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Styx - The Grand Illusion CD (album) cover

THE GRAND ILLUSION

Styx

 

Prog Related

3.76 | 355 ratings

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thwok
5 stars I am a proud member of the "Styx Doesn't Get Enough Credit" camp. While I wouldn't put them in my top 10 list, I do enjoy their music greatly, and I believe they're progressive enough for this site. As many others have stated, The Grand Illusion is top-drawer Styx. By "progressiveness" standards, I'll give the album 3 1/2 to 4 stars.

One of the Styx's outstanding traits is the way their music has changed over time. They branched out and improved as musicians and composers over the years. Although it might not be apparent over the course of one album, Styx definitely progressed! Of course, The Grand Illusion contains some of Styx's best known material. The best tracks are "The Grand Illusion", "Fooling Yourself", "Miss America" and "Castle Walls." I don't think Tommy Shaw has ever sung better than he did on the emotional "Fooling Yourself", and I really like the keyboards on this one.

James Young may not have the most melodic voice, but his forceful bass is perfect for the sarcastic "Miss America". Lastly, "Castle Walls" is the most progressive track on the album, as that term is normally applied. "Superstars" is my least favorite track, but it doesn't diminish the overall high quality of The Grand Illusion. There is no doubt about the band's skill as performers. They are more progressive than Journey or Boston (great musicians who couldn't write good music!) ever were. Styx changed and grew over time, but The Grand Illusion is the pinnacle of their career.

thwok | 5/5 |

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