Artist: KANSAS
Album: POINT OF KNOW RETURN REMASTERED (CD)

Release date: 1977/ 2002
EAN/UPS: 5099750603222
Media type: CD

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/songwriter 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 fellow band members 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.

TRACKLIST:

01 "Point of Know Return" (Ehart, Steinhardt, Walsh) – 3:13
02 "Paradox" (Livgren, Walsh) – 3:50
03 "The Spider" (Walsh) – 2:03
04 "Portrait (He Knew)" (Livgren, Walsh) – 4:38
05 "Closet Chronicles" (Livgren, Walsh) – 6:32
06 "Lightning's Hand" (Livgren, Walsh) – 4:24
07 "Dust in the Wind" (Livgren) – 3:28
08 "Sparks of the Tempest" (Livgren, Walsh) – 4:18
09 "Nobody's Home" (Livgren, Walsh) – 4:40
10 "Hopelessly Human" (Livgren) – 7:09

11 "Sparks of the Tempest*" [live] (Livgren, Walsh) – 5:17
12 "Portrait (He Knew)*" [remix] (Livgren, Walsh) – 4:49

Tracks 11 and 12 are only on the 2002 remaster

* notes previously unreleased tracks.

LINE-UP:

Phil Ehart - percussion, chimes, drums, gong, tympani
Dave Hope - bass
Kerry Livgren - synthesizer, acoustic guitar, guitar, percussion, piano, electric guitar, keyboard, clavinet, Rinaldo whistling machine
Robby 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