Styx album by album thread

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by MikeInFla, Jun 14, 2021.

  1. MikeInFla

    MikeInFla Glad to be out of Florida Thread Starter

    Location:
    Kalamazoo, MI
    Live version of Heavy Water with Put Me On intro:
     
  2. Styxguy

    Styxguy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Canada
    I could never get over short-haired Tommy... so glad he decided to grow it back :p

    Also - One of the few songs where Gowan joins on an acoustic guitar?
     
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  3. MikeInFla

    MikeInFla Glad to be out of Florida Thread Starter

    Location:
    Kalamazoo, MI
    In 2002 CMC International would release a compilation CD of newly recorded Christmas songs called "A Classic Rock Christmas". Styx would record their first studio track post-BNW. Since we are not covering that album because it isn't a Styx release I will post the song. It's decent enough but not something I play every Christmas season (I prefer to spin the classics on the turntable, the real old stuff).

    A Classic Rock Christmas (2002, CD)

     
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  4. carlwm

    carlwm Forum Resident

    Location:
    wales
    Decent enough song.

    There's a Shaw/Blades track on there too, I think.
     
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  5. Ken.e.

    Ken.e. Spinning music since...

    We I listened to Brave New World album on Spotify and actually really enjoyed most of it. It definitely would have benefited being shorter.

    1. I Will Be Your Witness - Great opening track. No Tommy on the last album was a big miss for me. He is back strutting his stuff.
    2. Brave New World - Another good song
    3. While There’s Still Time - First Dennis song is strong, Nice to hear Tommy and Dennis making music together again.
    4. Number One - Good song overall but not my favorite. Better than most of edge
    5. Best New Face - Another good track, Tommy is really holding this album on his shoulder
    6. What Have They Done To You - nice to hear Tommy and James together, good track
    7. Fallen Angel - I would never had thought that this was Styx with Dennis singing. It's his style though
    8. Everything Is Cool - Another great Tommy effort
    9. Great Expectations - Another good Dennis track
    10. Heavy Water - JY makes me feel this is a Styx album. One of his better track, it deserves it place in the reprise.
    11. High Crimes & Misdemeanors (Hip-Hop-Cracy) - odd chorus, it could have been better with a reworking of the chorus
    12. Just Fell In - Doesn't fit the album in my opinion. The comments about a better track for Dennis to sing make sense
    13. Goodbye Roseland - Nice track and goid end to the album, at least for Dennis.
    14. Brave New World Reprise - I usually feel a reprise is lazy. This is one of those cases where it works.

    I agree with @MikeInFla make BNW a single album. Removing some filler and this would stand tall in my Styx collection. I would make it one track longer.

    Side 1

    1. I Will Be Your Witness
    2. Everything Is Cool
    3. Best New Face
    4. Fallen Angel
    5. While There’s Still Time

    Side B:

    1. Brave New World
    2. Heavy Water
    3. What Have They Done To You
    4. Goodbye Roseland
    5. Brave New World (Reprise)

    I am glad I finally took the time and listened to this album. As always great to get all the amazing background on the period.

    BNW in my opinion suffered from the thought of having to fill a CD with music but it was a great effort. Almost everyone selects different songs when they have to remove a few or wishes a B-side made the album. It must be difficult to make those decisions, especially in the vinyl days. So I would think many artists felt liberated by the longer format. For me it watered down the music and made it harder to digest at times. I rather dig up treasures on B-sides then have them interrupt a great album.

    I will be adding the tracks to my Spotify Styx BNW single album mix for future testing out of my theory.
     
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  6. MikeInFla

    MikeInFla Glad to be out of Florida Thread Starter

    Location:
    Kalamazoo, MI
    Ultimately I believe less is better. BNW was plagued with a long length. Even the next release could've been much shorter (we will get to it Monday). But here's the odd thing - on the last 2 releases a lot of people (myself included) complained that the songs were too short. Looking at it now with the idea of "less is more" perhaps those 2 latest albums should NOT have longer songs. I have said it before that when the new Iron Maiden track was released my first thought was "another long song? No thanks". And then they release an album full of long songs. They have been doing that since their version of Brave New World. It was nice at first but then I got tired of the epic Maiden tracks and wishing more to something along the lines of Number Of The Beast or Piece Of Mind. So I realize I can't have it both ways - I'll take less songs over more songs.

    @Ken.e. I am glad you liked it. I can only imagine hearing this with fresh ears 20 years after its release. For you it is like having a new Styx album!
     
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  7. Styxguy

    Styxguy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Canada
    Oh, I forgot about this one!

