Masque (Exp)

Kansas | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 1, 2008)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sbme Special Mkts.
• ASIN: B0012GMVTO
• Also Available in: Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #29,253 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. It Takes a Woman's Love (To Make a Man) [*]

2. Two Cents Worth

3. Icarus--Borne on Wings of Steel

4. All the World

5. Child of Innocence

6. It's You

7. Mysteries and Mayhem

8. The Pinnacle

9. Child of Innocence [Rehearsal Recording][#][Demo Version]

10. It's You [#][*][Demo Version]

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

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Kansas Revealed, August 6, 2008

By 

PHILIP S WOLF (SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CA. USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Masque (Exp) (Audio CD)

In late 1974, lot's of my friends were ravin' about a band called Kansas. In fact, a big-time narc in San Diego, used a story that he had been the original drummer for the band {Phil Ehart he WAS NOT!} Well, in 75 I was trapped onboard a ship floating around the South China Sea, and I met a new guy who brought along a boombox, and a bunch of cassette tapes. This guy named Russell, had all three of the Kansas records on tape and out on that hot tropical sea, I had my first exposure to the music of Kansas. Russ, had already seen the band in concert twice, and was already a big fan. We played those cassettes until they melted!

"Masque" is the third Kansas record, and the last before the big-breakout of 1977 and: "Leftoverture". It is the first Kansas record to feature anything close to a 'single' with the inclusion of: "It Take's A Woman's Love" and "It's You". But all the best stuff akin to the first two Kansas records is here as well. Masque, includes the classic Kansas tracks: "Child of Innocence", "Icarus~Borne On Wings Of Steel", "Mysteries & Mayhem" and "The Pinnacle".

Russell, told me that this music, was only a blueprint to what the group was able to perform in concert. Heavy guitar, beautiful keyboards and amazing violin passages are along side some really fantastic vocals. This was really something for me to learn that this band had been playing biker bars in Topeka only 2 years before this 1975 recording. But by 1975, we here in the USA, at last had a band that could show the Brits what real music was indeed all about.

It wasn't until 1977, that Russell, myself and some new converts were able to see Kansas play live in Winterland, San Francisco. But as that was probably the greatest live show of music, that I was lucky enough to witness, that my friends, is a whole 'nother story.

This is a Great One. "Masque" is a keeper!
FOUR STARS !!!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I fell in love..., December 19, 2009

By 

Walrus P. Heffenreffer "Walrus" (Shrewsbury, MA USA) - See all my reviews

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

This was the first Kansas album I bought when it released in 1975, and remains one of my favorites. Robbie Steinhart's violin (unheard of in rock albums for the most part) really added a uniqueness, when coupled with Kerry Livgren's guitar and Steve Walsh's keyboards and vocals made for an awesome sound, that was a refreshing departure from most other bands of the time. My album has long since left my possession, so adding the CD to my collection has reminded me just how good these guys were.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 4.5 stars - the progressive metal prototype, August 6, 2010

By 

Justin Gaines (Northern Virginia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Masque (Exp) (Audio CD)

Originally released in 1975, Masque was the third album from progressive rock legends Kansas. I've wanted to take this album on for a long time, but reviewing an album of this caliber always seemed like too daunting a task. I love progressive metal, and for me this album is the prototype for the entire genre.

Of course, when you pop this disc into the player and hear the barroom boogie of "It Takes a Woman's Love (To Make a Man)" and "Two Cents Worth," progressive metal is the last thing that comes to mind. Aside from those two songs, and later, "It's You," Masque has some extremely epic, very dramatic songs that serve as the blueprint for the progressive metal bands that followed. In particular, look at the songs "Icarus - Borne on Wings of Steel" and "The Pinnacle." The technical musicianship on these songs is matched with a sense of grandeur and majesty (not to mention overall heaviness) that was truly groundbreaking. As much as I love Symphony X's Odyssey, that album's 23-minute title track is clearly based on what Kansas did nearly 30 years earlier with "The Pinnacle." Even the shorter "Child of Innocence" and "Mysteries and Mayhem" feel like epic compositions.

The combination of hard rock, progressive technicality and fantastic, conceptual subject matter evident on Masque is reflected years later in the works of Dream Theater, Vanden Plas and Symphony X. Beyond that, Masque is just an incredible album. The schizophrenic shift between boogie rock and epic prog is a bit too jarring for this to be considered a perfect album, but it definitely has its share of transcendent moments. "The Pinnacle" in particular is a song that every fan of progressive metal needs to hear. I still get chills when that song starts.

I still don't feel like I've done the album justice, but I'm glad I finally managed to pay my respect to this influential release. It may not be as highly regarded as Leftoverture or Point Of Know Return, but Masque will always be my favorite Kansas album.

Edition Notes: Masque was finally remastered in 2001. In addition to the digital remastering, the reissue features demo versions of "Child of Innocence" and "It's You." The bonus tracks are completely forgettable, and you'll never need to hear them twice, but the remastering is well worth the price of the reissue.