Customer Reviews

Before Became After (Special Edition)

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In the Summer of 2002, a collection of unreleased demos from the legendary progressive/arena rock band Kansas was released. The CD, entitled "Proto-Kaw", consisted of recordings made by the band line-up that pre-dated the one that made Kansas a household name. For many, the "Proto-Kaw" CD was a like opening a treasure chest for Kansas fans. The CD was so successful that it brought members of that particular line-up together again for the first time in over 30 years. The end result is "Before Became After", the first recordings made by the Kansas "Proto-Kaw" line up since 1973.
The band line-up for this fabulous reunion consists of Kansas mastermind Kerry Livgren on guitar and keyboards, Lynn Meredith on vocals, John Bolton on sax, Dan Wright on keyboards, Brad Schulz on drums and Craig Kew on bass. Kew is the only member of Proto-Kaw not to have been part of the band previously. He replaces bassist Rod Mikinski who plays on one track on this CD. Also not present is keyboardist/wind player Don Montre who passed away several years back. In the CD booklet is a small dedication to him.
Musically, "Before Became After" picks up where the band left off over 30 years ago. It's almost as if they never went away. Tracks such as "More Worlds Than Unknown", "Glorianna", "Quantum Leapfrog" and "Leaven" are full of Kerry Livgren's musical trademarks and signature orchestrations. Lynn Meredith's voice sounds almost the same as it does on the first "Proto-Kaw" disc. "Axolotl" and "Theophany" are both brand new recordings from the bands early 70s repertoire and are heard for the very first time on this CD. "Occasion of Your Honest Dreaming" captures a more light MOR-pop style with shadings of The Moody Blues.
Hands down, this is an awesome CD. If your a Kansas fan, this is definitely an essential addition to your collection. Kerry Livgren's compositional style is better than ever and this group of musicians is as strong and solid as when they made their initial demos over 30 years ago. It's great to have the boys back in business again.
The special edition of "Before Became After" comes in a hardcover CD booklet and includes a bonus disc. On the bonus disc is a live version of the Kansas/Proto-Kaw classic "Belexes", a radio version of "Words Of Honor", a non-album track "It Moves You" (which displays Livgren's Christian faith with it's spiritual overtones) and a 14-minute CD-ROM interview track with five of the Proto-Kaw band members (Kerry Livgren, Lynn Meredith, John Bolton, Dan Wright and Craig Kew). The interview offers an insightful look into how the reunion came about as well as reflections on the group's past and aftermath.

Simply stunning, astounding, sensational, quite brilliant. Livgren is pure genius. One cannot grasp the enormity of the passion, intensity, emotion and so much more that one listen of this CD conveys. You will be playing this over and over again on first purchase to see if it really is as brilliant as it is!!! Then you will come back to it a few days later, because you cannot get enough of it.
The story of this CD and Band is so worth telling that it is somewhat unbelieveable - after 30 years these guys re-unite to make music that is so far out front, that it almost gets ahead of itself - if that is possible.

By that I mean that while the music has a certain 70's prog-rock feel about it and there is no mistaking Livgren's influence on the whole (if you are familiar with this man's genius), it is certainly music of the new Millenium - progressive to the core.

The Band's story (not just the Bio) is a story that should make the annals of Rock history - of that there is absolutely no doubt - whether you like the music or not. It is simply astounding.

Prog-rock should be filled with soaring melodies and instrumental intracacies, where the vocals should be harmonious and add an extra dimension to the music. This CD delivers on all fronts.

Prog-rock to retain it's own integrity must NOT remain in the years past masters such as Genesis, Pink Floyd, Rush, and many others - brilliant that they were and some still are.

However, the new breed of Prog-protaginists include Bands that have been around for some time now (and some newer ones), but are moving amongst this genre to be exactly what it is meant to be - progressive with the times. I place the likes of "Dream Theater" (sometimes), "Marillion", "Porcupine Tree" (brilliant), "Enchant", "Spocks Beard", "OSI", the new "Opeth" and a few others in this category.

This Proto-Kaw, along with their new CD is even ahead of that bunch or certainly up there with them. It was Livgren himself in one of his previous songs suggested that the "Future is borne out in our History". While he was referring to his deeply held Christian beliefs in that particular song, that statement applies to this CD.

