KILROY WAS HERE

Kilrow Was Here is the next step in "progressive rock" from everyone's favorite, Styx. I could toss around some words, like "cheesy" or "god damn terrible" but these are too subjective.

Beginning with the "mega" hit, Mr. Roboto, we get perhaps the best moment on here. Lilting chimes lead us into a world of aural pleasure (read: annoying percussive effects drag your bloody corpse through this cheap and hollow radio rock song.). The lyrics are terrible, and the singing could be better, especially for this guy. The song is shallow and disco twinged. Simplistic to extremities, and a good idea of what the entire album is like.

Cold War is painfully plain rock. There is hardly anything complex or emotionally stirring, let alone mentally stimulating or intriguing. It is mainly banal radio disco rock. Oh sure, the vocals are palpable, but everything else is fake and keyboard stuffed. Don't Let It End systematically continues this train wreck as mercilessly as possible. It is one of the oh so reviled bad Styx ballads. Fear it! I hope I mentioned how absolutely weak the story, which isn't so bad on paper, is represented. The lyrics are barely connected, and it sounds so pop minded. Poor pop, at that!

High Time is low time, with boring drumming in a failing strut, paired with kitschy vocals that don't go over well at all. This entire album has the vapid feel of gimmick. Like Styx just did a concept album as a gimmick, in hopes of astounding the masses with their supposed deep nature. I call folly, and see this for what it is. A rock/pop album hastily crafted and bereft of any real substance.

Heavy Metal Poisoning is a more interesting approach, I suppose. In a vain attempt to add diversity, they utilize mediocre and run of the mill hard rock. The tone is a bit more aggressive, but that is still a basic beat set to slightly distorted guitars. Just Get Through The Night sounds vaguely like a Journey rip off. IT is another ballad type song, and offers nothing new or grabbing. It just goes through the same motions until we are all dead bored. Double Life follows, and stumbles, as usual with this album. It is more vocally highlighted pop rock with dreadful keyboard playing.

And another poor ballad. Haven't We Been Here Before, is slow in the worst way. The atmosphere is all but drained and choked. I thought ballads had to at least have a plausible main melody to attract in some ways. There are a few nice melodies present, but most of it is processed and radio oriented rock. The lyrics are pathetic, and that Don't Let It End reprise is just unnecessary, which fits the album, perfectly.

Radio formatted pop rock with little substance and almost no diversity makes for quite the bland album. The playing is second rate, with the keyboard being played meticulously bad. This is Styx in form, with no life to the music, at all.

Best Moment - Title Track

Worst Moment - *insert witty quip about how bad this album is*

* Roboto star.

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