Kansas Announce First New Album in 16 Years, ‘The Prelude Implicit’
Kansas have announced their first new album in 16 years, The Prelude Implicit, due Sept. 23. The 10 tracks will delight all devotees of the "Dust in the Wind" band, says guitarist Richard Williams in a press release.
"Whether it is the trademark prog epic like 'The Voyage of Eight Eighteen,' biting rocker such as 'Rhythm in the Spirit' or mindful ballad like 'The Unsung Heroes,' there is something on this album for every kind of Kansas fan," he says.
The cover art was created by tattooist Denise De La Cerda, a Manhattan artisan known for her "sacred geometry" work. The phoenix, drummer Phil Ehart says in the release, represents "a new musical beginning" for Kansas.
This marks the first Kansas album featuring vocalist Ronnie Platt, who replaced original singer Steve Walsh when he left in 2014. Williams told Ultimate Classic Rock in a 2015 interview that "we hit the jackpot with Ronnie." Platt was the frontman of Kansas City-based Shooting Star, who impressed Williams with his command of the stage.
"Recording 'The Prelude Implicit' was an incredible experience, and I couldn't be happier with the results," Platt says in the release. "It is my hope that, knowing the intense listeners that Kansas fans are, the continuity yet diversity of this album will be pleasing to them."
Kansas' previous album, Somewhere to Elsewhere, came out in 2000 and featured the original lineup from the '70s. The Prelude Implicit will be their 15th studio LP. Songs from the new album will make their live debut on the fall 2016 Leftoverture 40th anniversary tour. Current concert dates are listed below.
Kansas 2016 Tour
9/30 - Pittsburgh, PA — Benedum Center
10/1 - Philadelphia, PA — Merriam Theater
10/5 - Wilmington, NC — CFCC Wilson Center
10/7 - Atlanta, GA — Atlanta Symphony Hall
10/8 - Nashville, TN — Ryman Auditorium
10/14 - Houston, TX — Cullen Performance Hall
10/15 - Dallas, TX — Majestic Theatre
10/21 - St. Louis, MO — Peabody Opera House
10/22 - Kansas City, MO — Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts
10/27 - Indianapolis, IN — Murat Theatre at Old National Centre
10/28 - Detroit, MI — Sound Board at MotorCity Casino
10/30 - Cincinnati, OH — Taft Theatre
11/3 - Milwaukee, WI — Pabst Theater
11/4 - Chicago, IL — Copernicus Center
11/11 - Clearwater, FL — Ruth Eckerd Hall
11/12 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL — Au-Rene Theater at Broward Center for the Performing Arts
11/18 - New Bedford, MA — Zeiterion Theatre
11/19 - Huntington, NY — The Paramount
11/25 - Baltimore, MD — Modell Performing Arts Center at the Lyric
11/26 - Boston, MA — Berklee Performance Center
12/1 - Daytona Beach, FL — The Peabody Daytona Beach
See Kansas and Others in Rock Star Yearbook Photos