    Last year I grabbed a copy of 'We Wish You A Metal Xmas' where Tommy takes the vocals on Happy Xmas (War Is Over). He also recorded a cover of Money by Pink Floyd for 'An All Star Lineup Performing The Songs Of Pink Floyd' - I think Tommy has done a few of these projects ;)
     
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  8. carlwm

    carlwm Forum Resident

    Location:
    wales
    Brave New World

    This has probably been my least played Styx album over the years. Until digging it out for this thread, it's been an age since I've given it a spin. Thought it was merely an okay Tommy solo album which came with a free decent enough Dennis EP. Inessential and in my collection for completist reasons only. Listening to it with fresh ears, especially having immersed myself in the band's catalogue for a few months, has been a revelation though. I've been really enjoying it. No denying its long but now it's finally clicked, I don't think there's anything I'd desperately want to part ways with. Been like having a new album, really! :righton:

    Something deliciously perverse about Tommy wanting to make a concept album about a dystopian future with Dennis showing no interest in the idea, though. :)

    1. I Will Be Your Witness - 5/5 Brave opener given how un-Styx-like it is - more of a Joseph Williams era Toto vibe about it - but I love its disco-meets-rock approach.

    2. Brave New World - 5/5 -
    Best song on the album. Reminds me of Tommy's Kilroy work. Should have been a single

    3. While There's Still Time - 3/5
    From the Bumper Book Of Dennis Ballads with no attempts to reinvent the wheel. Good song but I feel I've heard it too many times before.

    4. Number One - 3/5 I like the first part of the song better than the jarring chorus but it hangs together well enough.

    5. Best New Face - 3/5
    Too generic here to be anything special but it passes the time well enough.

    6. What Have The Done To You? - 5/5
    If I hadn't seen the writing credits, I would have guessed this one was one of Glenn's songs. It's got his signature new-wave anthem fell to it. Sterling work vocally from both lead singers.

    7. Fallen Angel - 5/5 Early Billy Joel covering a Paradise Theatre out-take. Plenty of drama, memorable chorus and a sassy little guitar break. Brilliant.

    8. Everything Is Cool - 4/5 Fine song showing the way forward to forward to Cyclorama, musically speaking, with its harum scarum chorus.

    9. Great Expectations - 5/5 Gently funky number. I agree with MikeinFla's praise of Todd's work here. Dennis' songs are very different to what's going on elsewhere but I think they work well within the mix.

    10. Heavy Water - 5/5 Whenever any Styx fan questions the point of JY, which seems to happen far too often, though not on this thread, happily, this would be a great example to show what he brings to the table. Intense and hard rocking but with lashings of melody. Love the organ work too. Harks back to Styx of yore.

    11. High Crimes & Misdemeanors - 4/5 I know this one is generally reviled with it's old-man-shakes-fist-at-clouds lyrics but I love the word-play and verse melody. The chorus can't quite live up to the rest of the song but it's nit ruinously bad.

    12. Just Fell In - 3/5 I don't completely detest '50s rock & roll pastiches but it's not really what I want from Styx. It's okay but it's my least favourite song here.

    13, Goodbye To Roseland - 4/5 Sad to see Dennis go but this lovely little gospel number is a nice way to sign out.

    14. BNW (reprise) - 4/5 Sums up the albums themes well.
     
  9. Ken.e.

    Ken.e. Spinning music since...

    Sort of like hearing a new Styx album, also a bit like watching a move that you now how it ends. I am glad I enjoyed it, I was worried and I know there is a better album to be made out of it.

    I want to give a few days until I try the shorter version and see what I think.
     
  10. The MEZ

    The MEZ Forum Resident

    Location:
    CT
    I agree with much of what been said for Brave New World album. Too long & I not care for 3 or 4 tracks: Number One, High Crimes and Misdemeanors and Just Fell In. I skip those songs or removed from digital library. Best New Face I like the remix. Gotta say though with these changes I make, I like the album quite well enough.
     
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  11. cageyc

    cageyc Forum Resident

    Location:
    Columbia, MO
    Great insights, ideas, and info from the thread on BNW as well.

    For me, BNW vies with Cyclorama for basement ceiling position in the Styx discography, with Edge sprawling all over the cellar floor: both later albums feature vastly improved songwriting over Edge, but not so much to elevate either of them to upper echelon status. The return of Tommy alone makes BNW worth serious consideration, though, especially in contrast to its toothless predecessor, and his reappearance lifts the album into the realm of True Styx, even if the production gloss dilutes the band’s classic era warmth. Also, their signature, slightly off-kilter aesthetic and intelligence are reinstated here, albeit not in full force, and this comes through in defiance of the boxy, high relief mastering that makes the album seem like the work of a different artist with “Styx flourishes” superimposed on it.

    Kind of a compelling—sort of dark—listen, and in the end the fact that it’s the last album-length recording with Dennis may push it past Cyclorama in my estimation, although I didn’t think that prior to this listen.
     
