Available on Spotify
Genre: Rock’n’Roll
Rating: 4/5
Released June 18, 2021
It’s stupidly difficult to write a good review for Styx. You have to cleanse yourself of your unfounded bigoted assholery. You have purge the propaganda that you’ve been fed since college that said it’s borderline sacrilege NOT to shit on these guys. Like they represent everything that’s wrong with rock’n’roll as if anything could ever be wrong with rock’n’roll. That somehow it means I don’t love The Ramones anymore or never did.
I insisted on giving this record a fair shot after listening to the band promote it on Eddie Trunk’s podcast. I’m therefore extending all the generosity I would to any band that I had never heard of. That never had a hit. That never became an FM radio staple. And why those have become negatives in my mind is beyond me.
FACT: Every Styx song I know from the radio or whatever is awesome.
Sure, Dennis DeYoung isn’t even here but come on, it’s still the band that gave us this:
Yeah it’s good TV writing but it’s the SONG that gives you chills.
So what about this record? Well it draws on influences everywhere. So many, in fact, that it avoids getting bogged down and generic by jumping from influence to influence faster than you can even pin down what they’re doing. Whether we want to admit it, that’s one of the best features of postmodernism, at least if you want to ride on the small slither of positivity that’s out there. And this is indeed an optimistic prog record. I’d probably have a little glowing ember of optimism left if I too were getting AOR airplay checks in perpetuity. I know, I know, it’s like how dare anyone express a gratitude for life while we’re burning in this fucking nightmare inferno. But then again why begrudge someone for writing their own happy ending?
Good on ya Styx! It’s a fine listen.
Warmth Highest 