"Point Of Know Return" by KANSAS – October 1977 Fifth US Album on Kirshner Records featuring Kerry Livgren, Steve Walsh, Rich Williams, Robby Steinhardt, Dave Hope and Phil Ehart (February 2002 US Epic/Legacy Expanded Edition CD Reissue with Two Bonus Tracks - Darcy M. Proper, Suha Gur and Jeff Glixman Remixes and Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Lightning's Hand..."

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As per the hugely informative fold-out inlay and new liner notes from original producer Jeff Glixman - Kansas' 5th album "Point Of Know Return" released in early October 1977 was rushed in every way - especially the final mixing. 

The band had scored huge with "Leftoverture" in October of the previous year (a breakthrough LP and a US No. 5) and the new platter was going to be just as big, buoyant and script typeface Progtastic as its much loved little brother ("Point Of Know Return" went one notch higher in fact, up to No. 4). There is discussion of 70-hour marathon mixing and finishing-up sessions that left the original makers and recording crew deeply unhappy. But with release and another tour imminent - there was no time to fix it. Flying from L.A. to NYC, they walked into a New York Radio Station with a lacquer cut only that afternoon at Sterling Sound for them to play immediately - plugging a band performance that evening. 

So it appears that with some relief the Jeffster, alongside renowned Audio Engineers Darcy M. Proper and Universal's Suha Gur, were all well pleased in 2001 to get their grubby hands on a second chance to properly remaster this dense album. They could now give it the breathing space the CD format allows and even throw it a couple of apt Previously Unreleased Bonuses too. 

Which brings us here – the Epic/Legacy Remaster Series for Kansas. Let's get ship shape, tame this musical tempest and float back over that newly visible horizon...

US released 12 February 2002 - "Point Of Know Return" by KANSAS on Epic/Legacy EK 85387 (Barcode 888837145428) is an Expanded Edition CD Reissue and Remaster with Two Bonus Tracks that plays out as follows (54:35 minutes):

1. Point of Know Return [Side 1]
2. Paradox
3. The Spider 
4. Portrait (He Knew) 
5. Closet Chronicles 
6. Lightning's Hand [Side 2]
7. Dust In The Wind 
8. Sparks Of The Tempest 
9. Nobody's Home 
10. Hopelessly Human 
Tracks 1 to 10 are their fifth album "Point Of Know Return" - released October 1977 in the USA on Kirshner Records JZ 34929 and November 1977 in the UK on Kirshner KIR 82234. Produced by JEFF GLIXMAN - it peaked at No. 4 in the US LP charts (didn't chart UK).

BONUS TRACKS (Previously Unreleased): 
11. Sparks Of The Tempest (Live at the Merriweather Post Pavilion, Maryland, Columbia) 
12. Portrait (He Knew) (Remix) 

KANSAS was: 
KERRY LIVGREN - Acoustic & Electric Guitars, Keyboards & Percussion
STEVE WALSH - Keyboards and Lead Vocals 
RICH WILLIAMS – Acoustic & Electric Guitars 
ROBBY STEINHARDT – Violin, Cello, Vocals 
DAVE HOPE – Bass 
PHIL EHART – Drums and Percussion

The twelve-leaf foldout inlay repro's in full that elaborate Peter Lloyd cover art and the beautiful Bob Maile calligraphy lyrics/credits that has always been such an identity point for this huge album. The new DAVID WILD Liner notes also feature reminiscences from band main-man Kerry Livgren whilst the big prize is of course brand new DARCY M. PROPER, SUHA GUR and JEFF GLIXMAN Remixes and Remasters – the album now absolutely jumping. There isn't too much dust left on these tapes...to the Prog...

Kirshner opened the album's account with the title song "Point Of Know Return" b/w "Closet Chronicles" released as an October 1977 US 45-single - Kirshner ZS8 4273 achieving No. 28 on the Top 100 in the USA whilst its British December 1977 release on KIR 5820 was ignored. 

But it was "Dust In The Wind" b/w "Paradox" that really blew the album sales up. Released in January 1978 - Kirshner ZS8 4274 entered the US singles chart in mid February where it began a steady rise - eventually securing a No. 6 slot in the Top 10. This fantastically hooky tune that seemed to slot into so many genre-categories (bet Epic loved that) explains the album's 51-week chart run. It also saw the struggling bands near 10-year stretch of existence suddenly become moneyed. Kansas was now one of the 'huge' bands on Epic's roster - Boston, Journey and Kansas - they have always been inextricably linked as American Rock Bands that give it some guitar and more guitar and larrup on the keyboards (even strings) for good measure. 

In May 1978, a third US 45-single would appear coupling "Portrait (He Knew)" with Side 2's opener "Lightning's Hand" on the flipside - but it hadn't the legs of its predecessor and failed to make the Top 100. Still - this Remaster has made one of my album faves sing - command the "Lightning's Hand" - while its interesting to hear the (not surprisingly) unreleased 'live' version of "Sparks In The Tempest" where the band begins to fall apart at the end. Love that Prog rip-through in the instrumental "The Spider" too. 