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  12. Standoffish

    Standoffish Smarter than a turkey

    Location:
    North Carolina
    Brave New World

    (Note: This thread was the first time I've heard this album. I listened to it several times, and noted how my thoughts changed from my initial listen in parentheses).

    I Will Be Your Witness – After a somewhat mysterious keyboard opening, this leads into a really cool guitar riff. There's a sort of haunting vibe to the song, and the chorus is nice and catchy. Cool jam. (This one really grew on me)

    Brave New World – Tommy sounds good here, and I like the Eastern feel. The lyrics sound like some sort of spiritual awakening and the music reflects that nicely. Another catchy chorus. (And another grower)

    While There's Still Time – If I didn't know, I never would guess that this is DDY's voice. Nicely sung, but lacks his usual personality. A pleasant ballad. (I have no emotional connection to this – it's like quality Muzak)

    Number One – I like how the song alternates between sunny and rockin' (I'd like the bass to be a little stronger in those parts). And we get not one, but two guitar solos! A rare Styx treat. (Still digging this one)

    Best New Face – An OK bar room dance tune, but this isn't bringing anything new to the table. (So catchy and fun, I like what this brings to the album)

    What Have They Done to You – JY's vocals remind me of Axl Rose on “Locomotive”. Tommy brings it, and I like the chorus. Not a whole lot going on musically here (could we get a guitar solo?), but Tommy carries this song. (Liked this one a lot from first listen)

    Fallen Angel – To my ears, DDY's channeling Billy Joel. Gotta say, Billy does this kind of thing better. (Sidenote: A Billy Joel album-by-album thread would be cool). Decent song, though. (Yeah, this one didn't grow on me)

    Everything is Cool – Good stuff, and I like the Meatloaf-y chorus. We even get a pretty tasty guitar solo. I have to think this would have been even better with more DDY vocals and keyboards. (Liked this one from the first listen)

    Great Expectations – A breezy song to play while you're lounging around poolside, I guess. Has a Police-y vibe. (This song just doesn't grab me)

    Heavy Water – This time, JY's vocals remind me of Wall of Voodoo's “Mexican Radio”. The song itself takes me back to the Wooden Nickle days (in a good way) – it would feel at home on Serpent Is Rising. (I appreciate this as a kind of throwback Styx jam)

    High Crimes and Misdemeanors (Hip-Hop-Cracy) – These lyrics describe a lot of the political commentary these days, and make about as much sense. (I don't hate it, I guess)

    Just Fell In – Sounds like something from the soundtrack of Grease 2. (Nope, this one's not for me)

    Goodbye Roseland – Has DDY always had a Billy Joel part of him and I'm just noticing it on this album? At any rate, this is a nice song. (Thought this was lightweight at first, but DDY's voice elevates it)

    Brave New World (Reprise) – A cool coda to the album. Seems to signal the band is ready for a new era. (This song is better after getting to know the album)

    Overall: This album makes sense after reading about the behind-the-scenes stuff. It sounds like Tommy and Dennis combined two solo albums. There's not a sense of collaboration here. Tommy's songs are much better IMO. Some good stuff here, and a stronger album than you would expect.
     
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  13. Shooz01

    Shooz01 Forum Resident

    Location:
    St Louis area
    Guess I’m going to have to spin BNW again and try to be more open minded and get past some of my initial dislikes from when it was first released. Might throw on the headphones tonight and We’ll see what happens .
     
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  14. MikeInFla

    MikeInFla Glad to be out of Florida Thread Starter

    Location:
    Kalamazoo, MI
    I really like to read the reviews of BNW for those here who have just heard it for the first time. I guess my initial write up prepared them for the worst! I don't hate it. It's just something I never play very much.
     
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  15. Melllvar

    Melllvar No Matter Where You Go, There You Are!

    Location:
    Anchorage, Alaska
    Brave New World:

    After being ecstatic with the Greatest Hits comps and the awesome Return to Paradise album, I was happy to see the band was back and making new music again. Even more so when I found out that Tommy was in the fold. However, a bit sad when I heard John passed away. Hearing those new tracks on the Hits and RTP albums made me optimistic that perhaps a proper studio album would come. Thankfully that day came when I heard the news from Tommy on the old dot com around 1999. I recall reading from Tommy that the new album was going to be like the old stuff... you know before we went soft. Sure. Anyway, the album was revealed with the artwork and title and I was now hyped up. Didn't care for the artwork and man, the band could of done better given past album packaging. The title got me, Brave New World. Which got me thinking if it was a thematic or dare I say it, a concept ?! I finally got the album in June '99 and put it on, waiting to hear some new music from the classic line up and it was... disappointing. The year had already wowed me with some great releases such and I was hoping this would be no exception. As others have said, the album really doesn't feel like a group effort, just a collection of solo offerings. I was also hoping the band would carve out another progy song or two much like their 70s heyday. Nope. Well, disappointment aside, I wasn't a bad album. It grew on me and I do play a couple tracks from it to this very day. My grievance was that the album was overly long and just didn't feel baked in. As Dennis would go on to say, it really was a missed opportunity.

