Album review: Styx, 'Regeneration Volume I & II'

[ChicagoSTYX]

Got my copy at Best Buy today. They had about 10 copies. Nice packaging and art work. Mixed at Pumpkin Studios by Gary Loizzo and James Young. Mastered by Ted Jensen.

You dropped off froy's copy on the way home right?

Yes, he wanted 2 copies. He was jamming to Strange Animals when I got there.

[Boomchild]

Got my copy at Best Buy today. They had about 10 copies. Nice packaging and art work. Mixed at Pumpkin Studios by Gary Loizzo and James Young. Mastered by Ted Jensen.

So what do you think of it?

Sterling

All I can say, is I am very dissapointed, VERY.

1) I will not buy this. I will download it (for free) Why? I bought disk 1, and I would have bought disk 2. But I can't. Now I would have to both disk 1 and 2 just to get disk 2.
2) So my question why the hell would they treat their fan base this way. No wonder people steal music when they pull stupid crap like this. I am a fan of this line, all line ups. It is about the music. Styx is making it about the money and ego!!!!

Maybe they are just showing their true colors.

[Abitaman]

Got my copy at Best Buy today. They had about 10 copies. Nice packaging and art work. Mixed at Pumpkin Studios by Gary Loizzo and James Young. Mastered by Ted Jensen.

So what do you think of it?

Sterling

All I can say, is I am very dissapointed, VERY.

1) I will not buy this. I will download it (for free) Why? I bought disk 1, and I would have bought disk 2. But I can't. Now I would have to both disk 1 and 2 just to get disk 2.
2) So my question why the hell would they treat their fan base this way. No wonder people steal music when they pull stupid crap like this. I am a fan of this line, all line ups. It is about the music. Styx is making it about the money and ego!!!!

You could have bought it at their website or at a show. That is where STYX released it.

The LABEL released packaged together - NOT STYX.

So, my question is why do you blame Styx for something they are not only not responsible for, but also ignore the fact that you have been perfectly capable of buying THEIR release all along?

I have not been to a Styx show since 07 (did have tickets for the GI/PO8 show, but had to work)
I bought the first one off I tunes, they never put the second on there. So yeah it is their fault on that. Instead of following 1 with 2 on I tunes they signed a deal (can't blame them for that), and released it on a record label. So yeah I am pissed at that. I do not buy Cd's anymore, have not in 3 years. I got rid of all 1,400 Cd's I had. everything is wma now, and yes it is backed up.
So I am not ignoring the fact of anything.
Anyway, it was posted on Rhapsody, so I downloaded it last night.

[yogi]

I like it.

I listened to Disc 1 yesterday and I had never heard Difference In the World which I thought was a good song. I also thought that Crystal Ball & Sing For The Day sounded fresher. They FOR SURE should have added the other verse on Crystal Ball. I also REALLY liked Lorelei I thought that they harmonized MUCH better and JY sounded good. Gowan is Gowan. I have ALWAYS liked his singing of The Grand Illusion & Come Sail Away. Rush meets Styx. Nothing wrong with that!

I will listen to Disc 2 over the weekend.

[Monker]

Got my copy at Best Buy today. They had about 10 copies. Nice packaging and art work. Mixed at Pumpkin Studios by Gary Loizzo and James Young. Mastered by Ted Jensen.

So what do you think of it?

Sterling

All I can say, is I am very dissapointed, VERY.

1) I will not buy this. I will download it (for free) Why? I bought disk 1, and I would have bought disk 2. But I can't. Now I would have to both disk 1 and 2 just to get disk 2.
2) So my question why the hell would they treat their fan base this way. No wonder people steal music when they pull stupid crap like this. I am a fan of this line, all line ups. It is about the music. Styx is making it about the money and ego!!!!

You could have bought it at their website or at a show. That is where STYX released it.

The LABEL released packaged together - NOT STYX.

So, my question is why do you blame Styx for something they are not only not responsible for, but also ignore the fact that you have been perfectly capable of buying THEIR release all along?

I have not been to a Styx show since 07 (did have tickets for the GI/PO8 show, but had to work)
I bought the first one off I tunes, they never put the second on there. So yeah it is their fault on that. Instead of following 1 with 2 on I tunes they signed a deal (can't blame them for that), and released it on a record label. So yeah I am pissed at that. I do not buy Cd's anymore, have not in 3 years. I got rid of all 1,400 Cd's I had. everything is wma now, and yes it is backed up.
So I am not ignoring the fact of anything.
Anyway, it was posted on Rhapsody, so I downloaded it last night.

