STYX

— First review of this album —

For a long time I was waiting to watch a live DVD with Styx classic line up. I was quite disappointed to see there was any of that for a long time. It was quite surprising considering the fact they were HUGE in the late 70´s and early 80´s. I had to wait until 2007 to find this video, taken from their last tour promoting their Kilroy Was Here album of 1983. It is a mix of film, musical play and (mostly) rock concert, much of it concerning the Kilroy´s concept of a future society where rock music is banned by a totalitarian governament (a bold, if silly, snide at Reagan´s era emerging PMRC and Moral Majority censorship of the 80's).

Kilroy Was Here was not one of their best works, to say the least, and the band was facing internal struggles that ultimately caused its break up after this tour. But you won´t notice that watching they blasting away many of their hits in front of an audience. Ok, the Kilroy tunes are more suited for a broadway music play than to a rock album, but I have to admit they worked far better live than on record. Besides, the majority of the songs here are from their previous effords. It is a pity that some of the live album´s tunes did not make it to the DVD. Still, they could put up a stunning 13 song perfomance.

Styx proves themselves to be great entertainers and the excellent musicians you expect them to be after so many years on the road. I can even swallow their KIlroy characters during the album´s numbers (at least it was a novelty then and it is good fun after all). Their vocal hamonies are very well done and most of the tunes are better than their studio counterparts.

Unfortunatly the video images are not improved from the VHS version. What you got here seems to be simply the transfer of the images to DVD without any kind of restoration. Not bad at all, but could be a better.The sound on the other hand is crystal clear and was definitly remastered (with options to 2.0 or 5.1 formats).

The DVD bonus is really a treat for fans: it includes all of their videos done up until then (12 in total).

Conclusion: I can´t really say this is the definitive classic Styx DVD we all wanted to see. I wish they had released something recorded live earlier in their long career. But still they pulled off a great show even at their final moments together. The classic line up really had something magical going on. And with the addition of their video collection Caught In The Act becomes a must have for any Styx fan.

First Styx album with Tommy Shaw. Very melodic, heavily orchestrated pop-hard-rock (or AOR) with choral vocals. Whenever they have some catchy melodies and have some attractive moments in their songs, the albums isn't as bad as could be.

Music is slightly connected with prog-rock, using elements of pop-hard-rock and prog- rock both. Technically musicians are far from virtuosity, but as prog-related band are attractive enough to be listened.

Different from their very early raw rocky works, this album contains many elements of typical Styx style ( characteristic sound for their moment of popularity). However still not polished and balanced till their final product. 50/50 of good/bad songs proportion.

I don't think this album could be interesting for people outside of Styx fan club. Somewhere around 2,5.

Second Styx album is different from their début. There they really have a control on production, music has better structure, sound - better balance. But I miss raw energy and freshness of the debut.

There is obvious they choosed the direction. Choral vocals, orchestrated production, lighter sound and softer songs - there is the beginning of their way to what they became in late 70-s."Lady" is their proto-ballade which gave a birth to more different clones on their later albums.

Being a bit more professional than previous one, this album showed the way for Styx future direction. And in many moments I prefer the debut one.Around 2,5.

Styx debut is very raw album. Raw in musicianship, and raw in energy as well. Keyboards based hard rock with long compositions and many rocking guitar solos. Melodic songs. No overproduction.

For sure there are too many places where you can see that band is still not experienced enough, and still is searching for it's direction. But even with all this the album sounds fresh and not boring. Possibly there is some nostalgia in my emotions to this album: it sounds as good as many rock albums of that time sounded. Each song has it face, no myriads of faceless and overproduced clones, as in later decades. You can like some songs and hate another, but at least you can identify them. Tell true-how many modern (neo) prog albums or even bands have songs you can identify or even remember after few listenings? Not too much.

Movement of the Common Man (13:11) isn't a successful experiment, but it sounds as early progressive song for sure. You can easily find many elements of hard-rock, blues- rock ,some prog as well in album's songs. And will hardly find polished pop-rock sound of Styx later period.

So, even if far from great ,this album is better choice than Styx albums from 80-s.

In a Styx poll quite some time ago I voted for this album as Styx best but actually this wasn't really fair because it's the only album I own by the band. Besides this one I only have a greatest hits collection so I'm not really a big fan you might say. But somehow I have warm memories for this release from 1978. I wasn't really a progfan back then and I bought the album because at that time I kinda liked the hit single Sing for the Day.

