Long-time Heaven's Metal readers will know that I am blown away by the music of Kerry Livgren. This musical genius has done it again with Prime Mover. This is good music. Listen to it with headphones and you'll hear an aural splendor of layer upon layer of dazzling sounds--while never sounding syrupy or overproduced.
"Don't Pass Me By" starts off the album (If you have a cd player, get the cd. This is music made for digital reproduction.) running, with pulsing drums programmed (played?) by Kerry--who plays all the instruments here less sax and harmonica.
"Fathers And Sons" starts off with a clean flute, keyboard and drum ensemble. There's a bridge section in the middle of the song which makes a sudden shift in the dynamic level of the song, jamming with other varied instruments--Kerry's unmistakable trademark made famous in Kansas. He precisely welds elements of rock and classical music together to create sophisticated music full of life and energy.
"Portrait II" is a sequel to the passionate "Portrait" that was featured on Kansas' Point Of Know Return album. The original was a captivating portrait of Albert Einstein, who "knew more than me or you". The original had so many spiritual implications that it seems only logical to rewrite it to paint Christ's portrait.
"He said that He was the answer, the only One near or far/ He was trying to show us a new way, He was bright as a star/ But nobody understood Him, they said He was not the way/ They were lost in the deepest enigma, that few have unraveled today/ But He knew, knew what He had to do/ Those who believed Him were few, oh, what would He have us do?/ And He died, so that justice was satisfied."
Brilliant lyrics from a gifted servant of God. This song alone makes this album an excellent gift for a Kansas fan that may not know Jesus. I know there are tons of ex-Kansas fans who have followed Kerry's spiritual search to its resting place in Jesus Christ.
"Children Of The Shadows" sounds like one of the songs on this album that Kerry said were "in the vault" from Kansas days. It starts off with a beautiful piano intro that lays a foundation for Warren Ham's falsetto vocals (It sure sounds more like Michael Gleason's voice than Warren's, though). It has some sweeping crescendos and diminuendos, along with keyboard chimes and acoustic guitar tracks. It's a beautiful song.
"Wandering Spirit" and "I'll Follow You" continue with more splendid music with several tracks for your ears to pick up. "New Kind Of Love" adds a kind of funky-blues accent to a slower song that bounces along to a commercial beat, accompanied by organ and gutsy sax playing.
"One More Song" features perfect tone and production of the keyboard sound, and is receiving airplay on the Christian AC stations and will probably make its appearance high on CCM's AC charts this Spring.
"T.G.B.", which apparently stands for "Texas Gospel Blues", is a gritty song that shows Kerry romping in his Southern rock roots, kind of reminiscent of "Down The Road" from Kansas' Song For America album.
Well, that's enough ranting and raving for now. I'll just press "Repeat" on my cd player and relish the sounds a few more times.