    I Will Be Your Witness:
    It's an okay song overall, but not something I would use to kick off the album. I do like how atmospheric it is and cool vocals, too.

    Brace New World: This song has been a long time favorite. Cool eastern influence, great vocals and feels hypnotic to me which keeps to the sci-fi-ish theme of the song.

    While There's Still Time: I actually has the Assorted Chews comp, so I know this song quite well. Save for some slight re-work, I find this ballad pretty good for the most part. Really enjoy the lead from Dennis and of course Tommy backing him, which almost feels like a classic Styx ballad.

    Number One: I dunno, it's pretty clear it has the feel of the Tommy solo track. By itself, I like this melodic rocker nonetheless.

    Best New Face: The other favorite. Great groove and catchy hook. Oddly, it reminds me of what Marillion was doing around the same time.

    What Have They Done to You: JY and Tommy trading vocals? Yea, please! I do like how the band is using some modernization here.

    Fallen Angel: Has a noir-ish Broadway feel to it. I seem to agree that Dennis is channeling Mr. Joel here. It's okay for the most part. However, the song just doesn't do much for me.

    Everything is Cool:
    This should of opened the album proper. I love the montage of the effects and quotes (musical and vocal) that open the song. It's a pretty solid rocker and should been on the Come Sail Away comp.

    Great Expectations:
    Mixed on this one. It just doesn't work as a Styx song. DDY solo, sure. With that, it's not really memorable to me.

    Heavy Water: ...and jumping into a JY rocker. After the last song, this a decent palette cleanser. It does feel like a 70s Styx rocker and hey, the lyrics aren't bad either. I always enjoyed this song in a concert setting.

    High Crimes & Misdemeanors (Hip Hop-Cracy): Again. Mixed on this one. Political, but not really adding anything, aside from a person shaking their fist in the air. If anything, I really hate the chorus of the Hip Hop-cracy being shouted. Ugh.

    Just Fell In: Hated this one, but I come to like it due to the bands silly sense of humor. Disappointed that Dennis didn't sing the lead on this, 'cos it would of worked way better than Tommy's.

    Goodbye Roseland: Closing out with a poignant ballad from DDY. It's a beautiful song and I like it. Goodbye indeed.

    Brave New World (Reprise): A fitting coda and wrapping up the theme into this synthy rocker that pretty much points the way forward for the band.


    Gee, over twenty years since I've listened to this album front to back. I remember the drama that followed and that awful Behind the Music episode. I was heartbroken that Dennis was ousted. I wasn't sure if I wanted to continue following the band after this after reading someone new was taking DDY's place. For that period, I was team Dennis and hoped he would return. Eventually, I chose to stick with it and give the new line up a chance. Knowing now what was to come, it was a good decision.
     
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  16. MikeInFla

    MikeInFla Glad to be out of Florida Thread Starter

    Location:
    Kalamazoo, MI
    Cyclorama – Feb 18, 2003 (ironically DeYoung’s birthday)
    [​IMG]
    1. Do Things My Way (4:47)
    2. Waiting For Our Time (4:12)
    3. Fields Of The Brave (3:23)
    4. Bourgeois Pig (0:49)
    5. Kiss Your Ass Goodbye (3:13)
    6. These Are The Times (6:45)
    7. Yes I Can (3:50)
    8. More Love For The Money (3:47)
    9. Together (4:46)
    10. Fooling Yourself (Palm Of Your Hands) (0:39)
    11. Captain America (3:53)
    12. Killing That Thing You Love (5:36)
    13. One With Everything (5:56)
    14. Genki Desu Ka (2:36) followed by hidden tracks: Tenacious D Skit, The Chosen One

    With the lawsuit now settled the band were free to record. The musicians decided to work collectively (as all songs are credited to each member but honestly I think it would have made more sense just to say “all songs written and performed by Styx”). The main writers brought in ideas and the other members contributed to each song. Various album titles were pitched such as “Paste Tense” and “Future Perfect” before deciding on “Cyclorama”.

    Tom Lipsky (CMC International): “Tommy was so excited. He felt everything was positive. The struggle of dealing with creative differences was no longer there. There were no disagreements. It was a very positive situation for the band”.

    The artwork was pretty nice and developed by Storm Thorgerson. Personally, I thought all the images on the artwork were very Pink Floyd-ish (not a bad thing, it has some cool art and Storm worked on several Floyd album covers).

    The album was produced by Tommy, JY & Gary Loizzo.

