up over the years. Fans of Kansas should enjoy this a lot, but the music branches out into territories that Kansas probably would not go to make this a unique statement all on its own. The songs range from short AOR rock, to longer progressive rock epics. Livgren has been a Christian rocker for many years now, but tones down the preaching significantly here. The message still comes through here and there, but his lyrics tackle other subjects as well which is a nice change of pace from most of his solo material. All in all I really enjoy this album. If you like quality AOR-ish progressive rock, this should be right up your alley."

[thx5150]

Per Kerry Livgren's website, "2/26/14: Currently at work on the re-recording and re-mixing of Proto-Kaw's "Before Became After" CD."
http://www.numavox.com/news.htm

Kerry's done this to several of his solo and AD albums. Sometimes it a minor change and improvement. Other times, it can make a big difference. But I don't see the need on Proto-Kaw's Before Became After.

[Just Eric]

I strongly disagree with those who contend this album bests many or all Kansas albums. While KL's guitar and songwriting are a common thread, missing the violin and Walsh/Steinhardt vocals are big subtractions.

To me, the PK album is a good representation of Rock/AOR and I really enjoyed their live show at NF. BUT, and that's a big butt, comparing and rating them higher than Kansas is a little absurd, if not irrelevant. Kansas was the pioneering American Prog band and, IMHO, defined the genre on these shores with their healthy mix of Blues Rock and Symph Prog.

[HONDO]

How is Kerry's health?? Did'nt he have some serious health issues a few years ago? Just curious! I also love this recording, and they were flipping great at the Prog Legends on the Friday of NearFest back in 05', I think that was the year?

[Vic2012]

I was really excited about this album when it was released. I was so disappointed that Kansas didn't do a follow up to Somewhere To Elsewhere so I looked forward to having this album (and the "Early Recordings" as well). With Steve Walsh on vocal and a violin this would've been a decent follow up to STE. BBA hasn't aged well for me though. I struggle with the lead singer (Lynn something or other. Who names their son "Lynn" anyway?). OTOH, I think that the lead singer is more than tolerable on the early recordings because that music is so experimental and quirky. Never bothered to go beyond BBA with Proto-Kaw. Most of the reviews I've read about the subsequent releases have ranged from "meh, it's okay" to "nothing at all like BBA and it sounds commercial" or similar words. So no point in going further for me. If I want AOR or straight hard/rock there are plenty of other bands I'd rather listen to.

I've said this many times over the years (and I can see Sean rolling his eyes), Glossolalia and Before Became After were two very good albums that combined might've been a hell of a follow up to STE. You take the best of both those albums, tjhrow a violin on it and I think it would've been as good as, or better than STE. As a selfish fan of Kansas I would've loved to have seen Kerry and Steve knock their heads together and really put all that songwriting and creativity into recording one more Kansas album.

I like Glossolalia about 100 times more than I like BBA, btw. Kerry's songwriting has gotten stale for me. Steve Walsh is earthier, grittier, and just as adventurous.

[trurl]

Who names their son "Lynn" anyway?).

Well, ya got Lynn Swann from the Steelers, and Lynn Stalmaster the casting director...

[rickawakeman]

Loved the two studio albums and the archival release but most of all enjoyed seeing the band live at the Friday Nearfest pre-show.

[Just Eric]

Lynn Meredith, right? Which is two female first names.

[arturs]

I loved this one when it came out but I will need to revisit. I haven't listened in a few years. I thought I saw a real future for this band, perhaps even commercially in the Christian music realm, and I'm sad it didn't happen.

It sounded like nothing else I was listening to at the time, not even Kansas. My interpretation is that Kerry (or maybe Lynn) was grappling with some of life's demons at the time and was laying it all out there, if in an abstract manner. There is so much emotion in this: fear, loathing, dread, peace, redemption, you name it. "Fire and Brimstone" prog, if you will.

[Shadow]

enjoyed seeing the band live at the Friday Nearfest pre-show.

I thought they were mediocre at best. I couldn't sit through the whole set, nothing very interesting happening.

[TheH]

How is Kerry's health?? Did'nt he have some serious health issues a few years ago? Just curious! I also love this recording, and they were flipping great at the Prog Legends on the Friday of NearFest back in 05', I think that was the year?

He is well considering the circumstances.

Also he's currently re-recording and re-mixing "Bevor became After" (and Wait of Glory)!

[TheH]

I really like BBA and had some high hopes for the band as there was a lot of talk of rerecording the old songs.
But WoG was only so so and Fourth is plain AOR.

Would have liked them more like this: