Cyclorama [Enhanced]

Styx's recent album, 2003's Cyclorama was the worst album the band ever did IMHO. The songs sound so forced and contrived. I feel Tommy Shaw is a hypocrite. He said on Behind the Music "I was full of rock music", he was full of garbage. Sing For the Day, She Cares, Boat on the River, half of his solo efforts and some of Damn Yankees' stuff was either folk, country or ballads or all of the above, whom is he to kid. Dennis DeYoung was the creative force in the band and when he got canned whilst fighting a debilitating illness which left his sensitive to light, it felt like a family member defrauding you for thousands, maybe millions of dollars. Among the most blatant slaps in the face to Dennis are the songs: Killing The Thing That You Love, Do Things My Way, Bourgeois Pig, Fooling Yourself(acapella arrangement) and Kiss Your Ass Goodbye which sounds more like Avril Lavigne than Styx. Waiting For Our Time sounds like a power version of Mr. Big's To Be With You. Another track One With Everything sounds like an Alice in Chains holdover from 1992's Dirt, I don't recall Styx ever being a grunge band. The lone original member is James JY Young whom has two great songs but they can't save this disgrace of an album. I got this disc for free last year but sold it after a few days when I realized how awful it was and I did listen to it but fell on the floor laughing at how bad this is. Buy any Styx album from 1975-99 instead and remember them when they were competent and not the joke Tommy Shaw turned them into.

I have been a Styx fan since the release of Equinox in 1975,& after reading the reviews on Cyclorama I was convinced enough to go out & buy it,it does have some good moments but in no way is it a classic Styx album.The production is excellent,& certainly the band is top-heavy with talent,Tommy's singing & guitar playing is top notch as is JY's,& I think it's cool that a fellow Canuck,Gowan ,who is also multi-talented got DDY's job ,& as a unit the band is tight.That being said it is a good album(I have listened to it 4 times now but it is NOT Styx)
I also realise that DDY is not coming back,& is more into broadway type stuff,but he was the heart & soul of the band & it's simply not the same without him.This is just my opinion but I think the band should have changed their name because you cannot compare this album to classic Styx,on the other hand I'm glad the guys are still doing what they do best,certainly mixed feelings about this one,although it is superior to Boston's latest effort which only gave us 2 or 3 decent tracks.If you're
a DDY purist this is not for you on the other hand it is solid
chunk of melodic rock if you had no preconceptions.Love the Hipgnosis cover though.

For everyone who hates this album because it doesnt sound exactly like Styx from Paradise Theatre or Grand Illusion, I say this: they already wrote those albums...why would you want them to write them again or something that sounds just like them? That is the case with all classic rock bands that are still playing today, such as Journey and Aerosmith (especially Aerosmith). Bands want to write something new...they'd get tired and start sucking otherwise.

Thinking of the last album they did, Brave New World, I remember that I didnt particularly like it at all..even the title track, which was the best song on the album, wasn't particularly good. Sometimes when I think of it, I forget that Dennis DeYoung was on that album, and Lawrence Gowan wasn't. Knowing that, I dont think I really miss him much. He didnt do anything for Brave New World, and Edge of the Century wasnt too spectacular. For a fair goodbye to Dennis DeYoung, go buy the Return to Paradise DVD.

Cyclorama is a great album that sounds like everything I love from Styx with great songs. Dennis DeYoung or Lawrence Gowan; it doesnt matter to me. These Are the Times is a wonderful song, very reminiscent of Paradise Theatre. Yes I Can is absolutely beautiful. The album has other great songs, but those are my two favorite.

I just think its sad that older bands like Styx, Journey, Aerosmith, and others dont get the airplay they deserve on new albums. I would incorporate some of these songs happily into a greatest hits collection, but for the general public, all but hardcore fans wont hear them. Buy this album! Good work guys.