    Glen: “I enjoyed Cyclorama but the recording wasn’t a lot of fun. I was fried at the time, pulled on one side by my family on the East Coast while I was off on the West Coast. I couldn’t wait for it to be finished. Even though I wrote and sang more on Edge, I like Cyclorama better”.

    The album would be released on DDY’s birthday and the online fans started speculating if songs were about Dennis. The Chicago Tribune commented on the lyrics to Bourgeois Pig.

    Todd: “Dennis was never the target of songs. Kiss Your Ass Goodbye was about death. Killing That Thing You Love was about Lennon’s assassin. That song was written in 1994, The Quasimodo line is pure coincidence (not referring to DDY’s Hunchback). There was NEVER a poke a Dennis. The original release date was Feb 4. CMC pushed it back because they said they weren’t ready, so that’s their date”.

    Do Things My Way – The Burger King song! At least that’s how I always felt about it. Some fans think the song is about Dennis but the band denies it. Decent enough song but personally I feel some of the vocals are buried in the mix to the point I can’t tell what Tommy is singing.

    Waiting For Our Time – First single from the album released on CD with one song (CMCDJ 87342-2). Mid tempo rocker with Tommy on vocals.

    Fields Of The Brave – A song from “the new guy”. Lawrence does a good job here on this song incorporating into the Styx sound. So far it is the first song on the album that sounds like Styx (to me).

    Bourgeois Pig – Throw away track with spoken word by Billy Bob Thornton who is a friend of Tommy’s. This is the only track on the album to feature Chuck on bass, so there’s that at least.

    Kiss Your Ass Goodbye – Very radical departure for the band. Glen’s tune was much like the pop-punk bands of the time. I called this Styx-182. Features backing vocals from Tenacious D.

    These Are The Times – The most classic sounding song on the record. JY had presented this to Dennis for “Return To Paradise” but it was rejected. This version was reworked inspired in part by the death of his brother Rick. Originally it was about intervention. Originally inspired by JY’s experience staging an intervention for John Panozzo. The chord progression is a lift from “Love In The Midnight”. *** I am going to surprise some people here but I don’t care for this song. While it does have some personal meaning to JY I feel it is a very weak track although lyrically strong. I rank this song and Eddie as his two worst Styx tracks. It just does nothing for me and wasn’t the rocker I expected from a JY track.


    Yes I Can – A leftover Damn Yankees song from the aborted third Damn Yankees album. They would shoot a video for this which would be released on the CMC/Sanctuary release “21st Century Live” later in 2003. It was a double disc set with disc 1 being a live CD of previously released songs and the second disc a DVD of live videos and the “Yes I Can” video. The video reminded me of “Seeds Of Love” by Tears For Fears. (And we will not be covering “21st Century Live”).

    More Love For The Money – Another good Gowan tune channeling The Beatles & Queen.

    Together – Another mid tempo song from Tommy. I don’t know if this is a left over track from his solo career or Damn Yankees. Perhaps it was an all new song.

    Fooling Yourself – A vocal arrangement by Glen Burtnik. Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys can clearly be heard on this tune as he contributed backing vocals. Todd had been doing some drum work with Brian so they were able to bring him on board for this short song.

    Captain America – Typical JY rocker, a tribute to Peter Fonda (when played live). I like this song but it is missing a great keyboard solo. Could’ve been about a minute longer in my opinion.

    Killing That Thing You Love – Originally written in 1994 as “Lennon’s Assassin” the title was changed for the album. I really enjoy this song as it has some good progressive elements and tempo changes and I like Glen’s delivery on vocals as he seems relaxed.

    One With Everything – Now were talkin’! This is hands down the best song on the album and a taste of what’s to come in later releases! Just an overall great track with outstanding playing from all members. They would continue to play this in their live set for years to come.

    Genki Desu Ka was basically a drum track from Todd and an obscure sounding song. Followed on CD by a Tenacious D Skit.

    The album would divide the fan base. Some diehard fans felt it was the best thing they released in a long time while others said it was the worst.

    Styx was also no longer a top priority at CMC. CMC International had sold out to Sanctuary Records. The band felt Sanctuary didn’t do enough promotion. The album stiffed, selling worse than even the Wooden Nickel albums.

    A tour would follow the album billed as “Classic Rock’s Main Event” with REO Speedwagon and Journey.

    Glen was losing interest in the band. He had a wife and kids and the touring was taking a toll on family life. He was also discouraged by touring on greatest hits and no matter how good his songs could be the fans wanted to hear the old stuff. He had written a backlog of songs and Styx felt like he was saving his best stuff for his solo albums. JY had been working on getting “Kiss Your Ass Goodbye” released as a single when Glen announced he was leaving. With him gone it didn’t make sense to release it. Glen: “The band had no choice in me leaving. What were they gonna do? Fire me for quitting? I became an ass so I had to quit. As for my career with Styx I feel it doesn’t amount to a hill of beans. It’s possible I could work with them on some level some day, I suppose. But I wouldn’t sell any more tickets and that’s the bottom line”.