A listen to "Words of Honour", "Axolotl" (just wrap yourself around this tune building to an absolute brilliant cresendo), "Heavenly Man" and "Theophany" - and you will see what I mean.

I trust the Band makes a few more gems. This CD is a sparkling diamond in a very monotonous, irksome and plastic music industry. We are awash in a sea of mediocrity these days. It is nice to find the opals (being Aussie) amongst the discoloured rocks.

Well done KL and the Band and that you have renewed your friendships from so long ago. Maintain the standards and we look forward to the next Proto-Kaw release.

Being a long-time Kansas fan I can honestly say that this one simply blows me away. Knowing a bit about the recording industry, how this group did not make it is of little surprise, but THAT they did not make it is a mixed set of emotions. These guys are amazing, but if they had made it, would the classic Kansas that we all know and love exist? Inversely, where would these guys had gone if they had been given the opportunity to continue? ..... which begs the question ..... will they continue? My vote is to write more songs (Kerry, get busy!) and get back into the studio. You guys are amazing and should be proud of this fantastic collection of extrememly high quality and well crafted music. If you are a fan of the early and classic Kansas, or simply a fan of progressive rock, or simply a fan of good music, I would highly recommend this CD.

Proto-Kaw: Before Became After

Like many a sodbuster who braved life on the prairie, the members of Proto-Kaw are unsung heroes. They were pioneers of progressive rock in America and like the pioneers who came to the plains a century before them, they paved the way for those who came after. But pioneering is hard. Many do not make it, even giving it all they have; the elements are sometimes too much and there comes a time to pack it in. 30 years ago, Kansas was not a place where progressive rock thrived and try as they might, Proto-Kaw (then simply known as Kansas), was forced to give up their dream and turn to other ways of life. However, they paved the way for the band that immediately followed their footsteps. Kerry Livgren, the song smith for the band joined forces with another group, White Clover, who picked up the now unused moniker: Kansas. The new Kansas picked up where their predecessors left off and managed to hold on until they were discovered. They went on to define the American sound of progressive rock.

That could have been the end for the first Kansas and for many years that is how it appeared. However, that is not the end of the story, because in 2002 the early demo recordings had become popular bootlegs in Europe and were available for download on the internet. Cuneiform Records became interested and released them on CD, but the band needed a new name and thus began the resurrection of Proto-Kaw (Proto: first or earlier - Kaw: the Native American name for Kansas).

How many bands can say that they have back to back album releases recorded 30 years apart? Thirty years after the dream of success as a band died and had been laid to rest, the dream has now been resurrected with the band reuniting to record an all new album.

Before Became After is a weaving of old and new. The band is comprised of original members, Lynn Meredith, vocals; Kerry Livgren, guitars, keys & compositions; Dan Wright, keyboards; John Bolton, sax & flute; Brad Schulz, drums; plus newcomer Craig Kew, bass, who worked with Livgren on an earlier solo release. The songs, too, are a blending of old and new. Livgren updated songs the band played 30 years ago and added new compositions into a seamless fabric of their new sound. Which is which? It's impossible to tell unless you were around when the band first began performing 30 years ago.

The new Proto-Kaw is fresh, but more mature. Gone are the blood curdling banshee wailings from Bolton's sax, but no less frenetic is some of his playing than his younger days, coupled with some very lyrical flute work. Gone, too, are the occasional stretches of experimental cacophony. The new music is much more euphonious progressive rock tinged with jazz improvisation shifting in tone and color as quickly as the weather of the band's home state. It is a bit hard to describe the band's sound because it is so varied and constantly shifting, not just from song to song, but within songs themselves there can be elements of soaring beauty which segue into rocking jams. In fact, there is very much the feel of a jam band within a nearly classical framework in its complexity.

Before Became After is great ensemble playing and the compositions give rise to some fine solo work, an interplay between Wright's keyboards, Livgren's guitar or Bolton's woodwinds, all anchored by some fine bass & drum work by Kew & Schulz. Meredith uses his voice as an instrument, just as the different ranges of sound produced by his instrumentalist band mates, his voice reflecting and inflecting just the right sound to fit the song. Truly, Meredith sounds better today than he did 30 years ago, which can't be said of many vocalists.

