Kansas Point of Know Return Half-Speed Mastered CBS 1977/1980

Kansas Point of Know Return Half-Speed Mastered CBS 1977/1980 CAT #HZ 44929

I've discussed this LP before, it's Kansas' masterpiece, there most well thought out LP and it's got the hits.

This version differs in that it's a CBS Half-Speed Remaster that came out in 1980. In the 70's, Mobil Fidelity Sound Lab began to remaster titles at half speed and make limited runs on high quality vinyl. Better known as MoFi, the records sound great and are considered audiophile releases, sold at a premium and still command a significant amount today. They started a trend and the majors attempted to latch onto audiophile trend. Obvisouly, someone thought enough of Kansas to press up some audiophile copies.

Problem is that while an album like 'Point of Know Return' deserves an audiophile pressing, CBS' process wasn't anywhere as good as the MoFi releases. There are some Half-Speed CBS records that aren't any better, possibly worst than the original pressing. This pressing isn't terrible, but it's not great either. It's really bright and thin, which brings out a lot of keyboards well, but other areas suffer. It's generally panned as a terrible audiophile press, but I would still argue it's listenable (there's a CBS Self-Titled Boston LP that is absolute garbage and this isn't on that level of suckitude).

Surprisingly, despite that most experts will say stay away from this and most other CBS Half-Speed pressings, a copy still demands a premium over a clean original. Apparently the thought of having something marked audiophile outweighs the quality to some people.

Kansas Drastic Measures CBS 1983

Kansas Drastic Measures CBS 1983 CAT# QZ 38733

There are worse albums than this, but, there are now albums worse than this by the band Kansas.  This is the bottom of the barrel for the band.  So long prog. rock and hello desperate attempt at over produced 80's hard rock.

The album was so lost with itself that it marks a break-up for the band.  After this, they called it quits for a brief time.  Just listen to the song, "Mainstream," you can tell the band was having trouble keeping it fresh as the lyrics describe the pressure of staying true to the band's sound, but trying to stay in touch with the pop rock trends of the day.

The band would later re-form and do a little more than just reunions.  But, they turned back to their days of 70's progressive rock.  The ideas on this album were left alone and died in 1983.  I could be a douche-y tool and make a bunch of puns with the word "drastic" or I could make snarky remarks about how awful this album is...but, it's not really worth it.  Everyone is well aware this isn't any good.

Mainstream

Bloodstone Party TNeck/CBS 1984

Bloodstone Party TNeck/CBS 1984 Cat #FZ39146

Eh, the story behind this band is better than the album pictured here.  I've listened to it a few times and I can't remember anything other than the slick 80's production.  What happened to soul music in the 80's?  I mean what a fucking crime?  Soul music is great until about 1978.  Disco happened, I get that.  But, there was some solid late-70's disco influence boogie coming out and this band put out sides like this.  Then in the 80's things just had to sound plastic and fake.  All the "soul" was removed in favor of programmed beats and the occasional "Yooow!"  Earth, Wind, & Fire was good at the sound, but everyone else sounded like a cheap imitation.

Somewhere in all the synthesizers and programmed beats, I'm sure there was some good songs here, but I can't find them.  Further, there's probably some great samples and sounds that beat jockeys have used in hip-hop production, I just don't care.  Again, if you don't have 8 members, don't try and sound like Earth, Wind & Fire by using studio tricks, it just falls flat.

But, the band does have an interesting story.  The band formed in the early 60's as soul/doo wop group called the Sinceres.  Later, they toured with a horn section regionally as a Motown influenced review and became a huge attraction in Westport.  In the 70's, they picked up instruments and learned to play as a band and changed their name to Bloodstone.  First they attempted Los Angeles and didn't find success.  They then left for England and were signed by Decca.  They were doing the Al Green sound, funky, but with a rock edge (remember, they were rocking their own instruments).  Success in England brought them back to the States and the song 'Natural High' was a R&B hit, the album of the same name would go Gold.  That was about the band's peak, but they continued to put out records, even did some stuff with Motown at one point.  Solid KC band and one of the few well known soul acts to come from the area.

Contagious