Kansas- The Prelude Implicit- Phil Ehart, Rich Williams, Ronnie Platt, David Ragsdale

Five years ago the first new original studio album in sixteen years, The Prelude Implicit, from all-American progressive rockers Kansas, was one of the most pleasant musical surprises in 2016. Hearing the collection of songs including “With This Heart”, the opus “The Voyage of 818”, and the chorus hook in “Summer” big enough to land Moby Dick, is for long time Kansas fans like discovering the “lost” album which would have fit naturally between early mid-Seventies efforts Song for America  and Masque. Lifers drummer Phil Ehart and guitarist Richard Williams are joined here In the Studio by violinist David Ragsdale and impressive veteran lead singer Ronnie Platt. Hearing the collection of songs including “With This Heart”, the opus “The Voyage of 818”, , and the chorus hook in “Summer” big enough to land Moby Dick, is for long time Kansas fans like discovering the “lost”  album which would have fit naturally between early mid-Seventies efforts Song for America  and Masque.

Even though The Prelude Implicit  was released back in September 2016, the timely yet sobering “Refugee” and the hauntingly evocative gray gardens instrumental “Section 60” appear to be reacting to headlines torn from today’s edition of the news. “It’s about the horrible heart of so many people,” original and current Kansas guitarist Richard Williams explains about “Refugee”. ” ‘Section 60’ is the part of Arlington National Cemetary reserved for the fallen soldiers from the Mid-Eastern War (Afghanistan and Iraq).”

So on The Prelude Implicit was Kansas merely ahead of their time, or is the only constant “…the horrible heart of so many people”? Only you can decide. – Redbeard