Well, you said, "I would have bought disk 2, but I can't." The truth is, you can. What you meant to say is that you can't buy it on iTunes. Ok, fine...but, I still think it's a bit odd to get all upset at the band about it.

[Baron Von Bielski]

I buy the music I want always on CD... I like something tangible.

[Boomchild]

I buy the music I want always on CD... I like something tangible.

I'm with you brother. The reality is that folks like us are becoming an endangered species.

[Boomchild]

I thought that they harmonized MUCH better and JY sounded good.

Pro Tools is a great thing isn't it?

I have ALWAYS liked his singing of The Grand Illusion & Come Sail Away. Rush meets Styx. Nothing wrong with that!

Great, not only does it seem the band is trying to be like Damn Yankees now people are saying that they kind of sound like Rush.

[pinkfloyd1973]

I thought that they harmonized MUCH better and JY sounded good.

Pro Tools is a great thing isn't it?

I have ALWAYS liked his singing of The Grand Illusion & Come Sail Away. Rush meets Styx. Nothing wrong with that!

Great, not only does it seem the band is trying to be like Damn Yankees now people are saying that they kind of sound like Rush.

More like Rush meets The Chipmunks

[froy]

Got my copy at Best Buy today. They had about 10 copies. Nice packaging and art work. Mixed at Pumpkin Studios by Gary Loizzo and James Young. Mastered by Ted Jensen.

You dropped off froy's copy on the way home right?

Yes, he wanted 2 copies. He was jamming to Strange Animals when I got there.

Strange Animals? Yea your a big Gowan fan

[cinj]

Got my copy at Best Buy today. They had about 10 copies. Nice packaging and art work. Mixed at Pumpkin Studios by Gary Loizzo and James Young. Mastered by Ted Jensen.

So what do you think of it?

Sterling

All I can say, is I am very dissapointed, VERY.

1) I will not buy this. I will download it (for free) Why? I bought disk 1, and I would have bought disk 2. But I can't. Now I would have to both disk 1 and 2 just to get disk 2.
2) So my question why the hell would they treat their fan base this way. No wonder people steal music when they pull stupid crap like this. I am a fan of this line, all line ups. It is about the music. Styx is making it about the money and ego!!!!

You could have bought it at their website or at a show. That is where STYX released it.

The LABEL released packaged together - NOT STYX.

So, my question is why do you blame Styx for something they are not only not responsible for, but also ignore the fact that you have been perfectly capable of buying THEIR release all along?

I have not been to a Styx show since 07 (did have tickets for the GI/PO8 show, but had to work)
I bought the first one off I tunes, they never put the second on there. So yeah it is their fault on that. Instead of following 1 with 2 on I tunes they signed a deal (can't blame them for that), and released it on a record label. So yeah I am pissed at that. I do not buy Cd's anymore, have not in 3 years. I got rid of all 1,400 Cd's I had. everything is wma now, and yes it is backed up.
So I am not ignoring the fact of anything.
Anyway, it was posted on Rhapsody, so I downloaded it last night.

Well, you said, "I would have bought disk 2, but I can't." The truth is, you can. What you meant to say is that you can't buy it on iTunes. Ok, fine...but, I still think it's a bit odd to get all upset at the band about it.

I think it's perfectly acceptable to get mad at the band. Don't they have any say what happens to their final product? I don't know the deal here, but it seems kinda stupid if only one of these discs is on iTunes and the other is not. it's not like it's a bonus disc or anything.

for what it's worth, i subscribe to Rhapsody. Unlike iTunes, you can listen to the whole song without downloading it. I listened to the whole album and decided i wouldn't buy it.

cing

[Monker]

Got my copy at Best Buy today. They had about 10 copies. Nice packaging and art work. Mixed at Pumpkin Studios by Gary Loizzo and James Young. Mastered by Ted Jensen.

So what do you think of it?

Sterling

All I can say, is I am very dissapointed, VERY.

1) I will not buy this. I will download it (for free) Why? I bought disk 1, and I would have bought disk 2. But I can't. Now I would have to both disk 1 and 2 just to get disk 2.
2) So my question why the hell would they treat their fan base this way. No wonder people steal music when they pull stupid crap like this. I am a fan of this line, all line ups. It is about the music. Styx is making it about the money and ego!!!!

You could have bought it at their website or at a show. That is where STYX released it.