    Styx hired bassist Ricky Phillips (Babys, Bad English, Coverdale/Page) to replace Glen. Ricky: “JY called me and said we weren’t even going to cover the bass playing end of it, that’s a done deal. It was more about vocals and Styx having a distinct sound and if a voice doesn’t fit it can be completely different”.

    In 2004 A&M would release Come Sail Away: The Styx Anthology covering the bands entire career. Each song has been remastered and it is a very nice compilation set and contains a longer version of Man In The Wilderness (6:57 over a full minute longer than the album version). It would later be reissued in 2006 as “Styx Gold” with altered and lame packaging.
     
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  17. MikeInFla

    MikeInFla Glad to be out of Florida Thread Starter

    Location:
    Kalamazoo, MI
  18. Ken.e.

    Ken.e. Spinning music since...

    Like the last few albums I have never heard this one before. I do recall seeing it at the library when I took the kids there. I went to take it out but they were missing the disc. As a result I didn't hear it. I do recall thinking that the carrot on the cover was lame.
    I will be giving it a listen and letting you know my thoughts. @MikeInFla you are not selling me on this one.

    I did buy Styx Gold as I had no Styx on CD other than the Wooden Nickel excellent collection, just my old LPs. I didn't listen to it often and totally forgot that there were post Mr Roboto tracks on it. I am typically not a Best of listener. I tend to like to hear the album. I will have to pull it out after I get through Cyclorama.

    Looking forward to hearing the first of the Gowan contributions.
     
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  19. MikeInFla

    MikeInFla Glad to be out of Florida Thread Starter

    Location:
    Kalamazoo, MI
    Some may disagree with me on it and think it is awesome. Don't get me wrong, it does have its moments. But over all, like the last release, too many songs and some that just don't sound like Styx. But when they are on - they are on. Ironically, Gowan's stuff sounds more like Styx than Tommy's (IMO).

    As for the artwork, I like it but there is much more to see inside. it was nicely packaged on high gloss heavy weight paper.

    If you have the "Gold" CD "One With Everything" is on that set.
     
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  20. MikeInFla

    MikeInFla Glad to be out of Florida Thread Starter

    Location:
    Kalamazoo, MI
  21. Styxguy

    Styxguy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Canada
    I'll have to do a 'double shot' in the next couple of days to catch up... Came down with a cold (thankfully NOT COVID) early last week and was just not in the mood to sit down and give it my all... today I'm feeling better but I've got a jam session with friends :p

    One that I found strange with Cyclorama (as @MikeInFla points out, the label wasn't making them much of a priority) is that even with the album not doing so well, they would re-release it on DVD-Audio and Hybrid DualDisc in 2004.

    These releases would also include on screen lyrics, music videos for "Waiting For Our Time" & "Fields Of The Brave" and 'Studio Commentary' from Tommy and the late Garry Loizzo

    I believe that makes it the first surround sound (5.1) Styx album!
    [Grand Illusion almost had a Quadraphonic release - test pressings exist]

    Oh... it just so happens that 14 years ago today - I saw my first DDY solo concert, AND got to meet him! When we were taking a photo together he turned to me and said "Holy s#it, how old are you?!" I was 23 at the time :p Great memories!
     
    Last edited: Sep 27, 2021
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  22. GrahamBW

    GrahamBW Senior Member

    Location:
    Illinois, USA
    My local library had a copy of Come Sail Away: The Styx Anthology, so I checked it out. As a result, "One With Everything" is the only song I've heard from Cyclorama. It's a damn good song, but it sounds more like Emerson, Lake & Palmer than Styx.

    My Styx journey ends here. I just wasn't interested in them after this.
     
    Pete Puma, Ken.e., LouChang and 2 others like this.
  23. mrjinks

    mrjinks Optimistically Challenged

    Location:
    Boise, ID.
    I was certainly excited for BNW, after thinking two of the new tracks on Return to Paradise were terrific. I’ll admit to being worried about whether Dennis could do anything convincingly Styx-like, though.

    Then the album came and my enthusiasm vanished. I’ve been too wordy in some previous posts, so I’ll try to cut it down here, especially since others have done a fine job of pointing out most of my issues with this disc.

    It’s just so … meh. There’s Dennis with another ****ing song about being “miles away” and how she’ll “cry” because he’s gone. Does anyone think those two have an UNHEALTHY co-dependence? My god, they’ve been married since the Stone Age and there’s always someone crying because they’re going to spend time apart. I’d love to see Suzanne tell Dennis she’s going to the store for groceries… the anguish, the pain, the horrible LOSS of each other!!!

