You’d think with my love of things in the heavier side of town that Styx would not be on my radar musically, but this album is a great record and the best thing that they ever did IMHO. I think it’s down to the fact that Dennis De Young only sings the lead on three of the tracks, and even these tracks are quite rocking. This is a Prog fans wet dream, and yes, I’m aware that they are regarded as AOR/pomp gods, but parts of this album could have come out of Britain in the seventies, such as Great White Hope, I’m Ok, and Ding For the Day.
It’s Side 2 that makes this album Styx’s best. With Blue Collar Man, Queen Of Spades, Renegade, and Pieces Of Eight – I think you’ll agree – it doesn’t get better than that. That Hammond intro to Blue Collar Man is awesome and sets the tone for the side, plus Tommy Shaw lets rip on the guitar. Then comes probably the best song they ever did with Queen Of Spades. It opens with a killer vocal from DDY, and then something that you don’t hear too much in Styx tunes, a killer riff and chord pattern, and this time James Young with the killer solo. I’m sure most of you will have heard Renegade, and it follows the pattern of Queen Of Spades except with Tommy on lead vocals. The title track closes out the album and it’s a huge big production with vocal harmonies a plenty, which is a Styx trademark sound.
They sort of lost their way a bit after this record. I know they had some great tunes, but not some great albums.
9/10 from The Grooveman.