And when I played the vinyl again lately I could only pull out a twisted smile about that same song. Absolutely horrible it sounded to me right now and I was ashamed I loved it back then. A youthful transgression you could call it. Anyway, how about the rest ? The rest was absolutely great for me when I discovered the album in 1978. Most songs are obvious cases of prog related music indeed but they are my earlier prog experiences I guess so that explains.

Except for the two short instrumentals and the mentioned hitsingle, the other 7 songs still sound absolutely fine to me though none of them is truly outstanding. A very consistent album and if I wouldn't have played it one last time I probably would have given it 4 stars for old times sake. But all in all I think 3 stars is the right score especially considering this is a progsite. But it's close to 3,5. Very nice album.

Excuse me while I get that vomit taste out of my mouth.

I won't patronize you, my fellow prog-lover, with the pop vs. prog debate regarding Styx on this release, because as a greatist hits album it contains every stinky-sweet radio anthem the group ever recorded... and it's terrible. The songwriting and the overall mood is one of solidified cotton-candy: at once it may have been sweet, but now it's just tasteless styrofoam, not even empty calories which give one a momentary high of stadium-ready anthems or FM sing-alongs. DeYoung's vocals are unforgiveble, and even as a guilty pleasure "Styx Greatist Hits" doesn't hold up. It's trite, shrill, and uninteresting on almost every level.

I'd take Journey any day of the week!

Songwriting: 1 Instrumental Performances: 2 Lyrics/Vocals: 1 Style/Emotion/Replay: 1

I am not a big fan of Styx. Fist their album I ever heard was "Corner Stone", I listened it still as LP soon after it was released. And even if I had mixed impression, some songs were really great ( just remember "Boat On The River"!). So I waited for their next release believing that it could be really good record.

And I remember the day I got Styx next release,"Paradise Theater". The name of album and cover looked a bit strange from very beginning, but I waited for the first sounds. Yes, you right, I was shocked!!! In fact, album's music is really what you wait from album with that name and under that cover. Choral vocals with pop-synth arrangements, plenty of electronic kitsch space "robotic" effects. All the bad low key pop music prepared for year 1981 is used there.

Styx always played with AOR and pop rock, sometimes with rare prog moments. But in that album they made things outside of that circle. Worst possible pop-synth-rock without even small pieces acceptable for listening.

Starting from that album, I just forget that name ( and never listen any other their album during next 26 years). Just avoid at any circumstances.

First I listened this LP somewhere in 1980, still being in high school. And it was my first Styx album. So - very mixed feeling.

First of all, I was hypnotised by "Boat On The River " ( and I love this ballad till now!). "Babe" was a strange song even then - something what shouldn't be presented in any rock album.

So, I listened this album day after day, and perfectly new all songs included ( not now, for sure). And even from years I remember that feeling - I loved some songs and hated others, but it never was THE ALBUM for me. I really waited for next release just to understand, do I like Styx or not.( And after the next album I just missed any interest for that band for the years).

So, after so many years, I still can say, that it's a strange album - "Boat on The River " is really on of Styx' greatest song ever, and "Babe" is one of the weakest. "Never Say Never" is very american pop-rock, other songs are somewhere belove the average standard.

It looks, that album should be placed somewhere between "nothing good at all" category with just one great song. But returning back to this music again and again, I feel some kind of light attraction - nice voice, often melodic songs, quite technical arrangements. To be honest, that album has it's own magnetism ( having almost nothing of good musical material).

So, something between 2 and 3, but more 2 for prog-rock site.

Please let it end

As a fan of STYX have been delaying my review about "Kilroy Was Here", in my opinion the worst album in their career and the one that caused the disband of the group due to the fact that Dennis DeYoung was starting to get obsessed with theatrics, which later lead him to a career in Broadway.

But this is not a problem "per se", the fact is that in order to support a dubious concept, the music suffered and this collection of weak tracks was crowned by a 30 minutes video in which DeYoung as Kilroy, saves Rock & Roll from the terrible (laughable to be sincere) Dr. Righteous, leader of the Majority for Musical Morality, one of the most ridiculous films I have ever seen.

The opener is simply cheesy from start to end Mr. Roboto with almost comical lyrics, not even the excellent chorus can save the song, even John Panozzo's drums sound mechanical and lack of inspiration, maybe good for a musical but this is not real Rock & Roll by one of the most iconic USA bands.

