What you really need from Kansas ...

... Which can be found in this nice collection.
The "Original Album" series is also with other artists a chance - if one is not enough, a commercial Best of - to get a good overview of the work of an artist for little money (eg I recommend even Doro, Toto and Journey in series). Usually one finds in the 3-5 albums per box but besides the masterpieces ever one or two rather weaker plates.

Not so with the Collection of Kansas. Because this box contains the first 5 albums
"Kansas"
"Song for America"
"Masques"
"Leftoverture"
"Point of Know Return"
and thus probably the most outstanding and best thing you can buy from this band. Sure, Kansas had then also good plates (including Album Nr. 6 "Monolith" or the late-Eighties work "in the spirit of things"), but much brilliant material like on her first five round Lingen they have not subsequently compiled ,

"Carry on my Wayward Son" (known also a whole new audience through Supernatural) and the precious ballad "Dust in the Wind" are usually what one so familiar from Kansas. So completely representative of the complete works of the band, however, these two pieces are not. Kansas had in its classical stage - quite the zeitgeist of the seventies accordingly - long and playful pieces, but unlike many verkopften prog bands always dotted with catchy melodies and choruses. Lead singer Steve Walsh dominated with its clear, high-pitched voice and with a variety Keyboards, Hammond and piano, the melody, while a violinist Robby Steinhardt continued symphonic accents and the Kansas sound makes as distinctive (also is Steinhardt something deeper, important second-Lead -Voice). Unusually for a rock band to hold the two guitarists Kerry Livgren (next to Walsh the main songwriter of the band) and Rich Williams rather reserved, but can score also. Rounding out the whole by the precise and imaginative drumming of Phil Erhart and rhythmic bass playing of Dave Hope.
Remarkably, however, that Kansas is always very, very working song useful. Extravagant instrumental passages always include the whole band and filters (mostly) no soloists directly into the foreground.

Whether one prefers the quite impetuous debut "Kansas", the playful "Song for America", the extravagant "Masques" or the slightly more compact million-sellers "Leftoverture" and "Point of Know Return" is a matter of taste. Genial I find them all - each in its own way.

The individual albums stuck in Pappschubern reminiscent of small record sleeves. The box itself is very robust box.
For collectors should be noted that this is the remastered versions with bonus tracks.

Who takes a liking to this package may still "Monolith", "Audio-Visions" or "In the spirit of things" to get after you. (And if that's like, who then retrieves everything anyway)