Monolith (album)

Infobox Album |
Name = Monolith
Type = Album
Artist = Kansas


Released = May, 1979
Recorded = January - April, 1979
Genre = Progressive Rock
Length = 41:41
Label = Kirshner
Producer = Kansas
Reviews =
* Allmusic Rating|1|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:o3rx28gc055a~T1 link]
*"Rolling Stone" Rating|3.5|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/kansas/albums/album/129788/review/5947015/monolith link]
Last album = "Two for the Show"
(1978)
This album = "Monolith"
(1979)
Next album = "Audio-Visions"
(1980)

"Monolith" is the sixth studio album, and seventh album overall, by American rock band Kansas, released in 1979 (see 1979 in music).

This album was largely influenced by "The Urantia Book", reflecting an interest in the movement by bandmember Kerry Livgren before his conversion to Christianity.

The album initially sold about 800,000 copies, obtaining Gold status, but ultimately went Platinum in the early 1990s, and Kerry Livgren donated his platinum record to the Kansas State Historical Society [ [http://www.kshs.org/cool3/record.htm Cool Things, Kansas Platinum Record, Kansas Historical Society ] ] . Although this was Kansas's 3 straight studio album to hit the Billboard Top 10, its sales were slow compared to its last few releases, and its one Top 40 hit, People of the Southwind, didn't last on the charts very long. The album was supported by a full scale North American arena tour, taking them to venues in major cities in places they had never played before. Further, a special promotional disc was released in Japan of highlights of the album mixed with earlier popular tracks, in anticipation of a small Japanese tour in 1980. Even more ambitious perhaps was the fact that 4 promotional music videos were shot for the album, even though MTV was still years away. While this album marks the end of Kansas's true commercial peak, the support surrounding the record was more sophisticated than at any time before or since. By the time their next record was released, two members had released solo albums, and not a single song from this record appeared in their live set. Indeed, the band rarely has played much of anything from this album live since the original Monolith tour, which initially featured all 8 songs played live.

Track listing

#"On the Other Side" (Livgren) – 6:26
#"People of the South Wind" (Livgren) – 3:41
#"Angels Have Fallen" (Walsh) – 6:39
#"How My Soul Cries Out for You" (Walsh) – 5:46
#"A Glimpse of Home" (Livgren) – 6:37
#"Away from You" (Walsh) – 4:26
#"Stay Out of Trouble" (Steinhardt, Walsh, Williams) – 4:15
#"Reason to Be" (Livgren) – 3:51

Personnel

*Phil Ehart - drums
*Dave Hope - bass
*Kerry Livgren - guitar, keyboard
*Robby Steinhardt - violin, vocals, anvil
*Steve Walsh - keyboard, vocals
*Rich Williams - guitar

Production

*Producer: Kansas
*Engineers: Brad Aaron, Davey Moiré, Steve Tillisch

Charts

Album - Billboard (North America)

Singles - Billboard (North America)

References