THE GRAND ILLUSION

This was the first full Styx album I ever heard, and many of the songs were already in my head from hearing them on FM radio. Certainly there is a lot of commercial accessibility to this album, but there's also enough progressive flair present that makes for some pretty compelling music. A number of Styx's greatest achievements are present on this album, and each member contributes fairly equally in terms of robust musicianship.

"The Grand Illusion" Bombastic and a bit cheesy, this is one of Styx's grandest moments. With lyrics that walk the line between thoughtful and tacky, and music that does the same, I quite enjoy it very much. The instrumental section is similar to those of Kansas, using a great riff to allow for fantastic soloing and tying it together with the main theme from the beginning.

"Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)" Opening with quirky synthesizers and Pete Townshend-like acoustic guitar thrashing, this is one of the band's most charming and well-known pieces. It displays enjoyable bits of vocal counterpoint and a great melody for the verse.

"Superstars" This song is one of the duller moments of the album. It has a decent rock riff, glistening organ, and those ear-piercing vocal harmonies Styx was known for, but overall it just kind of sounds embarrassing, like a band perhaps emulating Queen's flamboyancy.

"Come Sail Away" Probably the first Styx song I ever heard as a kid sampling my dad's vinyl copy of Caught in the Act Live, I believe it was, this is without a doubt one of the catchiest songs of all time. It has those nostalgic lyrics set to an uplifting melody over light piano that erupts into the arena rock chorus. It's a wonderful song, at least until Cartman ruined it...

"Miss America" Styx tones it down for a bit with this slow, synthesizer-laden introduction before they start churning out a foot-stomping riff. The vocals are again cringe-inducing, but the keyboard and guitar solos are right on the money.

"Man in the Wilderness" One of the overlooked gems in the Styx catalogue, "Man in the Wilderness" makes great use of guitars and keyboards, working out an excellent rock tune. The instrumental section involves a heavy riff with screeching lead guitar.

"Castle Walls" Beginning with a steady bass thudding along and dark washes of keyboards, this dismally haunting song has some of the best guitar work on the album, both in terms of heavy rock riffs and clean, subtle interludes. The music builds with wailing synthesizers until it all falls away, leaving the lonely bass to usher in some mighty fine guitar jamming.

"The Grand Finale" In a grandiose fashion, this final track reprises the first one, adding some more impressive lead guitar and boasting an even bigger sound.