KANSAS, America’s legendary progressive rock band, has released a new song and music video for their song “Memories Down the Line” taken from the band’s highly anticipated new studio album “The Absence of Presence” out June 26, 2020, through Inside Out Music.
Listen and watch the music video here
“‘Memories Down the Line’ starts out as a piano-based rock ballad; It builds dynamically to a more powerful sound that still has a sense of longing to it,” comments KANSAS keyboardist Tom Brislin. “Lyrically, I was intrigued by the concept of not only passing down one’s physical traits from generation to generation, but also the experiences that shape us. As with a number of coincidences occurring with this album, I had no idea we would be living through unforgettable times, when the song would be released.”
“We are living during a time when people are doing a lot of reflecting – reflecting on past memories, or the memories they are making right now,” adds KANSAS Lead vocalist Ronnie Platt. “‘Memories Down the Line’ really makes one consider the importance of sharing our experiences with those who come after us. I love the sincerity of the song.”
The band gave fans a sneak preview of what they can expect to hear on the album with this sampler video: https://bit.ly/KSTAOPprev
Last month they released the song and music video for “Throwing Mountains”, which can be seen here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMOX5rSFb18
“We are really excited for our fans to be able to get a taste of what is to come from ‘The Absence of Presence,’” says KANSAS lead vocalist Ronnie Platt. “I think people will really be surprised by the album. ‘The Absence of Presence’ shows the band firing on all cylinders.” Billboard.com first announced the new album during an exclusive interview with KANSAS drummer and “The Absence of Presence” co-producer Phil Ehart: http://bit.ly/KansasBillboardTAoP
“The Absence of Presence” follows-up 2016’s “The Prelude Implicit,” which debuted at #14 on Billboard’s Top 200 Albums chart. KANSAS has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide, and is famous for classic hits such as ‘Carry On Wayward Son’ and ‘Dust in the Wind’ to the progressive epic ‘Song for America.’
“The Absence of Presence,” released by Inside Out Music, features nine all new tracks written by the band, produced by Zak Rizvi, and co-produced by Phil Ehart and Richard Williams. KANSAS’s signature sound is unmistakable throughout. The album showcases Ronnie Platt’s towering vocals, David Ragsdale’s searing violin, Tom Brislin’s dazzling keyboards, Williams and Rizvi’s electrifying guitar riffs, Ehart’s powerful drums, and Billy Greer’s rocking bass.
“The Absence of Presence” will be released 26th June 2020, on Inside Out Music. The album will be available on CD, Double LP 180 Gram Vinyl, Limited Edition Deluxe CD + 5.1 Blu-Ray Artbook, and digitally on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and all other streaming services.
“The Absence of Presence” Track Listing: 1.) The Absence of Presence 2.) Throwing Mountains 3.) Jets Overhead 4.) Propulsion 1 5.) Memories Down the Line 6.) Circus of Illusion 7.) Animals on the Roof 8.) Never 9.) The Song the River Sang
Songs from the new album will be performed during this fall’s Point of Know Return Anniversary European Tour. For more information on KANSAS, “The Absence of Presence,” The Point of Know Return Anniversary European Tour: www.kansasband.com
Point of Know Return Anniversary European Tour Dates October 18 – London, England – Palladium October 20 – Frankfurt, Germany – Jahrhunderthalle October 21 – Hamburg, Germany – Docks October 23 – Tampere, Finland – Tamperetalo October 24 – Helsinki, Finland – Culture House October 26 – Stockholm, Sweden – Cirkus October 27 – Oslo, Norway – Sentrum Scene October 29 – Berlin, Germany – Tempodrom October 31 – Brussels, Belgium – Cirque Royal November 3 – Munich, Germany – Circus Krone November 5 – Heilbronn, Germany – Harmonie November 9 – Bochum, Germany – RuhrCongress November 10 – Amsterdam, Holland – Carre Theatre
To fully understand this album, one first needs to provide a small history lesson. Les Penning a famed folk musician who first started working with Mike Oldfield with ‘Ommadawn’. He also introduced Oldfield to medieval music when they were working together at Penhros Court, hence the title. For this album he is working again with Robert Reed, continuing a collaboration which has been taking place over the last few years (I love their version of the “Doctor Who” theme). Here we see the pair returning both to medieval music and the stylings of Oldfield, where Penning plays a large variety of woodwind instruments (reneaissance treble and soprano recorders, alto crumhorn, garklein, owl ocarina, tenor gemshorn, low F and D whistles) plus the bowed psaltery, while Reed plays everything else. I must admit, I had to trawl google to understand what some of those instruments were, as there are a few there I had not previously come across! There is virtually no percussion on the album, with Reed providing a bodhran here and there, but it used sparingly.
