Four out of Five ****
My copy of Styx’s eighteenth album came today (6/9). I have been listening to the first single since it was released back in May. Someone posted the entire album on YouTube a couple of days and I listened to it in the background, knowing that my copy was on the way. As I sit here typing this, I’m almost through my second listen since it arrived in the mail this afternoon. I forgot I had ordered the CD so that is what I am listening to. I recently ranked all of Styx’s albums knowing that the ranking would change by at least one. Once I discuss the songs I will try to decided where this one fits.
The album contains thirteen songs and clocks in right at forty-one minutes. Like their previous two albums, it is being released on the band’s own label Alpha Dog 2T in conjunction with Universal Music Enterprises. Producer Will Evankovich returns and co-write the majority of the songs with Tommy Shaw, much as he did on The Mission and Crash Of The Crown. This go-around he is listed as an actual member of the band and contributes lead vocals in addition to the different instruments he plays. Another change to the line up is Terry Gowan on bass guitar. He is long-time keyboardist/vocalist Lawrence’s younger brother. Chuck Panozzo is still listed as a member but I am unsure as to which songs (if any) he played on. Todd Shucherman returns on drums.
Let me begin by saying that this does not sound exactly like “classic” Styx but it does contain elements that make you immediately go, “Hey that’s Styx.” If you are familiar with their previous two albums then you’ll hear it. If you are a fan of their recent output then I believe you will like this one as well. This album is full of lush vocals, vintage-sounding synths, and tasteful guitar licks. The bass playing and drumming is incredibly tight and should not get looked over in favor of the other instruments. All four vocalists mesh together perfectly. There are hints of Electric Light Orchestra, Pink Floyd, Queen, and vintage Styx. The songs are relatively short in spite of the various movements. Some of these tracks could have been expanded into ten-minute prog epics but I believe they did the right thing keeping each one under the four-minute mark.
Here are the songs:
Circling From Above – The opener has lush vocals and sweeping synths. There is a serious Pink Floyd vibe and the guitar solo sounds like something David Gilmour would come up with. It’s a nice start to the album and leads right into the next track.
Build And Destroy – This was the first song released and rightfully so. It really does set the tone for the majority of the album. It opens with a really cool keyboard riff. There are vintage-sounding synths and sweeping vocal harmonies. If you are familiar with Neal Morse, you can hear a bit of him in the melody.
Michigan – I haven’t analyzed the lyrics yet so I’ll stick to the music. This one is anchored by solid drumming. The guitar intro is pretty cool. The synths and vocals once again take center stage. Tommy Shaw’s voice is still strong.
King Of Love – Original member James Young has taken a back seat over the years. He rarely contributes to the songwriting and takes the occasional lead vocal. It’s good hearing him here. You’ll see the Queen comparison a lot in this post and it’s here. There are cool guitars, harmonica, and a killer bass line. This is a favorite.
It’s Clear – Soft synths begin this before it starts to build into a “classic” Styx groove. There are nice little synth runs as well as more impeccable drumming. A lot of effort was put into the vocal harmonies and they shine here. There’s also a cool little “cowboy” ending to this one.
Forgive – Piano and acoustic guitar start this one off. Lawrence Gowan and Tommy Shaw blend their voices together perfectly. This one is very mellow and has a Pink Floyd vibe to it, down to the bass playing and sound effects.
Everybody Raise A Glass – There’s no way to describe this one without mentioning Electric Light Orchestra and Queen. This is a quirky slice of power-pop that conjures up both of those groups. Close your eyes and you see Brian May playing the solo. I can imagine Dennis DeYoung singing this one. Another favorite. I love the “Mr. Blue Sky” ending.
Blue Eyed Raven – Violin and what sounds like a horse-drawn wagon start this one off before the flamenco-tinged guitar kicks in. The music fits the “gypsy woman” lyrical theme. Fiddle and mandolin fill this one out. There are some vocal flourishes that evoke Jeff Lynne.
She Knows – Well, I don’t know that I’ve mentioned Queen and Electric Light Orchestra enough so let’s just throw them out there again. Will Evankoich takes lead vocals and his voice has a rough and smoky quality that brings Roger Daltry to mind. There is a bit of everything here, including a clarinet solo and a snippet that recalls The Beatles’ Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite. The closing, once again, is right out of Jeff Lynne’s playbook.
Ease Your Mind – This is a dreamy forty-five second interlude that leads into the next track.
The Things That You Said – Do you want to guess what this one sounds like? You can insert the winking emoticon here. Cool synths, trippy guitars, and massive vocals abound. I am genuinely impressed with Terry Gowan and Todd Sucherman and their contributions. It would be easy to overlook the bass and drums with all the other stuff going on but they make their presence know. Currently, this is my favorite track.
We Lost The Wheel Again – A smile came across my face the second this one started playing. If you ever wondered what it would sound like for The Who to write a song with Billy Squier; this one is for you. The main riff sounds a lot like Squier’s Everybody Wants You. Evankovich sings lead on this and he really sounds like Roger Daltry. The really cool and funky bass lines sound like something John Entwistle would lay down. Even the guitar bits evoke Pete Townshend. What a fun song in spite of it sounding nothing like Styx.
Only You Can Decide – Just like that, the Pink Floyd vibe is back. This is super mellow and showcases those harmonies between Gowan and Shaw. David Gilmour is one of my favorite guitarists and this sounds a lot like him. I might not have closed the album with this one but I like it.
There you have it. I think I may have made the comment on TwiXter that I didn’t like this one quite as much as The Mission or Crash Of The Crown. Well, that was before I had listened to it four times in a row. It doesn’t have the outright prog leanings of those two and the guitars take a more melodic role instead of rocking out. However, at the moment I think I like this one slightly more. Repeated listens have revealed all that power-pop goodness that I adore.
I’ve been watching fans online and there is a bit of a divide amongst them. Only a few seem to truly hate it. It does seem that many feel it is a step back. I am inclined to disagree. I love this album. In fact, Cosmic Cathedral (which feature Neal Morse) now has a serious contender for my album of the year.
So, based upon my rankings, this one lands at #10, where Crash Of The Crown was. However, in that post I confessed that #9 and #8 were sentimental picks based entirely on memories connected with certain songs. If I take that into consideration now, then all three of Styx’s recent albums would bump up two spots. That means Circling From Above would land at #8. Crash Of The Crown would be #9. The Mission would now rank at #10. Edge of The Century falls to #11 and Kilroy Was Here ends up at #12. I think I can live with that. What about you?
Grace and peace.
That 80s Pastor Dude 