Coming of Age

[Monker]

Upon a rehearing it appears that I was wrong about the high vocal in High Enough... Gowan does sing that part. However there are times when TS has 2 vocal tracks going; the lead vocal and one to accompany LG's during the song's more dramatic moments. I am not wrong about Coming of Age though.

I do cuz it's interesting to know who is singing who's bits.

The CD is really worth a listen if you get a chance, I was listening to it again in the car this afternoon and was again taken by how much better this CD is than the first one. Todd does some amazing drum work on this one, really seems to branching out more. The mixes are MUCH tighter and the harmonies are just great. The song selection really works better as a collection than the first one as well, and as I mentioned in a different thread the version they do of "Queen of Spades" is great and different enough that, to me it stands out as one of the best things this incarnation of STYX has done in quiet a while. I'm really looking forward to seeing what they do on part three.

There won't be a part 3. Tommy has recorded all his hits... there's none left. And it won't be a bunch of DDY tunes with
Gowan singing either.

If I remember correctly I read somewhere that they planned on releasing 3 CD's of re-recordings. You are right that have made their way thru Tommy's hits and that's why I think the 3rd CD will have some surprise choices on it. Maybe they will address some of Tommy and Gowan's solo material, or go for some ot Tommy and JY's deeper cuts. Who knows, guess we will just wait and see.

Yes, I read there were sposed to be 3, too.

I also agree about the solo songs...and posted the same a few weeks ago. I'd love to hear some 7DZ, and especially some of Gowan's stuff redone.

They should also release all three as a package, along with a DVD...THAT would be worth buying, for a decent price.

[Monker]

I'll probably get shot for this, but I'd like to hear "Shooz" redone just to hear Tommy play slide again. Also wouldn't mind "Lights" or "Love in the Midnight."

I would agree with all three of three of those...Especially Shooz. I never liked the production on that song and I think it could definitely be improved.

[Baron Von Bielski]

I could maybe see them recording Man in the Wilderness, Half-Penny,Two-Penny... and maybe Mademoiselle or Shooz. Most likely I'm O.K. because JY co-wrote it which would be a travesty, but it didn't stop them from recording Queen of Spades. Bad idea... it wasn't good. Anyways... they could record Put Me On, though hearing Gowan sing the DDY part on it would be a crime... so NOPE. Midnight Ride is a possibilty as is Great White Hope. Since they have done Borrowed Time during their live shows as of late with Tommy and JY singing lead vocal, I could see it as also a possibilty. Love in the Midnight would be a good one and so would Lights. Cold War could use a makeover... I've always thought it had a great main riff during the chorus. Anything from their solo works would be stupid. Gowan's Criminal Mind would be the only one that makes sense and the Damn Yankees card has been overplayed. Honestly though... I think Volume 2 is the last.

[Toph]

I could maybe see them recording Man in the Wilderness, Half-Penny,Two-Penny... and maybe Mademoiselle or Shooz. Most likely I'm O.K. because JY co-wrote it which would be a travesty, but it didn't stop them from recording Queen of Spades. Bad idea... it wasn't good. Anyways... they could record Put Me On, though hearing Gowan sing the DDY part on it would be a crime... so NOPE. Midnight Ride is a possibilty as is Great White Hope. Since they have done Borrowed Time during their live shows as of late with Tommy and JY singing lead vocal, I could see it as also a possibilty. Love in the Midnight would be a good one and so would Lights. Cold War could use a makeover... I've always thought it had a great main riff during the chorus. Anything from their solo works would be stupid. Gowan's Criminal Mind would be the only one that makes sense and the Damn Yankees card has been overplayed. Honestly though... I think Volume 2 is the last.

Did they put at least one new track on Volume 2 like they did Volume 1 with that head banger, "Difference In This World"? I would assume that they would have at least put one new track on this one.

[Baron Von Bielski]

I could maybe see them recording Man in the Wilderness, Half-Penny,Two-Penny... and maybe Mademoiselle or Shooz. Most likely I'm O.K. because JY co-wrote it which would be a travesty, but it didn't stop them from recording Queen of Spades. Bad idea... it wasn't good. Anyways... they could record Put Me On, though hearing Gowan sing the DDY part on it would be a crime... so NOPE. Midnight Ride is a possibilty as is Great White Hope. Since they have done Borrowed Time during their live shows as of late with Tommy and JY singing lead vocal, I could see it as also a possibilty. Love in the Midnight would be a good one and so would Lights. Cold War could use a makeover... I've always thought it had a great main riff during the chorus. Anything from their solo works would be stupid. Gowan's Criminal Mind would be the only one that makes sense and the Damn Yankees card has been overplayed. Honestly though... I think Volume 2 is the last.

Did they put at least one new track on Volume 2 like they did Volume 1 with that head banger, "Difference In This World"? I would assume that they would have at least put one new track on this one.

Nope. I guess the 2 Damn Yankees songs were the equivalent.

[Boomchild]

I could maybe see them recording Man in the Wilderness, Half-Penny,Two-Penny... and maybe Mademoiselle or Shooz. Most likely I'm O.K. because JY co-wrote it which would be a travesty, but it didn't stop them from recording Queen of Spades. Bad idea... it wasn't good. Anyways... they could record Put Me On, though hearing Gowan sing the DDY part on it would be a crime... so NOPE. Midnight Ride is a possibilty as is Great White Hope. Since they have done Borrowed Time during their live shows as of late with Tommy and JY singing lead vocal, I could see it as also a possibilty. Love in the Midnight would be a good one and so would Lights. Cold War could use a makeover... I've always thought it had a great main riff during the chorus. Anything from their solo works would be stupid. Gowan's Criminal Mind would be the only one that makes sense and the Damn Yankees card has been overplayed. Honestly though... I think Volume 2 is the last.

Did they put at least one new track on Volume 2 like they did Volume 1 with that head banger, "Difference In This World"? I would assume that they would have at least put one new track on this one.

According to Tommy "the fans" just want the classics. So there's your answer.

[ChicagoSTYX]

http://m.youtube.com/index?desktop_uri=%2F&gl=US#/watch?v=jP7vKyZ4SxU

[FormerDJMike]

Back to Coming Of Age - Just like I didn't like hearing Ted mess up JY's solo in "Renegade" I also don't like JY messing up Ted's solo in "Coming Of Age".

[Rockwriter]

Back to Coming Of Age - Just like I didn't like hearing Ted mess up JY's solo in "Renegade" I also don't like JY messing up Ted's solo in "Coming Of Age".

You know, I thought the one thing Styx could have done is go back and fix what I always thought was a really overbearing, out-of-context solo from Ted on "High Enough." They had the opportunity to replace that with Tommy doing a more appropriate, melodic solo that would have fit the song better. Instead, it sounds like they had JY play it, and he just replaced it with another overbearing, out-of-context solo that's even less appropriate.

This is the one production choice out of everything on these two CDs that makes me scratch my head the most. That solo barely even sounds like a professional musician played it. It sounds like JY (I assume it's him) played the first thing that came to mind and said, "Eh, that'll have to do." For the life of me I don't know why Tommy wouldn't have taken that solo spot when he's so obviously the better choice for it stylistically. That's just not JY's strong suit.

Like a lot of the other little choices that were made, this one just makes me feel like there wasn't any one final person who had editing and decision-making power. These songs just needed someone - anyone - to come in with an outside set of critical ears and say yes and no to performances, editing and mixes. That's what's wrong with it, right there in a nutshell. It could have been so dramatically better with a few small changes.

I hope all is well,


Sterling