Point of Know Return

Kansas | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B0000025B5
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #59,210 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Point of Know Return

2. Paradox

3. The Spider

4. Portrait (He Knew)

5. Closet Chronicles

6. Lightning's Hand

7. Dust in the Wind

8. Sparks of the Tempest

9. Nobody's Home

10. Hopelessly Human

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Magnificent, truly inspired!, March 3, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Point of Know Return (Audio CD)

I will gladly join all the other fans in lauding this landmark piece because there are too few fan reviews here and because Kansas tends to get short shrift from critics. Here is the scoop on critics. Critics are extremely interested in who did what FIRST! They love to hail the trailblazer. Which is fine for them, but I am interested in listening to the best music around, and I don't particularly care when it came out. Kansas may have not been the first band to combine elements of classical music with rock, but this album, and the one preceding it, LEFTOVERTURE, firmly prove to every and all comers that they were the best. These two albums are possibly the finest "art" rock ever composed. You don't believe me? Buy it. If you have never heard this album before you will be amazed. Of course you have heard "Dust in the Wind." Everyone has. I've even heard it played as Elevator Muzak at Kmart. But the rest of the album is a truly wild ride. This is not America. Kerry Livgren's lyrics are masterful. Beyond the music, just as poetry, this album, as well as Leftoverture, led many to regard him as some kind of sage, a seer, or a prophet. "Let the sound surround you." Sing with Steve Walsh the great eulogy of Albert Einstein "He knew," wail with Robby about the coming of Big Brother over an Isaac Hayesish riff in "Sparks of the Tempest". Cry over our sad destiny in the haunting ballad "Nobody's Home." Here is more than music - here is the soul of humanity wrapped in rock and roll. Fury, panic, grief, despair, and just a glimmer of hope. This album, or whatever you call it now, touched thousands for sure, possibly millions of a generation of seekers. It may do the same to you.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't buy the remaster, but buy this first issue if you want great sound quality, January 23, 2006

By 

M. A. Scott "Rock and Classical music fan" (Kansas, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Point of Know Return (Audio CD)

I've already done a review under the entry of the new remastered POINT OF KNOW RETURN, but would like to encourage people interested in buying this cd to buy it under this entry of the one that was released in about 1984 because the remastered one with bonus tracks is a terrible remaster, if you have come to know the vinyl or this first issue. Like was said by a previous reviewer, Jeff Glixman has remastered the new one and made it sound compressed, without much of a dynamic range like it was in the previous issue. If you are new to this recording you may not think the remaster is too bad, but if you know it like the back of your hand like me, you know that somethings wrong with this remaster. So basically I'm saying, buy under this entry here without bonus tracks and you will be getting a very good quality recording. I think right now under this entry a used copy is something like $2.99. Enjoy this progressive rock masterpiece!!!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Worth the money for me..., July 18, 2010

By 

moozical - See all my reviews

This review is from: Point of Know Return (180 Gram Vinyl) (Ltd. Edition Gatefold Cover) (Vinyl)

I had a second or third iteration of Point of Know Return in excellent condition for the comparison. The most obvious difference is that the highs were shrill during some complex passages on the old record, where the Friday Music release has clarity and extension. It now sounds "right" where the old one was a bit unnatural and fatiguing at times.

Secondly, there seems to be better definition of backing vocals and instruments. And, this new one has tighter bass.

Since this album gets pretty "busy" in many instances, the taming of the shrill complex passages is a big plus for me. Also, I enjoy having all the nuances revealed, especially where the violin harmonics have been de-blurred.

I am satisfied with the quality of the record and its cover. It's flat, quiet and sounds great. If you're a Kansas fan, I doubt you'd regret investing in this one. Don't be too swayed by harsh reports from an author that has no direct experience with this album. In fact, it amazes me that people waste time on products they don't own.

.. And yes, I'm an audiophile that owns tons of quality vinyl played through a multi-thousand dollar system... I just don't have my head up my cavity.