Vinyl Confessions

Template:Use mdy dates {{safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst-infobox||$params=italic_title,name,type,longtype,artist,cover,border,alt,caption,released,recorded,venue,studio,genre,length,language,label,director,producer,compiler,chronology,prev_title,prev_year,year,next_title,next_year,misc|$extra=italic_title,longtype,border,caption,language,director,compiler,chronology,year,misc|$aliases=italic title>italic_title,Italic title>italic_title,Name>name,Type>type,image>cover,Cover>cover,Border>border,Alt>alt,Caption>caption,Longtype>longtype,Artist>artist,Released>released,Recorded>recorded,Venue>venue,Studio>studio,Genre>genre,Length>length,Language>language,Label>label,Director>director,Producer>producer,Compiler>compiler,Chronology>chronology,Misc>misc|$flags=override|$B={{#ifeq:{{#invoke:Is infobox in lead|main|[Ii]nfobox [Aa]lbum}}|true|{{#if:Template:Has short description | |{{#if: Template:Start date<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> | Template:Short description}}}}}}{{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}Template:Template otherTemplate:Category handlerTemplate:Main other{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Infobox album with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y|italic_title |type |name |image |cover |border |alt |caption |longtype |artist |released |recorded |venue |studio |genre |length |language |label |director |producer |compiler |prev_title|prev_year|next_title|next_year|chronology|year|misc}}{{#if:{{#invoke:String|match|error_category=Music infoboxes with Module:String errors|A|1=Audio-Visions1980Drastic Measures1983studioVinyl ConfessionsKansas - Vinyl Confessions.jpgKansasTemplate:Start date<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>Late 1981/Early 1982Chateau Recorders, North Hollywood, CaliforniaTemplate:Hlist43:20KirshnerKansas, Ken Scottx|2=</?t[drh][ >]|nomatch=}}|Template:Main other}}Template:Main other}}

Vinyl Confessions is the eighth studio album by American rock band Kansas, released in 1982. It includes "Play the Game Tonight", which broke the Top 20 and is Kansas's third highest-charting single, surpassed only by "Carry on Wayward Son" and "Dust in the Wind".<ref name="hot">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The album was reissued in remastered format on CD in 1996 on Legacy/Epic and again in 2011.

Background

Vinyl Confessions was a major turning point for the band. After the conversion of both guitarist/keyboard player Kerry Livgren and bass player Dave Hope to Evangelical Christianity, and the focus that Livgren placed on his religion in the band's lyrics, lead singer Steve Walsh did not agree with the new direction of the band and left to form his own band, Streets.<ref name="melodic">Template:Cite magazine</ref> Walsh had also contributed much as a songwriter, so the band was forced to find a new lead singer who not only had a vocal style that fit the band's music, but also could contribute material for the upcoming album. After a long audition process, the choice came down to three strong candidates: Warren Ham, Michael Gleason and John Elefante. The band eventually settled on Elefante.<ref name="melodic"/>

"Fair Exchange" described the world under the rule of the Anti-Christ, while "Chasing Shadows" pointed out the frustration in seeking anything outside Biblical truth. "Diamonds and Pearls" emphasized the value of spiritual wealth over financial wealth, while "Face It", "Windows" and "Borderline" all had strong evangelistic appeals to the listener. The album's closer, "Crossfire", made the album's position abundantly clear in its indirect reference to Jesus Christ ("the one who rose").

Vinyl Confessions did not go unnoticed by the nascent Contemporary Christian music (CCM) industry, which was just coming into its own at that time. Numerous Christian magazines trumpeted Kansas' new musical direction, and CCM Magazine even chose Vinyl Confessions as the No. 1 CCM album of 1982.<ref name="melodic"/> All this attention created an entirely new audience of listeners for Kansas, but it also created further tensions within the band. Those tensions came to a head during the recording of their next album, Drastic Measures.<ref name="melodic"/>

Queen drummer Roger Taylor was recording a solo album in the studio next door, and contributed background vocals on a handful of songs on the album.

Vinyl Confessions was also the last album with violinist/vocalist Robby Steinhardt, who left the band after the supporting tour and did not return until 1997.

Reception

Template:Album ratings While acknowledging the comeback success of the single "Play the Game Tonight", AllMusic's retrospective review was largely negative. They criticized the Christian lyrics as being "often of a judgmental, us-versus-you nature", and insinuated that the album fell more into a generic pop rock vein than Kansas's earlier albums ("it was getting hard to distinguish Kansas from Foreigner and Journey").<ref name="allmusic"/>

Personnel

Kansas

• John Elefante – keyboards, lead vocals
• Kerry Livgren – guitar, keyboards, Synclavier programming
• Robby Steinhardt – violin, vocals, lead vocals on "Crossfire"
• Rich Williams – guitar
• Dave Hope – bass
• Phil Ehart – drums

Additional musicians

• Warren Ham – harmonica
• Bill Bergman – alto saxophone, tenor saxophone on tracks 2, 5 and 6
• Lee Thornburg, John Berry Jr. – trumpets on tracks 2 and 5
• Greg Smith – baritone saxophone on tracks 2 and 5
• Jim Coile – tenor saxophone on tracks 2 and 5
• Ben Dahlke – bassoon on track 5
• David Pack, Donna Williams – background vocals
• Roger Taylor – background vocals on "Right Away", "Diamonds and Pearls", "Play the Game Tonight"<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Production

• Kansas – producer
• Ken Scott – producer, engineer
• Brian Leshon, David Spritz, Phil Jost, Ralph Sutton – assistant engineers
• Stan Ricker – mastering at Original Masteringworks/Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab, California
• Tom Drennon – art direction and design
• Andrew Barnum – additional art
• Glen Wexler – photography

Charts

Template:Album chartTemplate:Album chart

Chart (1982)	Peak position