In the Spirit of Things

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In the Spirit of Things
In the Spirit of Things cover
Studio album by Kansas
Released 1988
Recorded 1988
Genre Progressive Rock
Length 52:54
Label MCA
Producer(s) Phil Ehart,
Bob Ezrin,
Greg Ladanyi,
Paul Maxon
Professional reviews
Kansas chronology
Power
(1986)		 In the Spirit of Things
(1988)		 Live_at_the_Whisky
(1992)


In the Spirit of Things is the 11th studio album, and 13th overall, by American rock band Kansas, released in 1988 (see 1988 in music). It is a very loosely organized concept album telling the story of a flood hitting a drought-ridden small town during World War II, with the soldiers from the town writing home, oblivious. The album is often cited by lead vocalist, keyboardist, and songwriter Steve Walsh as his favorite Kansas album. Its odd mixture of hard rock, progressive rock, and '80s pop ballads (forced on the band by MCA Records, which selected outside songwriters in an attempt to generate hit singles) failed to catch on with a mass audience but it remains a cult favorite among Kansas fans.


Contents

[edit] Track listing

  1. "Ghosts" (Walsh, Morse, Bob Ezrin) – 4:18
  2. "One Big Sky" (Michael Ehmig, Howard Kleinfeld, Walsh, Ezrin, Ehart) – 5:17
  3. "Inside of Me" (Morse, Walsh) – 4:42
  4. "One Man, One Heart" (Mark Spiro, Dan Huff) – 4:20
  5. "House on Fire" (Walsh, Morse, Ezrin, Ehart) – 4:42
  6. "Once in a Lifetime" (Antonia Armato, Dennis Morgan, Albert Hammond) – 4:14
  7. "Stand Beside Me" (Marc Jordan, Bruce Gaitsch) – 3:28
  8. "I Counted on Love" (Morse, Walsh) – 3:33
  9. "The Preacher" (Morse, Walsh) – 4:18
  10. "Rainmaker" (Walsh, Morse, Ezrin) – 6:44
  11. "T.O. Witcher [instrumental]" (Morse, Walsh) – 1:39
  12. "Bells of Saint James" (Walsh, Morse) – 5:39

[edit] Personnel

Additional personnel

  • Terry Brock - vocals, background vocals
  • Rev. James Cleveland - vocals, background vocals
  • Steve Croes - keyboard, synclavier
  • Bob Ezrin - percussion, vocals, background vocals
  • Ricky Keller - synthesizer
  • John Pierce - bass, fretless bass
  • Greg Robert - keyboard, vocals, background vocals
  • Southern California Community Choir - chorus
  • Christopher Yavelow - synthesizer, Kurzweil synthesizer

[edit] Production

  • Producers: Phil Ehart, Bob Ezrin, Greg Ladanyi, Paul Maxon
  • Engineers: Bob Ezrin, Stan Katayama, Greg Ladanyi, Bob Loftus, Brendan O'Brien, Garth Richardson
  • Assistant engineers: Lawrence Fried, Stan Katayama, Edd Miller
  • Mixing: Bob Ezrin, Greg Ladanyi, Garth Richardson
  • Mastering: Stephen Marcussen, Doug Sax
  • Drum programming: Ricky Keller
  • Keyboard programming: Ricky Keller, Greg Robert
  • Production supervisor: Robert Hrycyna
  • Technical supervisor: Robert Hrycyna
  • Equipment assistant: Jack Adams
  • Arrangers: Bob Ezrin, Kansas
  • Art direction: Storm Thorgerson
  • Photography: Paul Maxon, Tony May, Glenn Wexler, front cover Derek Burnett
  • Stylist: Jon Crossland

[edit] Charts

Album - Billboard (North America)

Year Chart Position
1988 The Billboard 200 114

Singles - Billboard (North America)

Year Single Chart Position
1988 "Stand Beside Me" Mainstream Rock Tracks 13
Kansas
Phil Ehart | Billy Greer | David Ragsdale | Steve Walsh | Richard Williams
Dave Hope | Kerry Livgren | Robby Steinhardt | John Elefante | Steve Morse | Greg Robert
Discography
Studio albums: Kansas | Song for America | Masque | Leftoverture | Point of Know Return | Monolith | Audio-Visions | Vinyl Confessions | Drastic Measures | Power | In the Spirit of Things | Freaks of Nature | Always Never the Same | Somewhere to Elsewhere
Live albums: Two for the Show | Live at the Whisky | King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents Kansas | Device, Voice, Drum
Compilations: The Best of Kansas | Carry On |The Kansas Boxed Set | The Best of Kansas (expanded) | The Ultimate Kansas | Sail On: The 30th Anniversary Collection | On the Other Side | Works in Progress
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