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Joined: July 02 2008
Location: Australia
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Points: 14258
Topic: Recommend some Styx Please! Posted: February 01 2012 at 17:50
Ok I read all the reviews for Styx albums and they are pouring out that their Cornerstone album is quote "
Simply catasrophic and Babe makes it sink even deeper than the Mariana Trench. Avoid it , it StynX. "
Nice. I can understand the hate towards power ballads buy hey I like Babe - at least its catchy.
But have they got any albums worth hearing? I have no Styx album but have babe on some dang compilation of Power Ballads. I have heard Mr Roboto on MTV and admired it from a distance. Great film clip and chant - "domo ari goto mr roboto" is all I remember of the song....
What are their proggiest albums?
I have none but would get a prog album of Styx if it exists.
Joined: February 03 2007
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Posted: February 01 2012 at 20:21
Cornerstone is sweet! Yeah, it has a few sappy ballads but so what, it also has some very good tracks. I know I'm in the minority being a Styx fan around here, but like Kansas they get too much abuse. Frankly, Styx-haters can kiss my rump.
Scott, the first four Wooden Nickel albums are good but more hard rock affairs, their first guitarist was a bit different than Shaw. You can check those out later. These are the peak art-period albums, the litmus test to whether Styx is for you or not. I would check them out in this order:
The Grand Illusion Pieces of Eight
then...in any order Crystal Ball Paradise Theater Cornerstone Equinox Wooden Nickel compilation
Keep in mind, Styx is not "prog" but rather great art-rock.....theatrical hard rock with occasionally proggy references. If you need it to be "real prog" in order to enjoy it, skip it. If you just like good music, check it out.
Edit: The first four albums are a LOT of fun, especially "Serpent is Rising" which is considered their weirdest album. But try Grand Illusion before you venture back to the early ones.
Joined: April 29 2006
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Posted: February 01 2012 at 21:22
I couldn't help but think of the South Park episode where Cartman has this thing about if you start singing "I'm sailing away.." and he has to finish the whole song.
Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...
Joined: July 02 2008
Location: Australia
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Posted: February 06 2012 at 08:22
Finnforest wrote:
Cornerstone is sweet! Yeah, it has a few sappy ballads but so what, it also has some very good tracks. I know I'm in the minority being a Styx fan around here, but like Kansas they get too much abuse. Frankly, Styx-haters can kiss my rump.
Scott, the first four Wooden Nickel albums are good but more hard rock affairs, their first guitarist was a bit different than Shaw. You can check those out later. These are the peak art-period albums, the litmus test to whether Styx is for you or not. I would check them out in this order:
The Grand Illusion Pieces of Eight
then...in any order Crystal Ball Paradise Theater Cornerstone Equinox Wooden Nickel compilation
Keep in mind, Styx is not "prog" but rather great art-rock.....theatrical hard rock with occasionally proggy references. If you need it to be "real prog" in order to enjoy it, skip it. If you just like good music, check it out.
Edit: The first four albums are a LOT of fun, especially "Serpent is Rising" which is considered their weirdest album. But try Grand Illusion before you venture back to the early ones.
Thanks I will have a listen to Grand Illusion as soon as I can,
Joined: April 01 2009
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Posted: February 07 2012 at 14:43
I think Equinox is quite solid. And it has "Suite Madame Blue" which might be their best song. It's kind of the precursor to "Come Sail Away", same kind of thing.
I think "The Serpent is Rising" has a strange song about a plexiglass toilet on it, but my recollection is hazy.
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Joined: February 03 2007
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Posted: February 07 2012 at 14:47
^
Indeed it does, with a sing-along that touched on butt wiping among other things. Needless to say that album is the one Dennis DeYoung wishes he could erase from history, but lots of fans enjoy it.
Joined: February 03 2007
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Posted: February 08 2012 at 15:36
^
Featuring this great lyric
A boy of 5 stands close to the toilet
Holds the lid up with one hand
Won't let go the lid for fear that
On his banana it will land
Don't sit down on the Plexiglas toilet yeah
This was the work of the rather eccentric first guitarist, replaced in 75 by Shaw.
Joined: July 20 2013
Location: United States
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Posted: August 12 2013 at 15:48
Ooh Styx is fantastic! I see Equinox as one of their greatest works, Conerstone being one of their weakest. I always found Paradise Theater to be a pretty strong concept album with some awesome pieces of music on it. My three favorites are probably: Equinox Pieces of Eight The Grand Illusion
Anyway, they rock. Tommy Shaw was the death of them in my opinion.
Joined: January 25 2008
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Posted: August 12 2013 at 16:51
I came on board with Styx II cuz of their hit "Lady" in 1973-4, but the album remains, IMHO, their most proggy with Bach's "Little Fugue in G" leading into the seven-minute "Father O.S.A." Still my favorite album of theirs despite it's engineering/production being a step (or two) down from later albums.
After that it's probably Grand Illusion though Equinox has the awesome one-two-punch of "Light Up" and "Lorelei" on Side One and Side Two has the classical instrumental "Prelude 12" leading into the proggy "Suite Madame Blue" and "Mademoiselle," "Jennifer," "Crystal Ball" and "Claire de lune/Ballerina" from Crystal Ball are pretty awesome, too.
I think Grand Illusion lost a little of its possible due because it was competing for air and turntable time with Going for The One, I, Robot, Heart's Little Queen, Cat Scratch Fever, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Steve Winwood, James Taylor, and, of course, the Star Wars soundtrack.
Joined: July 20 2013
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Posted: August 12 2013 at 18:42
BrufordFreak wrote:
I came on board with Styx II cuz of their hit "Lady" in 1973-4, but the album remains, IMHO, their most proggy with Bach's "Little Fugue in G" leading into the seven-minute "Father O.S.A." Still my favorite album of theirs despite it's engineering/production being a step (or two) down from later albums.
After that it's probably Grand Illusion though Equinox has the awesome one-two-punch of "Light Up" and "Lorelei" on Side One and Side Two has the classical instrumental "Prelude 12" leading into the proggy "Suite Madame Blue" and "Mademoiselle," "Jennifer," "Crystal Ball" and "Claire de lune/Ballerina" from Crystal Ball are pretty awesome, too.
I think Grand Illusion lost a little of its possible due because it was competing for air and turntable time with Going for The One, I, Robot, Heart's Little Queen, Cat Scratch Fever, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Steve Winwood, James Taylor, and, of course, the Star Wars soundtrack.
Crystal Ball & Kilroy Was Here are decent, Cornerstone isn't all that great, and I don't care for any of the early stuff (yes, I've heard all of them/owned them on vinyl once upon a time)
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Recommend some Styx Please!
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Finnforest wrote:
Indeed it does, with a sing-along that touched on butt wiping among other things. Needless to say that album is the one Dennis DeYoung wishes he could erase from history, but lots of fans enjoy it.
