AD
Decade
Reviewed by Doug Van Pelt
Kerry Livgren's post-Kansas band, AD, was one of those brilliant creations that didn't receive the listen that millions of Kansas followers would've appreciated (blame CBS Records for not promoting it). All is not lost for the faithful few thousand who know where to get ahold of his material. Blessed are those who are patient, for AD's finest moments (the debut "Time Line" album) have seen the light of digital day. Most people who enjoy Kerry Livgren's music love to have everything he does and this two-disc collection is a great answer to many prayers. Besides including the brilliant "Time Line" album, you can hear the infamous "Seeds of Change" solo album that Kerry released between the "Audio Visions" and "Vinyl Confessions" albums (where are they on CD???), which features one of metal's most memorable voices--Ronnie James Dio. That's right, "Mr. I'll portray a priest being strangled by a demon on my album cover" actually sang two cuts on Mr. Livgren's first solo album. As a musician-for-hire, Dio did a swell job of seeming to get into the song. This was definitely one of the most bizarre and greatest moments in Christian rock history. Aside from these two releases in their entirety, some of the cool cuts from "Art of the State," which should've been included in the "Compact Favorites" CD released back in '88, are included here: "Up From the Wasteland" and "Progress." For those who are counting, only three AD are missing from digital format (all from "Art of the State"): "Zion," "Heartland" and "The Only way to Have a Friend." It is such a benevolent thing when a record company takes the time and effort to re-release older, classic material on cd. The five fore-mentioned projects were long overdue and very much appreciated by this reviewer. All but two of these are available in local Christian bookstores. You'll need to order the other two via mail-order. For ordering info on Arkangel, write: Joyeuse Garde Recordings, PO Box 840501, Houston TX 77284-0501.