On this occasion, the latest (2020) as far as unpublished repertoire is concerned, the historic group from Topeka doesn't quite manage to catch my interest… As far as I'm concerned, this is something of a disappointment, given that the previous work, “The Prelude Incipit” (2016), had simply enthralled me, emerging as one of the best albums of the last five years, one of their most successful, perhaps the best of their career, to my ears.

What happened? Nothing: the keyboardist has just changed again but the sounds remain perfect, rich and layered, and the instrumentalists play in perfect cohesion, sober and grandiose at the same time. The violin stands out more than ever as a soloist most of the time, leaving almost crumbs for the guitars and keyboards. The vocals are divine, very well done, with the current singer never making us miss the historic one, who has correctly retired due to shortness of breath (unlike Gillan or Plant); this guy, officially Ronnie Pratt, certainly has less charisma and physique du role compared to the fiery Steve Walsh of old, but he effortlessly hits all his high notes and more, and even if his timbre slightly reduces the grit in Kansas's results, it enriches it with roundness and softness.

And then? It's simply that the inspiration is missing, the magical inventiveness in the compositions and arrangements, the dazzling form of that previous work… Let's be content, as there is a lot to listen to, to process, to delve into in a Kansas album. Particularly the work of the boss Phil Ehart (also the "accountant" of the Kansas venture, and with him, the accounts always balance…), who lets us hear what it means to be a simply perfect progressive drummer, extremely powerful and creative without ever being boastful or cold. I like him more than the late Neil Peart of Rush, which says a lot. The older he gets, the better he plays.

Maximum, I say MAXIMUM respect for these septuagenarians (not all, but for the most part) who are still touring the arenas, playing a hundred concerts a year, not one year every five like the Rolling Stones, but EVERY year. Let's hope this unexpected, excellent season of theirs, like late brontosaurs, lively and focused as never before, can last for a long time… There are uncertainties, given that they were recently abandoned by guitarist and producer Zak Rizvi, who unfortunately also played the role of their current main composer.

An average album for them, far from infamy but without praise, so a solid seven. Three and a half stars.

Loading comments  slowly