Kansas self-titled album

Kansas, self-titled debut album, released in 1974.

Kansas are an American band formed in Topeka, Kansas, in 1973 and are masters of American progressive rock. 

The original lineup that achieved the greatest success included Steve Walsh (vocals and keyboards), Kerry Livgren (guitars and keyboards), Robby Steinhardt (violin and vocals), Rich Williams (guitars), Dave Hope (bass), and Phil Ehart (drums). 
 

After a series of excellent albums among which stand out  Kansas  from 1974 and  Song for America  from 1975, the band achieved their first major commercial success in 1976 with  Leftoverture  and the following year released Point of Know Return, which consolidated their international success.

These albums are considered milestones of the genre and defined their sound, which is progressive rock with complex arrangements, splendid violin, allegorical lyrics, powerful guitar riffs, and complex keyboard parts.

An extraordinary debut album that immediately showcased the band's progressive and hard rock style, its fantastic violin, keyboards, and complex arrangements, strongly influenced by American hard rock and in which we find blues, hard rock, and progressive rock in a great fusion.

Eight tracks for a total duration of about 44 minutes with two long progressive pieces, Journey From Mariabronn and Death Of Mother Nature Suite, two TOP tracks of the album:

- Journey From Mariabronn, an epic track of overwhelming progressive rock, with great synthesizers

- Death of Mother Nature Suite closes the album with a stratospheric crescendo progression and a great influence of heavy rock.

The other tracks are also beautiful, especially Can I Tell You which opens the album, rock and progressive rock together, a compelling song that best represents their style.

Aperçu with its nearly ten minutes combines melody and a heavy and intense style at the end, with an extraordinary violin.

Lonely Wind which is a beautiful and moving ballad.

Also beautiful is Bringing It Back, a cover of the song from J.J. Cale's 1971 debut album, Naturally, in an energetic rock version with Robby Steinhardt on lead vocals.

An album initially met with little response but rediscovered by the public after the release of the subsequent Masque (1975) and Leftoverture (1976), especially thanks to its refined sound and compositions that appear extremely credible and structured for a band at its beginnings.

Major exponents of overseas prog rock, with an unforgettable violin, folk tones, and a completely unique American sound, they are a band I listen to often and gladly. Great energy. 

Although the successes of their career came a few years later, this is by all means a truly great debut album.

Note: All links to the musicians' works are in the TAGS under the article title or on the "Artists" page

Tracklist

1. Can I Tell You (3:31)
2. Bringing It Back (3:33)
3. Lonely Wind (4:15)
4. Belexes (4:22)
5. Journey From Mariabronn (7:55)
6. The Pilgrimage (3:42)
7. Apercu (9:43)
8. Death Of Mother Nature Suite (7:43)
Duration 44:44

LineUp

- Steve Walsh - lead (1,3-7) & harmony vocals, organ, piano, congas
- Rich Williams - electric & acoustic guitars
- Kerry Livgren - lead & rhythm guitar, piano, organ, Moog, backing vocals
- Robbie Steinhardt - violin, lead (1,2,7,8) & harmony vocals
- Dave Hope - bass, backing vocals
- Phil Ehart - drums

With:
- Jay Siegel - vocals (3)