"Our music has many faces and many moods like the land we live in. It is a fusion of energy and serenity, a melting pot of ideas. From the very beginning, we considered ourselves and our music different, and we hope we always remain so. Our lives are in this music. WE ARE KANSAS! KANSAS IS A BAND." So reads the back cover of their 1974 debut called, aptly enough, Kansas. Well music lovers, Kansas is indeed a band, a group of musicians whose talents defy description and who have consistently and steadfastly refused to conform to the trends of the day. A band whose original vision has found new focus on their latest release, Somewhere To Elsewhere.

The return to the writing helm of founding member and multi-instrumentalist Kerry Livgren has resulted in the most Kansas-sounding Kansas album since 1980's Audio Visions. This makes perfect sense as this is the first record to feature the six original members since then and is seen as nothing less than a dream come true by longtime followers of the band. Recorded at Livgren's GrandyZine Recording Co., and co-engineered by longtime studio cohort Brad Aaron, the disc was produced by Livgren with founding members Phil Ehart and Rich Williams. Icarus II starts us off in classic Kansas style: piano, acoustic guitar and ahhh…that gorgeous violin courtesy of resident virtuoso Robby Steinhardt. Let's not forget perhaps the most important and unique instrument the band has ever employed, the voice of Steve Walsh! This would not and could not be a Kansas record without Walsh's trademark soaring serenade. When he begins the song with "In the darkness I arise long before the dawn," its like hearing the voice of an old friend. Would someone please tell this guy that it's NOT 1976 anymore! Damn, he sounds good! This track also has a surprise in store from Mr. Williams and his patented "Meatwall" sound…just wait 'til you hear it! While the original "Icarus: Borne on Wings of Steel" is lyrically more fantasy leaning, Livgren has chosen to base this one on the moral dilemma facing a modern day fighter pilot in the midst of battle. This is as strong and moving an anti-war song as I have heard and showcases Livgren's knack for probing the listener's psyche, causing many a deep thought to be pondered.

The next song is called "When The World Was Young" and sees Walsh in strong form as he harkens back to a time when idealism really mattered and touches on how the choices we make when we're young have a lasting impact on our lives. The violins in the middle are absolutely textbook Kansas. (Another surprise awaits in this track, but I'm not telling!). Robby takes a turn on lead vocals for the rocking "Grand Fun Alley" and shows that he too thinks it's 1976 or thereabouts. This one has a bluesy feel that suits Robby's voice perfectly and a ripping solo from Rich. This is just a fun track in general. When I heard that Kerry would be writing the entire new Kansas album, my first thought, I swear, was "It's going to have cathedral bells on it and it's going to be great!" That may sound silly to some, but one listen to the beautiful fourth song, "The Coming Dawn (Thanatopsis)," and you'll see what I was getting at. Anyone who has ever liked Kansas for five minutes will love this song! This is the kind of song that's just not written much these days. A song that features not only a world class balladeer in Steve Walsh, but words of depth and meaning not often found in today's plastic-mold pop music: "When my world starts to fade, I can only hope that every choice I made will endure and carry on into the coming dawn." Play this song when I die.

Next, if rock radio had half a brain behind it, it would be all over the track "Myriad" like stink on a skunk. This song is reminiscent of the best sounds of the seventies and perhaps because of this very fact, has a timeless quality. Somehow, Livgren manages a nod to both Steely Dan and Yes in the middle of a track that is undeniably Kansas. If this was released in the 70s, it would most assuredly have been a smash on FM playlists nationwide. (C'mon, programmers…have some balls for once! People are tired of mindless, cookie cutter crap. There is a growing thirst in the listening community for real music…I see it and hear about it every day from people who spend a lot of money on music and who are willing to look long and hard for quality music. How much would these people spend if the music was more accessible? At this point, what could be more cutting edge than reintroducing audiences to actual musicianship and songs of depth and maturity? The very idea is so bizarre, it's a wonder you haven't thought of it already! Disposable pop will always exist, certainly, but there are still a lot of boomers out there who will make the trek to a concert venue to see a classic band AND go out to PURCHASE their new product the next day. Also, a lot of these people, myself included, have children who are exposed to this music and truly like it!). Okay, I'm off my personal soapbox, let's get back to the review.

For some fifteen years now, the anchor of the rhythm section and much of the high harmonies in Kansas has been Billy Greer. Greer came to Kansas via Walsh's post-original Kansas group Streets. When Phil and Steve decided to reform Kansas, they recruited Billy to replace the departed Dave Hope. It must've been kind of cool to see both of these guys in the studio working on a Kansas record. (I wonder if any punches were thrown-HA HA!). Billy's strong vocal chops are at the fore as he sings the lead on "Look at the Time," a track that tears the same page from the Beatles' songbook as Alan Parsons often has, yet remains a Kansas song with its rocking orchestration and signature Livgren middle section. "Disappearing Skin Tight Blues" is next and has Steinhardt once again on lead vocals. This track may take a few listens, but will probably grow on those who recall songs such as "It takes a Woman's Love" and "Two Cents Worth" from the phenomenal Masque album from 1975. Can you say "sing-along chorus"? Sure, I knew you could.

Some pretty piano introduces "Distant Vision," a track that clocks in at nearly nine minutes! Walsh and Steinhardt trade vocals on this one, bringing to mind the classics "Miracles Out Of Nowhere" and "Mysteries and Mayhem." It's difficult to figure if this is a calculated decision by the band or if this stuff just fell into place like pre-destined puzzle pieces. Who cares?! This is the shit, right here, I'll tell ya. This song is so uplifting, it's like going to Rock 'n' Roll church! Given Kerry's Christian background, one almost wonders if there wasn't maybe just a touch of divine guidance on this track in particular. While the lyrics are far from Bible study, still the Christian references are there, albeit in subtler form. Livgren manages to speak from his heart with the eloquent poetry only an artist of his caliber can hope to dispense without seeming trite or contrived. Listening to this track back-to-back with "Byzantium" was indeed a near-religious experience as it left me searching inside myself for the things that really matter, yet sometimes get swept aside by the rigors of daily living. The pure, plaintive feeling in Walsh's voice is stunning. He still has the ability to fill your heart to overflowing with the unique way he wrings every drop of emotion out of a word.

The record closes with the oddly titled rocker "Not Man Big." This is a heavy funked-up blues rock number featuring Ehart's distinctive machine gun fills and will have your neck in a brace in no time flat. The strange backups are supposedly performed by a group of lucky fans who took part in the "Day in the Life Of Kansas" promotion the band put on earlier in the year. Personally, I could do without said backups, but this was a nice touch for the fans and is pretty typical of how Kansas fans are treated by the band. One more surprise awaits but good luck figuring out exactly what it is. (Damned if I know!). So, there you have it. Seven men whose lives are in their music and whose fans everywhere feel that their lives are also in the music. Allow me to clarify: KANSAS IS MORE THAN A BAND…and life is good.

Reviewed by Nostradumass

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