THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Tag: styx

STYX – Pieces Of Eight

November 5, 2021 /

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.

STYX – Kilroy Was Here

February 27, 2021 /

This was the band’s 11th studio release, and the last of their huge selling albums. After the release, the tour, and promotion, the band disappeared for seven years. When the band first started out, they were a progressive/pop rock band, but by the time this album was released, they had changed the sound to a pop rock outfit with their eyes on the singles chart.

To emphasize that point the opening track, Mr. Roboto, was a huge hit for the band. The concept around the album was based around the censorship of music, and was aimed at the group Majority for Musical Morality – a right wing Christian group. After the strong opening of Mr Roboto, the very poppy Cold War is next, before the uber ballad Don’t Let It End, which was another huge smash. High Time closes out Side 1, and is another full on pop song. In fact, this band sounds nothing like the band that started out in ’72.

Side 2 begins with Heavy Metal Poisoning, a rather sanitized rocker. Just Get Through The Night is next, and it really should belong on Broadway as it’s more of a show tune. Double Life, and Haven’t We Been Here Before just trundle on by, and the last song is just a reprise of Don’t Let It End.

This album is a million miles away from Pieces Of Eight, which is a classic album. When the band returned, it was without Dennis De Young, and after this album I’m not surprised. Mr Roboto is the best song on the album in my opinion.

6/10 from The Grooveman.

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