The LABEL released packaged together - NOT STYX.

So, my question is why do you blame Styx for something they are not only not responsible for, but also ignore the fact that you have been perfectly capable of buying THEIR release all along?

I have not been to a Styx show since 07 (did have tickets for the GI/PO8 show, but had to work)
I bought the first one off I tunes, they never put the second on there. So yeah it is their fault on that. Instead of following 1 with 2 on I tunes they signed a deal (can't blame them for that), and released it on a record label. So yeah I am pissed at that. I do not buy Cd's anymore, have not in 3 years. I got rid of all 1,400 Cd's I had. everything is wma now, and yes it is backed up.
So I am not ignoring the fact of anything.
Anyway, it was posted on Rhapsody, so I downloaded it last night.

Well, you said, "I would have bought disk 2, but I can't." The truth is, you can. What you meant to say is that you can't buy it on iTunes. Ok, fine...but, I still think it's a bit odd to get all upset at the band about it.

I think it's perfectly acceptable to get mad at the band. Don't they have any say what happens to their final product? I don't know the deal here, but it seems kinda stupid if only one of these discs is on iTunes and the other is not. it's not like it's a bonus disc or anything.

for what it's worth, i subscribe to Rhapsody. Unlike iTunes, you can listen to the whole song without downloading it. I listened to the whole album and decided i wouldn't buy it.

cing

What's your point? I can listen to it on GrooveShark, too...and I don't need to subscribe to that.

The bottom line is saying things like "So my question why the hell would they treat their fan base this way. No wonder people steal music when they pull stupid crap like this. I am a fan of this line, all line ups. It is about the music. Styx is making it about the money and ego!!!!"

So, not releasing an album on iTunes somehow generates so much hostility towards the band that the opinion is stretched into : treating their fans like crap, that they are pulling some stupid crap, and it's no longer about the music but about money and their egos?

I don't think the band choosing to not release an album on iTunes is any evidence of the above - at all. it's an over reaction, and an odd one.

[Abitaman]

it's an over reaction, and an odd one.

Yes it is an over reaction. We all over react about somthing at one time or another. It was on my part, being pissed, I like to buy my music if at all possible. 95% I Have paid for. I will usually trade for boots or demos, etc... I know and you know they (band and label) have to make money..IMO it was a cheap shot to only offer 1/2 or whole.

But over reaction works both ways, so why try to make a big deal or my over reaction? I knew I was letting off steam as soon as I wrote it. you?

[cinj]

Got my copy at Best Buy today. They had about 10 copies. Nice packaging and art work. Mixed at Pumpkin Studios by Gary Loizzo and James Young. Mastered by Ted Jensen.

So what do you think of it?

Sterling

All I can say, is I am very dissapointed, VERY.

1) I will not buy this. I will download it (for free) Why? I bought disk 1, and I would have bought disk 2. But I can't. Now I would have to both disk 1 and 2 just to get disk 2.
2) So my question why the hell would they treat their fan base this way. No wonder people steal music when they pull stupid crap like this. I am a fan of this line, all line ups. It is about the music. Styx is making it about the money and ego!!!!

You could have bought it at their website or at a show. That is where STYX released it.

The LABEL released packaged together - NOT STYX.

So, my question is why do you blame Styx for something they are not only not responsible for, but also ignore the fact that you have been perfectly capable of buying THEIR release all along?

I have not been to a Styx show since 07 (did have tickets for the GI/PO8 show, but had to work)
I bought the first one off I tunes, they never put the second on there. So yeah it is their fault on that. Instead of following 1 with 2 on I tunes they signed a deal (can't blame them for that), and released it on a record label. So yeah I am pissed at that. I do not buy Cd's anymore, have not in 3 years. I got rid of all 1,400 Cd's I had. everything is wma now, and yes it is backed up.
So I am not ignoring the fact of anything.
Anyway, it was posted on Rhapsody, so I downloaded it last night.

Well, you said, "I would have bought disk 2, but I can't." The truth is, you can. What you meant to say is that you can't buy it on iTunes. Ok, fine...but, I still think it's a bit odd to get all upset at the band about it.

I think it's perfectly acceptable to get mad at the band. Don't they have any say what happens to their final product? I don't know the deal here, but it seems kinda stupid if only one of these discs is on iTunes and the other is not. it's not like it's a bonus disc or anything.

for what it's worth, i subscribe to Rhapsody. Unlike iTunes, you can listen to the whole song without downloading it. I listened to the whole album and decided i wouldn't buy it.

cing

What's your point? I can listen to it on GrooveShark, too...and I don't need to subscribe to that.

