MAN OF MIRACLES

Opinions are all over the board on this one. No surprise, as it never finds a common ground between plodding average-Joe boogie rock and the exciting grandiosity prog fans are looking for. Starting with two insipid bar-rockers, the first track of interest is "Golden Lark", with ethereal keyboard and string atmospheres and Dennis DeYoung singing at his best. Next is the upbeat "A Song For Suzanne", an engaging track, evidence that this album is going to be saved by some of DeYoung's best moments (he surely had his share of embarrassing ones throughout the Styx discography). The middle of the album further damages any hopes of flow, with "A Man Like Me", "Southern Woman" and throwaway cover song "Lies" being total non-events. "Evil Eyes" peeks out of the mess and tries hard to assert itself. It's not great, but does lurch along in a remarkably brooding manner. Two of Styx's best-ever songs save the day in the final moments: "Christopher, Mr. Christopher" and cosmic epic "Man Of Miracles". They are why Styx belongs in the progrock family: imaginative material, superb playing, a sense of real sonic adventure.

This is like two very different Styx EPs smashed together--why bother when the hard rock excellence of their first album exists, as well as polar opposite masterpiece 'The Grand Illusion'? It took me forever to explore Styx, as my introduction as a kid was through the seriously-flawed 'Kilroy Was Here', mildly enjoyable 'Paradise Theater' and total dud 'Cornerstone'. Once I delved back further, years later, all kinds of gems appeared, but 'Man Of Miracles' isn't one of them. Try to get your Styx-lovin' pal to burn you the good songs!