Outside of the hugely catchy "Carry On Wayward Son" single in early 1977 - Kansas never did mean much in Blighty - but the boys from Topeka were superstars in the USA then and remain so to this day - fans tearful just looking at the artwork for "Point of Know Return". Now they can hear it properly too and buy it for under six quid or even less. Nice one...

"Vintage Violence" by JOHN CALE (2001 Columbia/Legacy 'Expanded Edition' CD Reissue - Darcy M. Proper Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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Given that Welshman JOHN CALE had been with The Velvets for their monster March 1967 debut "The Velvet Underground And Nico" - following in November of that year with the even more challenging "White Light, White Noise" album and then having produced the definitive early Punk/Garage album - The Stooges self-titled debut "The Stooges" (a destroyer of all that comes in its path) - big things were expected of the Bass Player's debut. It would of course be the most mule-rockin', nadge-kickin' debut album ever released.

Instead we got the weedy pop-country mishmash of "Vintage Violence" - and I can remember as a kid when I first heard it thinking 'this is crap'. And he absolutely didn't have the cool in his voice that Lou Reed could so effortlessly conjure up. But time and hindsight have mellowed me - and every few years I try "Vintage" once again. And each time I think - ok - the pretty "Amsterdam" and the Beach Boys pop of "Adelaide" alongside that Country Byrds/melodious Tommy Flanders combo-sound Cale gets on the undeniably good "Ghost Story" - it's not nearly as bad as I had thought - in fact its possibly a misunderstood beast. Here are the post mortem details...

UK released 13 February 2001 (reissued 27 June 2003 and beyond) - "Vintage Violence" by JOHN CALE on Columbia/Legacy 499945 2 (Barcode 5099749994522) is an 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster with Two Previously Unreleased Bonus Tracks that plays out as follows (44:54 minutes):

1. Hello, There

2. Gideon's Bible

3. Adelaide

4. Big White Cloud

5. Cleo

6. Please

7. Charlemange [Side 2]

8. Bring It On Up

9. Amsterdam

10. Ghost Story

11. Fairweather Friend

Tracks 1 to 11 are his debut solo LP "Vintage Violence" - released July 1970 in the USA on Columbia CS 1037 - delayed until February 1971 in the UK on CBS Records S 64256. Produced by JOHN CALE and LEWIS MERENSTEIN (recorded in 1969 the same week as "Church Of Anthrax" with Terry Riley - which wasn't issued until February 1971) - it failed to chart in either country. All songs written by John Cale - except "Fairweather Friend" which is by Garland Jeffreys.

BONUS TRACKS:

12. Fairweather Friend (Previously Unreleased Alternate Version)

13. Wall (Previously Unreleased)

The 8-page booklet has new liner notes from MARGARET MOSER - several black and white photos of the young Welshman and the usual re-issue credits (Bruce Dickenson Produced the Reissue with Project Director Paul Matheny) and there's new input from Cale himself. But in some ways it's a slight and frustrating read in what it 'doesn't' say. What was the album’s actual release date (they get the catalogue number wrong as CS 1007 when it was CS 1037) - who plays Harmonica on "Adelaide" - why CBS in England waiting until two months before the "Church Of Anthrax" release with Terry Riley in April 1971 before they released John Cale's "Vintage Violence"? Why the Phil Spector production melodrama on the overly echoed "Big White Cloud" - why even chose it as a single? And why not take this opportunity to reproduce the lyrics?

Still - what we do get for "Vintage Violence" is a gorgeous Remaster courtesy of DARCY M. PROPER - a Sony Audio Engineer who handled the Kansas CD Reissues for "Point Of Know Return" and Leftoverture". The incredible quiet and ethereal "Amsterdam" sounds beautiful and there’s oomph in the jaunty ‘come back again this year’ opener "Hello, There" – a song that feels like it would fit nicely on the Velvets "Loaded" album.

Wikipedia lists it release date as March 1970 – it was first pictured June 1970 in Billboard but didn’t appear on an actual release schedule until July – wasn’t reviewed until September 1970 and is listed as released December 1970 in Martin Strong’s “The Great Rock Discography”. I’ve put it at July 1970 - which is when Billboard gave it an official release date (the material was famously recorded in 1969 in the same week Cale reveals as he recorded "Church Of Anthrax" with Avant Garde artist Terry Riley who was signed to Columbia Masterworks).

Re-listening to the dreadfully coy "Cleo" and the pedal steel guitar "Please" - I hate the first and quite dig the second. He'd strung his band PENGUIN together for the sessions and their playing on "Please" and the Side 2 opener "Charlemagne" add a huge amount to the 'feel'. Having said that there’s part of me that feels much of "Vintage Violence" is firmly in the 'what was he thinking' bracket – but when you hear the undeniably brill melody of "Ghost Story" and the Jeffreys contribution "Fairweather Friend" – it’s impressive.

Worth another punt – I think so...