There will likely be the temptation to compare Proto-Kaw to other bands, especially their well known successor, but this is unwarranted as Proto-Kaw is very much their own band, with a sound that is their own. What is familiar lies at the heart of their music, the song writing of Kerry Livgren. As with any composer there are elements that are recognizable from song to song, a phrasing or chord progression. As an author's use of language keeps readers coming back for more, so does Livgren's writing, both musically & lyrically. The Occasion of Your Honest Dreaming, departs from the prog format in a joyful straight ahead light rock number with an infectious melody sung as a group vocal.

My only criticism would be the ending of one of the most powerful songs on the CD, Theophany, which builds in dynamic crescendo & tempo to the final chord, but then has an extra beat with just bass and drums, sounding more like a minor miscued cutoff than a well planned anti-climax. That aside, this is an outstanding album and all the more joyous when you consider how it came to be, how long it was in coming.

There is a line in Axolotl which says: "Dreams don't mean a thing until they're real." Surely these dreams mean something now, because this is the real thing. Proto-Kaw's Before Became After is American progressive rock at its best.

This CD is incredible! By the start of the third track I literally found myself grinning, I knew by then that it was going to be something special. The music is intricate and complex, often changing moods or tempo within the song and from track to track. The vocals are very strong and the musicians are obviously very talented. Great attention to detail has been paid to create such a clean and rich sounding album. These guys are for real.

It is inevitable that Proto-Kaw will be compared to Kansas. But this band is not a reheated incarnation of any group. These works stand very well on their own merit. With Livgren writing all but one tune there are bound to be similarities. For this reason Kansas fans will love this CD. But I think the appeal will be broader than that. This is a versatile project that will also appeal to the more mainstream rock fan. Its hard to believe that this old/new band could create an offering of this exceptional caliber right out of the gate. It makes you wonder what would have happened if "this" band had gotten a break 30 years ago?

Kerry Livgren has done it again. This time, however, not as a solo artist or a band member of Kansas, but with one of his first conglomerates of musicians. The band that was pre-Kansas, the band known as Kansas II, Kerry Livgren has reunited its original members to produce an up to date state of the art musical masterpiece.
The compositions are uniquely Livgren and the message is delivered a comfortable manner, yet there is a freshness to this work, a jazz progressive freedom. Listen to the song "Leaven" and you can revel in the quality you hear in all the various aspects of what Proto-Kaw (Pre-Kansas) has created today - from production to composition to talented musicianship.
The song "Words of Honor" are current to a modern world and powerful in its lyrical imagery. This CD is a must listen. The last song "Theophony" is indicitive of the great Kerry Livgren masterpeices you come to expect of his work, interesting, never dull and always fresh.
Not only is the musical production excellent, but so is the package design. Proto-Kaw has chosen well here as even the cover gets quality production; top to bottom this CD is first class. It is the kind of music we have always wished for and is a "serious" consideration for any "serious" music fan.
Great job, Kerry and Proto-Kaw.
Brian "Xylonfury" Perkins

4.25 stars.

This *way* more than makes up for Monolith and Audio-Visions. (No offense Kerry; those just weren't canonical Kansas' best works). Major kudos to Mr. Livgren and company. I didn't have high or low expectations for this album. But I was pleasantly surprised. It's a notch above great, and a smidge below masterpiece. Who'd have known that most of the Proto-Kaw members lived workaday lives for the past 30 years? This is the Kansas album that never was but could have been... and finally is.

I listened to this for the first time today--sequentially on an iPod Shuffle (yea you can listen sequentially on a Shuffle)--and found myself rewinding to "Gloriana" repeatedly. Solid production, impressive skills and satisfying compositions. And by "satisfying" I mean it in the "satisfying meal" sense. It goes down like a really tasty dinner.

Before Became After ventures into territory I haven't heard in years--reminiscent of classic Kansas. Some songs reveal the extent of Kerry's influence during the "Kansas III" years. I don't think Proto-Kaw sounds like Kansas, but I found myself going "Ah, okay. I definitely hear the connection."

I also wanted to mention that iTunes (which I love; I'm an iPod junkie... I own 3) originally featured a Kansas band biography that bordered on offensive. The first version claimed that Steve Walsh was the primary songwriter, and basically dissed anything non-Walsh-related. I checked again and I'm glad to see that they cleaned it up. Much better! It reads like actual history now. I'm a Walsh fan too, but please. Anyway, I mention it because perhaps there really are people out there who honestly don't realize the extent to which Kerry Livgren influenced the direction of Kansas. Listen to the classic Kansas hits, then listen to Proto-Kaw/Before Became After. I'm sure you'll hear the connection.