Although the album is bookended with originals from Penning, this album is based heavily on music from Playford’s Dancing Master, a dancing manual containing music which was first published by John Playford in 1651, while other songs are marked “Medieval”, “Old English 16th Century” etc. Penning is of course known for his research in this area, and one of the numbers included is “Argiers”. Again, this is originally from Playford’s Dancing Master, but this arrangement is by Oldfield, and appeared on ‘Ommadawn’. With this all being taken into consideration it is not a surprise as to what this album sounds like, namely medieval music being performed by Oldfield in the mid to late Seventies. Reed has even captured that distinctive electric guitar sound, and together the two musicians have created something which is entrancing, beautiful, beguiling, and almost hypnotic (in “The Fall of A Leaf” there is even a tubular bell). There is no rush, no desire to get from one place to another, the joy is in the journey, as the musicians become magicians and cast a spell.
This is music to be savoured, for the listener to sit down and enjoy without distractions as the world goes by. It takes us back in time, promising sunny days and smiling, happy faces with no fear of catching a virus by stepping outside. It is summer in fields, the light reflecting on a babbling brook, it is a joy and sumptuous delight which keeps on giving. Simply put, if you have ever enjoyed classic Mike Oldfield and the style of music he was producing some 40+ years ago, then this is absolutely essential. 10/10 Kev Rowland
March 13, 2020 — was the semi-reunion Jellyfish fans have been waiting for since 1993. After months of loud buzzing on social media, the time has come to give those fans what they’ve been dreaming of for over two decades. As they say, absence does make the collaborative heart grow fonder.
The Lickerish Quartet is… Roger Joseph Manning Jr. (Beck, Air, Cheap Trick, Imperial Drag), Tim Smith (Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, The Finn Brothers, Sheryl Crow, Umajets) and Eric Dover (Imperial Drag, Slash’s Snakepit, Alice Cooper, Sextus)—reconnected the melodiously fruitful bond they formed in 1993 on Jellyfish’s second and last album, SPILT MILK. In the midst of supporting the visions of the other artists they’ve performed with since then, they’ve spent these last three years creating something they could truly call their own.
To that end, Manning, Smith, and Dover’s undeniable chemistry can now be found within every sonic pore of the four brand new songs that comprise THE LICKERISH QUARTET’s cheekily named THREESOME VOL. 1 EP, which is set for release on May 15 via The Lickerish Quartet/Label Logic, as distributed by INgrooves. Pre-orders are now available here.
Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019 – Day 2: Evergrey (Sweden) GALNERYUS (Japan) *US EXCLUSIVE* MaYaN (Multi-national) Tomorrow’s Eve (German) *US EXCLUSIVE*
Tickets for Days 1 & 2 will go on sale Sat., Nov. 3 at 10 am ET via Ticketmaster. Only 900 tickets will be made available to the general public, as VIP and Gold Badges are SOLD-OUT. Warning! Tickets have sold-out anywhere between 8 to 72 hours over recent years. Price TBA soon.
Tickets for Days 3 & 4 will go on sale Sat., Oct. 6 at 10 am ET via Ticketmaster. Only 900 tickets will be made available to the general public, as VIP and Gold Badges are SOLD-OUT. Warning! Tickets have sold-out anywhere between 8 to 72 hours over recent years. Price TBA soon.
Tickets for Days 1 & 2 will go on sale Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018, at 10 am ET.
Video Link: https://vimeo.com/287907488
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