    I think the two Tommy songs on RTP better all of his songs here by quite a bit. Those backing vocals on “Witness” just sound … wrong. Then there’s the Burnikification of Tommy, with “WHO’S THAT RUSHING OUT THE DOOR, WHO’S NOT TAKING ANY MORE” on Number One, which I really didn’t need. I enjoy the title track, for the most part, it’s got great atmosphere. Everything is Cool is just ok for me. Aside from I’m Gonna Make You Feel It, I really can’t make out any of the other tracks buried in the intro, which I think is a production problem (if a fan like me can’t make the stuff out, how do most people manage?). Unlike most here, I kinda like the easy shuffle of Just Fell In (hey Mike, do you know what the masked stuff in the intro says?).

    Aside from Dennis' treacly Suzanne song, I think I like his stuff more than the others here. It’s not remotely rock ‘n’ roll, but it seems like there’s some real effort in the lyrics. Fallen Angel is another “don’t look to the celebs as role models” song, and I like that sentiment. Great Expectations repeats that “trust yourself” theme and again I like that. So does “High Crimes,” but unfortunately it’s another of Dennis “novelty songs” IMO, along with Roboto, Music Time, Boys Will Be Boys (solo) and others. Still, the stately Goodbye Roseland is a suitably downbeat melancholy farewell that would prove oddly prophetic.

    I also think JY stepped it up a bit here. His contributions are somewhat predictable, but they manage that “sounds like Styx” litmus test that some of us require. Overall, though, the lack of cohesion in production really mars this disc. On the reprise, listen to how the vocals seem almost randomly mixed at about the 1:15 mark. They’re all in there, but they sound like they’re singing different songs! No way would something that sloppy have made it out back in the day.

    For a band that struggled to get 8 songs on most of their albums, having 13 on this was ridiculous. Too many songs, and most were subpar, IMO. Funny (but understandable!) to have this album be the first since Man of Miracles to have no pics of the band members, too...

    Updated rankings:
    1(a): The Grand Illusion
    2(a): Paradise Theatre
    3(a): Equinox
    4(a): Styx II

    5(b): Pieces of Eight
    6(b): Crystal Ball
    7(b): Cornerstone

    8(c): Man of Miracles
    9(c): Styx
    10(c): Kilroy Was Here

    11(d): The Serpent Is Rising
    12(d): Brave New World

    12 (e): Edge of the Century
     
    yesstiles, carlwm, Styxguy and 7 others like this.
  24. MikeInFla

    MikeInFla Glad to be out of Florida Thread Starter

    Location:
    Kalamazoo, MI
    JY - Okay ladies, it's time for your medication.
     
    Styxguy, Ken.e. and mrjinks like this.
  25. SRC

    SRC That sums up Squatter for me

    Location:
    New York, NY
    Unlike Brave New World, I come into Cyclorama having heard at least one track from it before today - "Waiting For Our Time", which I heard when the album came out. But the rest of the record is new to me. I'm not a fan of its album art - I love those old surreal Pink Floyd album covers, but this one seems a bit silly and I don't see how it relates even as metaphor.

    "Do Things My Way" - This is a good start to album, and overall it's one of the better tracks on it.

    "Waiting For Our Time" - I think this is a great song (and recording/production) and I've really liked it since I first heard it. Shaw sounds great, and while at times it reminds me more of King's X than classic Styx, I'm a fan - the best Styx song for me since Kilroy Was Here, if not even earlier.

    "Fields of the Brave" - I've been dreading hearing Gowan on a Styx record. I've only heard him in live videos, and I can't help but compare him unfavorably with DeYoung, since he seems to be somewhat consciously trying to fill the role of that kind of vocal sound even on the new songs. But comparatively, his voice is a bit thin and slightly grating to me. It's better than Burtnik, I'll give him that. As far as the song, I'll elaborate later but a lot of Gowan's stuff now comes off to me sort of like a "Rutles" version of Queen. But this one has a nice wordless harmony section somewhere in the middle, I don't really know what he's on about but this is as good or possibly better than his other contributions to the album.

    "Bourgeois Pig" - This track nearly made me abandon listening to the album, and subsequently this whole listening thread! Bringing in Thornton is just weird enough, but these lyrics...if they don't insult DeYoung intentionally, than the band is foolish to not see how everyone else would make the connection.

    "You got too big
    You forgot where you came from
    You big pop star
    You took it too far
    You better get humble and then some"

    So, the allegedly egotistic, ostensible leader/founder of the band gets kicked out, some public acrimony, and then they put this on the first record without him? I know this thread is not about pro- and anti-DeYoung squabbles. But I can't judge the album without considering that here either the band is being petty (and hiding behind Thornton in doing so) or just clueless in terms of how this would be taken. Bad song anyway. How many voices do we need on this record?