Great album. Worth the price.

If a clear definition of the term "progressive rock" is your quest, look no further. For starters, this album gets my vote for recording/mix of the year. I wish more albums sounded this crisp and defined. The recording, however, is not the reason that this release merits 5 stars. That rating reflects the unbelievably well crafted songs that appear here and the impeccable flow of the musical statement. Moreover, this album keeps revealing new treasures with every listen. The band is a tight as can be, which is amazing given that they have not played together even once during the last 30 years. "Before Came After" is at least as good as Kansas's best output. Simply superb and highly recommended!

I enjoyed the collection of old Proto-Kaw demos, Early Recordings From Kansas, and was not let down by this new album. This CD is definitely less experimental, but the songs are very well-constructed and written by Kerry Livgren. In a time when Kansas isn't putting out new material, Before Became After fills the void nicely. The music seems fresh, yet familiar. One of the best aspects is Lynn Meredith, who has an awesome distinctive singing voice that fits the music perfectly.

The dramatic opening track "Alt. More Worlds Than Known" starts things off well with classical flourishes and emotional vocals. "Words of Honor" seemed a bit sappy to me at first, but it features a strong Kansas-like middle section. Next up is the exotic and mysterious "Leaven," with its swirling frenetic ending. "Axolotl" sounds the most like material on the first Proto-Kaw CD. Lynn Meredith sounds almost exactly as he did 30 years ago! It's also the only track where original member Rod Mikinski plays bass. "Quantum Leapfrog" is a quirky and jazzy track that showcases the band's instrumental talents. The amusing and catchy cover song "Greenburg, Glickstein, Charles, David, Smith and Jones" reminds me of "Not Man Big" from Kansas' Somewhere to Elsewhere album. Much of the stirring "Gloriana" also would have fit well on Somewhere to Elsewhere, or classic Kansas albums for that matter, with a violin in place of the flute of course. "Occasion of Your Honest Dreaming" is a light-hearted group-sung ditty a little like The Moody Blues."Heavenly Man" is a highlight of the album. The opening section of the closing mini epic "Theophany" is heavily inspired by ELP's "Tarkus." The track then settles down into an amazing song full of emotion and beautiful melodies that recalls the best of classic Kansas like "The Pinnacle." The live version of "Belexes" on the bonus disc is pretty good too.

One doesn't have to be a fan of Kansas to enjoy this album, despite much of the music having that Kansas feel. The flute, sax, and vocals give it a different mood, and there are more jazzy interludes. There is a good deal of variety; each song has its own identity. Before Became After is one of the best albums in recent progressive rock. Plus, the cover is really cool!

Okay, the story is well known, this lineup is made up of the Second Version of Kansas, that didn't get a record deal, Kerry reformed with members from a band called White Clover, renamed the band Kansas, and Kansas III went onto fame that we all know...

Well, one would suspect that this music would much sound like Kansas, since most of the music is written by Kerry Livgren. Well, sorta.

The songs are tight, and it is shocking since most of these fellas have not played an instrument in well over 20 years... but they were under the hand of a master, and that master is Kerry Livgren.. and the sounds are a very interesting mix... I would say it has a mix of different influences, like Grateful Dead, Kansas, and... well, Jazz mixes, and you might even say Flower Kings influences pop up here and there, although I would say that the FK is mostly comes in during the Jazz parts.. but also, you can hear Almond Brothers...

KL has said that he wants this band to have Jam Band influences, and this music really has the groundwork to be really opened up live, and I hope they tour, it would be a serious crime to not tour this lineup and music.

I really feel that die hard Kansas fans will be suprized with this release, because it will not be what they think, yet, it will be what they expect from KL since he really has not EVER did what you think he should, whether it is with his solo work or his previous religious band AD (which is excellent).

Also, it is worth noting that he guests on Neil Morse's new CD called TESTIMONY, and that is a very good release.

Does Kerry Livgren sleep?

Also, one more note, KL also wrote all the music, and played on the most recent Kansas release called SOMEWHERE TO ELSEWHERE, released a couple of years ago, it is also very good.

Get this CD to enjoy it as product from a very good progressive rock pioneer. It is very good. I have listend to it every day since I ordered it, and it really has so much to offer a listener.

Have fun