Point of Know Return
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| Point of Know Return | ||
|---|---|---|
| Missing image Kansas_-_Point_of_Know_Return.jpg Album cover | ||
| Album by Kansas | ||
| Released | 1977 | |
| Recorded | June 1977 at Woodland Sound, Nashville, TN and Studio In The Country, Bogalusa, LA | |
| Genre | Progressive Rock | |
| Length | 43 min 59 sec | |
| Label | Kirshner | |
| Producer | Jeff Glixman | |
| Professional reviews | ||
| AMG | 4/5 | link (http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=ADFEAEE47D1ED847A47E20E0B11A40DEB561F61A8F1AACD83E284541D1B43844C30E79EC40A6D8B1E8B800E203E3FE2CBB5910D1CAEE52B0D46C3E3587EDA1705843&uid=MIDMR0412032038&sql=10:rh9ss30ba3zg~T1) |
| Kansas Chronology | ||
| Leftoverture (1976) | Point of Know Return (1977) | Two for the Show (1978) |
Point of Know Return is the fifth album by American rock band Kansas, released in 1977 (see 1977 in music).
The huge success of Kansas's previous effort, Leftoverture, brought a new kind of pressure. While they were no longer desperately poor and starving for a hit, the band wondered whether they'd be able build on, or at least maintain the level of achievement the years of recording and touring had brought them. The sessions for their follow-up LP, Point of Know Return, were filled with tension as singer/writer Steve Walsh, who had always been uncomfortable with the artistic direction of the band, left the group briefly. Years later, Walsh would admit in an interview that he had been something of a prima donna at this point. The other members of the group talked him into returning and the sessions continued. As with the previous album, it was a last-minute addition to the track line-up that would prove to be a huge success.
Kerry Livgren had been practicing with his acoustic guitar, working on a chord progression that he had written as a finger exercise. His wife, Vicci, happened to hear what he was doing and remarked that the melody was nice and that he should write lyrics for it. The result was a short song called "Dust in the Wind". Again, Livgren was unsure as to whether his band mates would like it, since Kansas was not known for acoustic ballads. Needless to say, the song was recorded, securing Kansas's place in the annals of Classic Rock.
The rest of the album is something of an extension of Leftoverture: shorter classically-inspired compositions infused with hard rocking, southern style boogie. It contains a musical portrait of Albert Einstein ("Portrait (He Knew)"), an allegory on the life of Howard Hughes ("The Closet Chronicles"), and an acrobatic keyboard-driven instrumental by Walsh called "The Spider".
| Contents |
Track listing
- "Point of Know Return" (Ehart, Steinhardt, Walsh) - 3:13
- "Paradox" (Livgren, Walsh) - 3:50
- "The Spider" (Walsh) - 2:03
- "Portrait (He Knew)" (Livgren, Walsh) - 4:38
- "Closet Chronicles" (Livgren, Walsh) - 6:32
- "Lightning's Hand" (Livgren, Walsh) - 4:24
- "Dust in the Wind" (Livgren) - 3:28
- "Sparks of the Tempest" (Livgren, Walsh) - 4:18
- "Nobody's Home" (Livgren, Walsh) - 4:40
- "Hopelessly Human" (Livgren) - 7:09
Personnel
- Phil Ehart - percussion, chimes, drums, gong, tympani
- Dave Hope - bass
- Kansas - ensemble
- Kerry Livgren - synthesizer, acoustic guitar, guitar, percussion, piano, electric guitar, keyboard, clavinet, Rinaldo whistling machine
- Robbie Steinhardt - violin, cello, viola, vocals, lap cello
- Steve Walsh - organ, synthesizer, percussion, piano, celeste, keyboard, vocals, vibraphone, Peabody chromatic inverter
- Rich Williams - acoustic guitar, guitar, electric guitar
Additional personnel
- Rick Williams - pedals
Production
- Producer: Jeff Glixman
- Engineers: Terry Becker, Jeff Glixman
- Mastering: George Marino
- Arranger: Kansas
- Art direction: Tom Drennon
- Cover art concept: Kansas
- Cover design: Rod Dyer
- Artwork: Peter Lloyd
- Artwork: Bob Maile
Charts
Album - Billboard (North America)
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Pop Albums | 4 |
Singles - Billboard (North America)
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | "Dust In The Wind" | Pop Singles | 6 |
| 1978 | "Point Of Know Return" | Pop Singles | 28 |
| 1978 | "Portrait (He Knew)" | Pop Singles | 64 |