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Styx| By
Vinnie Apicella Seemingly making up for a lifetime's worth of lost time, the last few years have been very kind to the members of Styx, yet with an air of sadness and undoubted uncertainty at the departure of the ever-democratic Dennis De Young and the passing of original drummer John Panozzo, the band carries on. Today, while only two remain from the glory years, Singer/Guitarist Tommy Shaw and Guitarist James Young, the band has filled in the gaps admirably if even a bit awkwardly at first listen, they've brought back veteran musician Glen Burtnik, last heard here doing some vocal harmonies on their 1990 "Edge of the Century" release, returning drummer Todd Sucherman, and keyboardist Lawrence Gowan where at least on the live front the band sounds as close as one could expect-De Young's absence notwithstanding, the man was a presence and an irreplaceable singing voice. Following up on their successful 2000 tour with label mates REO Speedwagon, "Styxworld" is broken into three separate performances that saw them breaking the international barriers for the first time in like 20 years! The recording is faithfully done, at times perfectly clear-take for instance an unlikely appearance of "Criminal Mind," a Gowan-led original and piano-ballad that beckons De Young yet radiates such soul, such splendor, it could've been done right in your living room with only yourself in attendance and you'd hardly distinguish a difference-it's a Styx song. A few other surprises thrown in the mix stop this from being your ordinary, "we're reuniting to do all the hits" exercise in predictability, and all things considered, mixing it up to now aim at the strengths of the individual performers as they now stand makes perfect sense-how about hearing Shaw's "High Enough" one song in. for a few seconds I didn't recognize it then right away it hits you-softly, in an acoustically nostalgic sense-they brought "Lorelei" out from the great beyond-or 1975 as some may refer to and besides opening with the resounding "Rockin' The Paradise," return to "Paradise Theater" twice more for "Half-Penny, Two Penny" and "Snowblind." It deserves repeating, "Snowblind!" When you've comeback from your momentary flight to neverland, the familiar chorus to "Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough" is not a mistake, it's the band, full of surprises, and performing the early '80s Don Henley/Patty Smyth hit. Order is quickly restored however in the three closing tracks, beginning with an inspired but cautious performance of Shaw's first Styx moment "Crystal Ball" that pleased me to no end while apparently putting the Japanese audience into a deep trance. "Miss America" next, and then of course "Come Sail Away" which put the wrap on an interesting, sincere, odd, (sincerely odd?) and unexpectedly tight "Kilroy-less" performance. More Ear Busters
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