    "Kiss Your Ass Goodbye" - Well, now that I'm pissed off a bit, here comes Burtnik with a kind of second-rate power pop-punk song that, like much of his other material I believe, was meant to ride some current trend at the time in the hopes of success, but then failed.

    "These Are The Times" - OK, this one seems to intentionally be drawing on elements of the classic Styx sound, and I think that's a reasonable thing to do! I feel on a classic Styx album, this would have fit in relatively, even if it doesn't reach the heights of the band's best work by any stretch. But it does have some nice, very Styx-like sections, particularly the more instrumental and wordless parts.

    "Yes I Can" - Innocuous enough but doesn't move me. I was never a big Damn Yankees fan, but at least that "High Enough" had that memorable, soaring chorus. This is accessible, but unremarkable.

    "More Love For The Money" - Again, sounds like somebody's dad is trying to channel Queen via Jellyfish or something. And again, the timbre of Gowan's voice comes off unfavorably in comparison to the likes of classic rock singers of the 70's - those who might have sold this tune far better. The tune itself is OK to me, it's just missing some mojo in how it comes over.

    "Together" - Another tune that is fine, harmless, but just not unique or compelling enough to really grab me. The word generic comes to mind, though it's better than that.

    "Fooling Yourself" - Unnecessary, and only drawing unfavorable comparison to better, earlier work. Since I've read that Shaw was originally inspired to write this song about DeYoung, I can't help but wonder if it's inclusion here is another nod towards DDY. The album was released on DDY's birthday? It's all a bit weird, who knows.

    "Captain America" - A modern update on "Miss America" I suppose, and I guess it's up to snuff with a few of JY's other contributions over the years. I like when Shaw takes the lead vocal later on, that's always a nice touch when these two trade off. But as with many other tracks here, I find myself enjoying the instrumental moments (i.e. the guitar solo and riffs) more than I really appreciate the song itself.

    "Killing The Thing That You Love" - Sorry, I don't buy the band's denials here either; this song also comes off very much insultingly directed at DeYoung:

    "Brick by brick you built a mansion
    Piece by piece it seems
    You're tearing it down
    Once you walked so tall and handsome
    Now nobody even wants you around
    Now you're just some kind of
    Leftover clown
    Now you're like Quasi Modo crying"

    The song is clearly not about Lennon's assassin, it's about someone else who they compare with Lennon's assassin, metaphorically. They didn't think DeYoung or the fans would make a connection between Quasimodo and the Hunchback musical DeYoung wrote? Anyway, the song, like many others here, goes on too long, and comes off as second-rate and derivative. Jellyfish did this kind of thing very well - that kind of Queen meets power pop/harmony band thing, but Gowan's and Burtnik's attempts to follow suit on this album feel forgettable and self-conscious. What was cool was that Jellyfish was in their 20s, and they brought a kind of second-generation energy to earlier styles, a sincerity and scrappy freshness that a few guys in their late 40s can't quite pull off here.

    "One With Everything" - Finally the album feels like it's getting back on track, after having started to lose focus and quality after the second track. This is a good tune. Some of its retro aspects (the synth solo) feel again a tad derivative of other bands instead of Styx, despite what should feel more organic to the Styx sound. But it's very good anyway, probably the second best track on the album after "Waiting For Our Time", both of which are better than anything the band had done in twenty years at this point.

    "Genki Desu Ka" - With that title, I wrong-headedly hoped this might be some kind of poignant and thoughtful instrumental track, like "Aku-Aku." I know, it's an almost offensively tenuous connection. But my foolish expectation lead to more disappointment. This feels like a throwaway track meant just to pad out the album to the excessive length typical of the period. And as far as the ending bit, I like Tenacious D but it's almost like they strangely went out of their way to be unfunny here, this feels a bit forced and gratuitous. Then there's the "Chosen One" hidden track, which is actually kind of interesting. Did that appear elsewhere in one of the other songs, did I miss it? This sounds like good material they should have expanded on, in place of stuff like "Bourgeois", "Genku", etc.

    OK, that's my overlong detailed take on the album. It may have come off too negative, but there are positives. There are the seeds of something good here. It's typical of these forums to imagine a different/shorter album decades after the fact, but I'm going to do so here. I would take off "Bourgeois Pig", "Kiss Your Ass", "Fooling Yourself", "Killing The Thing...", and "Genki". I'm not doing the actual math but that would still result in an album over forty minutes in length, I think. And avoiding my endless questions about whether something really "sounds like Styx" or not, it would be a far stronger record than they'd made since the original era. I can appreciate that there's a sense of unity on this album that was missing on Brave New World. I'm just not fully on board for what they are unified about. Some of these songs have a vague sense of "spiritual longing" but a lot of the rest comes off a bit more trite, if not cynical and glib, than I'd prefer from Styx.
     
    Last edited: Sep 27, 2021
    fsutall, cageyc, Styxguy and 9 others like this.

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