Masque by Kansas

Masque by Kansas, from 1975.

Kansas is 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.

Masque is a “hybrid” album that, in addition to maintaining their characteristic progressive rock in some tracks, contains purely rock songs, a work released after the excellent Song for America and the masterpieces Leftoverture and Point of Know Return and therefore less appreciated by many and even by the band itself.

The album, which contains excellent progressive tracks like Icarus – Borne on Wings of Steel and The Pinnacle, also features more commercial songs that penalized the record in the eyes of critics, such as It Takes a Woman's Love (To Make a Man), designed as a radio hit, but there are tracks like Child of Innocence and Mysteries and Mayhem, typically hard-rock, that have a truly compelling overall sound.

The voices of Steve Walsh and Robby Steinhardt are amazing throughout the album, as are the guitars and keyboards of Kerry Livgren and, of course, the great violin of Robby Steinhardt.
 

Unlike previous albums, composed with the collaboration of all band members, Walsh and Livgren are the authors of almost all the tracks. 

Masque actually did not climb the charts like the previous album, perhaps because of the cover (a lady made of shellfish and fish) or perhaps because here they return to delve into progressive (and that's why I like it a lot) whose structure is present in many tracks. The album is full of guitar solos, keyboards-drums-bass chasing each other, violin moments very close to the keyboards but also with long and calm sounds, choirs, changes of atmosphere. 

The fusion of American hard rock with British-influenced progressive rock. A beautiful album!

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

Tracklist

1. It Takes a Woman's Love (To Make a Man) (3:09)
2. Two Cents Worth (3:10)
3. Icarus - Borne on Wings of Steel (6:07)
4. All the World (7:13)
5. Child of Innocence (4:38)
6. It's You (2:35)
7. Mysteries and Mayhem (4:20)
8. The Pinnacle (9:35)

Duration 40:47

LineUp

- Steve Walsh - lead vocals and backing vocals, organ, piano, clavinet, Moog, congas
- Rich Williams - lead and rhythm guitar
- Kerry Livgren - acoustic, lead and rhythm guitar, piano, clavinet, Moog and ARP synthesizers, backing vocals
- Robby Steinhardt - violin, lead vocals (4, 5, 7, 8) and backing vocals
- Dave Hope - bass
- Phil Ehart - drums, Moog, various percussion

With:
- Earl Lon Price - saxophone (1)