Despite having Tommy Shaw as lead singer, "Cold War" is an anodyne song without head or feet, they try to Rock, but the addition of some weak rhythmic sections make his poor song even worst than it was at the start.

"Don't Let it End" is a simple but effective ballad with the signature of Dennis DeYoung, at least here they sound like STYX with excellent choirs and some interesting changes, a pretty song somehow similar to "Babe" but better.

At the start of "High Times" we can realize this is not a Rock album, but a musical for Broadway even the structure is prepared for some long legged girls to dance in the background, this is as weak as STYX can get...At least until now.

At least "Heavy Metal Poisoning" sounds like Rock, and JY'S voice helps, but the less than mediocre lyrics simply make me sick. One thing that this song has is good drumming by John Panozzo.

I can't define "Just Get Through This Night", apparently they try to experiment a bit, but when the vocals hit us, the effect is gone, some kind of soft adult contemporary ballad, boring to the extreme.

Not a the best song but "Double Life" is a STYX song with good chorus, interesting guitar and decent keyboards, I almost applauded when this track was playing,but the album doesn't end here and it's the turn for "Haven't We Been Here Before", a good catchy ballad by Tommy Shaw who proves that POP can be interesting, nothing spectacular but over the average.

The album ends with the reprise of "Don't Let it End" a good tribute to the founders of Rock, another decent song.

"Kilroy Was Here" marked the end of an era, STYX would never been able to sound as in the early days, at least not with Dennis DeYoung and Tommy Shaw together, except for "Caught in the Ac which was recorded during the Kilroy tour and the melancholic "Return to the Paradise".

After the tour each member took his own path for a long time, John Panozzo died, Chuck got sick and we have today a different band trying to rise from the ashes with Tommy Shaw and James Young as leaders.

If it wasn't for Mr Roboto, Cold War" and "High Times", I would had rated "Kilroy Was Here" with 3 stars, but this songs are so bad that don't allow me to go above 2 stars.

Normally don't care for tribute albums, because it's an excuse for some labels to keep the bands from their rooster in activity when they are not able to release own material, but when a band like STYX dares to make a tribute to the artists that influenced them and play songs of 13 different artists with different styles, then is something worth to listen.

Before buying the album, came to Prog Archives and read the reviews, most of them talk about a less than average album, and complain about Dennis De Young not being in the band, I must say I don't miss Dennis at all, he is a great composer, but also responsible for some of the worst tracks as "Babe" or "Mister Robotto" and Lawrence Gowan is a great performer with a better voice.

So a few days ago decided to ignore the bad reviews and bought "The Big Bang Theory" and not disappointed at all, of course there are weaker songs, being that I don't expect anybody to play HENDRIX music just like he did, but STYX shows respect for the authors and adds some of their unique style.

Normally I review each and every track, but being that we are talking about covers, of well known songs, I will mention the ones that impressed me more:

The first one that caught my attention is "I Can See for Miles" being that they don't try to re- create the style of THE WHO, something too hard to do, but instead they add the complex chorals something in which STYX are champions and make an interesting track to listen.

Trying to recreate a song by a supergroup as "BLIND FAITH" is always a hard task, specially when the original singer is so unique as Steve Winwood, so instead of searching for a more similar ranged voice as James Young, the band went with Tommy Shaw, one of the few vocalists that gets better with the years, he's so different that nobody will compare them, and the whole band does a great job.

"A Salty Dog" has never been among my favourite tracks by PROCOL HARUM, but loved STYX'S version being that the entrance with Lawrence Gowan in the vocals is delightful and the guy has a better voice than Dennis who always sounded to nasal to my ears. The orchestration is wonderful and JY'S guitar is precise and if we add Todd Sucherman in the drums, they hit the nail right in the head.

"Locomotive Breath" is simply fantastic and "James Young" in the vocals is the perfect choice if you want to do a respectful tribute, the guy really adds everything you need to perform one of the best JETHRO TULL songe ever, being that making radical changes would be a sacrilege, very good version.

"Blue Collar Man" has always been a classic by STYX, but this slower version is one of the best, the details can be appreciated more, Tommy Shaw in the lead, supported by Lawrence Gowan and the whole band adding the trademark chorus are fantastic, the jazzy piano is the cherry on the top of the pie, strong closer.

Despite all the negative opinions I read, loved this album from start to end, its' always a pleasure to listen well known hits with the touch of STYX

Excellent addition for any Rock or Prog music collection so can't rate it with less tthan four stars.