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Styx - Kilroy Was Here CD (album) cover

KILROY WAS HERE

Styx

 

Prog Related

2.26 | 193 ratings

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Corcoranw687
3 stars I always thought everyone was too hard on Styx, but the fact is they sound too much like prog for a radio-rock fan, and their songs rarely inspire the average prog fan. I like to say Styx has something for everybody to dislike, and that is truest for this album, but I think they're great and music like this has great value. Let's look at an album that most would write off that isn't bad at all, the much-ridiculed 1983 sort-of-concept album "Kilroy Was Here". Sure we've heard all we need to hear about the singles, "Mr. Roboto" is pretty repetitive and really does have a comical chorus, but a radio single about an android who is struggling with his identity whilst defending humanity at least sounds like it would be awesome. "Don't Let it End" and "Haven't We Been Here Before" are pretty weak 80s ballads, and I don't often get through "Double Life" either. What's with 3 stars when half the album is questionable, then? "Cold War" is great, a catchy chorus and Tommy Shaw's fantastic vocals keep me interested until the first solo section, where the rest of the band plays a very "Home By the Sea" part, making me wonder what Tony Banks was listening to during those recording sessions. "High Time" introduces a dystopian world with a man who speaks to you on your "laser video", and ends with a huge horn section and Dennis acting bizarre with his stuttering vocals. "Heavy Metal Poisoning" is my favourite on the album and has JY apparently playing Dr. Righteous, possibly the man from the previous song. This song about music ruining the youth's minds is mostly spoken by JY in a very ominous way, but we soon turn to a children's choir screaming "sex and drugs!!" and "Righteous righteous righteous!!", it's great. Another standout is "Just Get Through This Night" which features a neat intro followed by a great Shaw ballad with excellent lyrics, this one really nails it. Overall I think you should listen to this album if you are ever in an 80s mood, some tracks may just surprise you. 3 stars
Corcoranw687 | 3/5 |

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