Masque (Exp) [Original recording remastered]

Kansas | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 22, 2001)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B00005JA2C
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (44 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #125,543 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

A superb third release from the prog-rock superstars: Point of No Return; Song for America; Carry on Wayward Son, and more!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Superb sound quality and musicianship, July 24, 2001

By 

Just Bill (Grand Rapids, MI United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Masque (Exp) (Audio CD)

I love progressive rock. It's the kind of music you can listen to over and over again...and hear something different each time. (Try that with 90% of the music made today!)

So it's not surprising that during the '70s (when I was a teenager), I was a big fan of Rush, Yes, Genesis, ELP and, of course, Kansas. That music became part of my soul.

Therefore, it was with lots of excitement that I bought the remastered CD of Masque (the remastered Leftoverture is next; I'll buy it today on my lunch hour).

What incredible sound! The drums (especially the cymbals) and the guitar tracks are crisp and clear. The vocals are incredible. This is how Kansas was meant to be heard.

I agree with previous reviewers: Masque is not the best Kansas ever recorded. I think Song for America (their second album), Leftoverture and Point of Know Return are Kansas at their peak. However, Masque is head and shoulders above anything recorded today -- not only in creativity and composition, but also in sheer musical talent.

I know many people have regarded the opening track "It takes a Woman's Love (To Make a Man)" as fluff. But I kind of like it. It shows another side to Kansas; not a sell-out side, either. Just an ability to rock and make shorter songs that are catchy and fun.

My favorite tracks are the punchy, rocking "Child of Innocence" and, of course, the lengthier ones: "Icarus (Borne On Wings of Steel)," "Mysteries and Mayhem" and "The Pinnacle." Why? Because, as I wrote in the first sentence, I love progressive rock. I love its depth, complexity, subject matter and musical distinctiveness. Critics can dismiss it as bombastic and silly, but, man, does it touch something inside of me.

If you like well-crafted, creative music, you'll like Masque. If you're a Kansas fan, you need it. If you're tired of the homogeneous, cookie-cutter, every-song-played-at-the-same-pace-in-the-same-raucous-way music that's become popular today, give Masque a listen. You'll probably find it to be a breath of fresh air.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My Favorite Kansas Album, June 23, 2004

By 

L. Lawhead "LSquared" (SW Illinois) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Masque (Exp) (Audio CD)

Masque has been my favorite Kansas album since I purchased it on vinyl back in 1975, and it holds up equally well today. It's a much more polished and cohesive effort than the previous two records (which are certainly good), and sets the stage for the hugely successful follow-ups 'Leftoverture' and 'Point of Know Return'. It has a great mix of rock-radio oriented songs ('It Takes A Woman's Love', 'Child Of Innocence', 'It's You'), and progressive rock masterpieces ('Icarus', 'Mysteries and Mayhem' & 'The Pinnacle'). 'Child Of Innocence' was my first-favorite Kansas song, and got a good bit of AOR radio-play in it's day.

The CD reissue sounds great. I'm under-whelmed by the bonus material though, the rehersal recording of 'Child of Innocence' and the demo version of 'It's You' don't add much, but are easy to skip past.

If you like 'Song For America' or the mega-hit albums, you should add Masque to your collection!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Masque of Deception? More like "The Pinnacle" of rock., May 25, 2001

By 

Erin S Jennings (Baltimore, MD) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Masque (Exp) (Audio CD)

When I heard Kansas was remastering three of their best albums, with two to be released almost immediately, I snapped up the opportunity and preordered Masque and Leftoverture right here on Amazon.

I received both in the mail today, and quickly tore open Masque. Although I've heard this album thousands of time through the years, first on my record player, then my tape player, and finally on my CD player with an import of a direct-to-CD conversion, hearing the music I have grown to love over the years in crystal-clear perfection felt all new again. Needless to say, I enjoyed every minute of it.

Kerry Livgren's writing really sets Kansas apart from the run-of-the-mill progressive rock band, and Masque is no exception to the skill employed by Livgren and Walsh as song-writer extraordinaires. Thought-provoking and captivating, Masque's depth gives it almost infinite replayability. The authentic feeling of the lyrics really make it unique compared to today's world of drippy pop-rock stars who sing about anything that comes to mind, even if it has no inner meaning.

Although every single track on this album is excellent, the highlights for me were All The World, Mysteries and Mayhem, The Pinnacle, and the never-before-released rehearsal demo of Child of Innocence. After over 25 years, those songs still hold the same magic as they did when I first slapped the vinyl onto my turntable all those years ago. However, the sound on this release is like the difference between night and day compared to the record release. It is much clearer; and the musical parts are all mixed into place perfectly, like it was recorded yesterday.

With the inclusion of a studio demo of an original arrangement of "It's You" and a rehearsal recording of "Child of Innocence", along with every original track in crystal-clear perfection, this album is a must-buy for even the casual fans of Kansas.

I give it a perfect 5 out of 5 stars.