Kansas

Jennifer Knapp

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 3, 1998)
• Original Release Date: November 3, 1998
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Gotee Records
• ASIN: B000005OJE
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (150 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #44,317 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Self-described as "just a girl with a guitar," Knapp, the winner of the 1999 Dove Award for best new artist of the year, crafts acoustic folk-rock in the vein of Lilith Fair rock-maids, yet founds her lyrics on her relationship with God rather than on that of a beau. Kansas basks in both the relative youth of Knapp as a woman and as a Christian, featuring her smartly communicative songwriting, which examines matters of spirit and faith in an era dominated by pop culture. Rather than railing against the inevitable, Knapp has wisely chosen to embrace this seeming dichotomy with the back to back "Undo Me" and "Trinity"; the former, an infectious rock anthem and 1999's Dove rock song of the year, the latter a harmonically layered scripture-based examination of the Holy Spirit. Blessed with an agile, earthy contralto that reaches from matter-of-fact talkiness to power yowl to melodious balladic lilt, coupled with her taut and circular guitar lines and inspired string arrangements, Knapp's Kansas is a testament to her well-used talents. --Paige La Grone

From CCM Magazine -- Subscribe Now!
After doing the indie thing for three years, Jennifer Knapp's experience singing night after night to churches and youth groups has served her well, drawing listeners in to her unwavering vocals and her rootsy music's smart use of repetition.

The singer/songwriter's youthful voice carries just enough gusto throughout the record that producer Mark Stuart (Audio Adrenaline) smartly used little or no effects on it. Knapp tends to overuse her Natalie Merchant-esque vocal treatment throughout the album, though, and would do well to experiment with different tonal colors the next time out. Still, the combination of simple song structures and instrumentation--which accompanies her "what you hear is what you get" pipes that belt out consistently direct, evangelistic lyrics--makes kansas a very unique, honest and understated record for 1998.

All of Knapp's tunes are quite listenable, but the two songs that just don't seem to want to vacate my brain's pop-hook hemisphere are "In the Name" and "Martyrs and Thieves." These ditties serve as perfect bookend examples of Knapp's songwriting range. The former title is a fast-paced, foot-stompin' roots rocker in the vein of Vigilantes of Love, while the latter features Knapp sounding like Joan Baez and Merchant doing a mellow folk duet. And there's more where those come from as well as plenty of stuff in between, featuring deft use of fiddle, flute, organ and mandolin.

Knapp's lyrics are unabashedly Christ-centered and focus mostly on her own brokenness as a way to inspire Christians to lead holier lives, but she also knows how to communicate strongly and smartly to non-Christians, as these lyrics from "In the Name" attest: "Picket fences may build up our defenses/In domestic wars of leisure suits/That's OK, it doesn't bother me, you can hold on to your philosophy of/What's mine is mine, what's yours is yours; but what's the truth?/When the walls do crumble/What will I find to hold onto/That's stronger than my Jesus?"

Who'd ever believe the hard, flat ground of kansas could be so inviting? -- Dave Urbanski (c) 1998 CCM Communications, Inc.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Musically and Lyrically Superior to most Christian Music, June 9, 2000

By	Bethany McKinney (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is without a doubt my favorite Contemporary Christian CD. Jennifer's lyrics are full of passion and deep thoughts and feelings--it's not at all fluffy and shallow. Almost every song on this CD deals with how all people are needy, and broken, and searching for healing and wholeness. If you are going through a time of struggling to do the right thing, or are having a hard time believing that God has enough grace to love imperfect people (like you and me)--the lyrics in this CD will revive your soul. And musically, this CD is also top-notch. When I play it in the car with people who aren't Christian, I don't get the groans of disappointment I get when playing other Christian artists. When listening to her CD, people have asked if it was Sarah McLachlan, Alanis Morissette, or Cheryl Crow. And in a world where Christian music is generally thought of (and many times rightly so) as being second to secular music, with "Kansas" Jennifer Knapp breaks those stereotypes.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A necessary redefining, September 4, 2002

By	William Krischke (Portland, OR United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is quality artistry. Most of the songs are pretty simple, but they avoid pop-infection or tired arrangements, and Jennifer Knapp's husky, hearty contralto is a nice change from the sweet, smooth and dominantly alto/soprano vocals from almost all Christian female vocalists. This is clearly a departure from the norm, and a great one.

What I really like about this record is Jennifer Knapp's subtle redefinition of what a Christian woman is. I listened to this record multiple times before it occurred to me that there's no mention of relationships, or romance, or hardly even men at all on the entire record. ("I've never been much for the bearing of souls in the presence of any man" is about it -- and illustrates the point I'll get around to making, eventually.) What's more, there's nothing "girly" about these songs. I am a guy who plays guitar, and I can cover them without the slightest embarrassment. And I bet as many guys buy this album as girls do. Jennifer Knapp is a woman who defines herself, in relationship to her God, not in relationship to the men around her. This is a rare thing, and a beautiful thing. As such she is a role model for girls in a new way, and in my opinion a healthier better way. From her music, she appears to be a strong woman, strong in her relationship with God, and weak before him. I admire her for this, and am grateful for her boundary-breaking music.
(8.18)

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars after two years, still my favorite cd, December 28, 1999

By	Lindsay (Louisiana) - See all my reviews

After having this cd for almost two years, it is still my absolute favorite. Jen has a way of writing songs that's so refreshing. If you get this cd, you will definitely NOT regret it. There is not a "bad" or "bum" song on this cd. My favorite song is #7 "Martyrs and Thieves". The most awesome line in there goes "Could it be that my worth should depend by the crimson stained grace on a hand?" WOW. And just as I saw in another review, this is most definitely "a girl with a guitar", and she's amazing on it. It's awesome. This is a GREAT buy!