The bottom line is saying things like "So my question why the hell would they treat their fan base this way. No wonder people steal music when they pull stupid crap like this. I am a fan of this line, all line ups. It is about the music. Styx is making it about the money and ego!!!!"

So, not releasing an album on iTunes somehow generates so much hostility towards the band that the opinion is stretched into : treating their fans like crap, that they are pulling some stupid crap, and it's no longer about the music but about money and their egos?

I don't think the band choosing to not release an album on iTunes is any evidence of the above - at all. it's an over reaction, and an odd one.

My "point" is that, the way I understood it, only one of the two Regeneration discs was available on I-Tunes. I might be wrong, I haven't checked. If that''s the case, it seems a bit of a gyp. You know, a fan buying it, and then finding out that there are actually two discs. So they have to buy the whole double disc over again??? Seems a bit unfair to me. No, I don't think it's wrong to not have it on ITunes at all, but it seems it should be the whole thing, or nothing at all.

Cinj

[Monker]

it's an over reaction, and an odd one.

Yes it is an over reaction. We all over react about somthing at one time or another. It was on my part, being pissed, I like to buy my music if at all possible. 95% I Have paid for. I will usually trade for boots or demos, etc... I know and you know they (band and label) have to make money..IMO it was a cheap shot to only offer 1/2 or whole.

But over reaction works both ways, so why try to make a big deal or my over reaction? I knew I was letting off steam as soon as I wrote it. you?

Well, I'm not trying to go after you or your comments. Cinj seems to think it's perfectly acceptable in a direct reply to my post. I'm just explaining why its not.

[gr8dane]

Well, they are on I-Tunes now as a package.

[Musician95616]

Rather than doing the usual "greatest hits" revisited, how about a track list of songs like:

1. Borrowed Time
2. Cold war
3. Never Say Never
4. Moonlight Desires
5. A Criminal Mind
6. Just Get Through This Night
7. Girls With Guns
8. What If (Remo's Theme)
9. Half-Penny / Two-Penny
10. Man In The Wilderness

[Baron Von Bielski]

I'd rather see a band do a different take on the material rather then trying to copy it note for note. Most bands change things up when they perform songs live... It'd be nice to see versions recorded closer to that rather than exact replica attempts. Songs evolve over time as a band plays them... studio versions of that mindset I'd be interested in.

[jestor92]

I just listened to the 3 songs I was somewhat interested in off the release (the new song, and the Damn Yankees covers) and they suck. I mean they really fucking suck. Sorry guys.

[froy]

Well, they are on I-Tunes now as a package.

Yea a package of shit

[brywool]

Listening to this right now on Spotify.

Miss America...

[Boomchild]

Listening to this right now on Spotify.

Miss America...

To me JY's vocals sound heavily processed on his tracks.

[brywool]

Listening to this right now on Spotify.

Miss America...

To me JY's vocals sound heavily processed on his tracks.

To me, they just don't sound good. Say what you want about JY, his high headvoice is
a HUGE part of Styx's sound. Always was. I just don't get why he'd kind of "Growl" his
way through this song and why the rest of the band wouldn't kind of reign that in.
Listen to the original recording of Miss America. It's a great track and it's one of Jy's
finest vocal moments. But the Regen version is just strange when put next to that.
I guess that's what they were going for.

[Boomchild]

Listening to this right now on Spotify.

Miss America...

To me JY's vocals sound heavily processed on his tracks.

To me, they just don't sound good. Say what you want about JY, his high headvoice is
a HUGE part of Styx's sound. Always was. I just don't get why he'd kind of "Growl" his
way through this song and why the rest of the band wouldn't kind of reign that in.
Listen to the original recording of Miss America. It's a great track and it's one of Jy's
finest vocal moments. But the Regen version is just strange when put next to that.
I guess that's what they were going for.

Guess this is the "Best Version" since it was performed by "The Best Version Of Styx Ever". After all, wouldn't they be going for the best?

[Baron Von Bielski]

Listening to this right now on Spotify.

Miss America...

To me JY's vocals sound heavily processed on his tracks.

To me, they just don't sound good. Say what you want about JY, his high headvoice is
a HUGE part of Styx's sound. Always was. I just don't get why he'd kind of "Growl" his
way through this song and why the rest of the band wouldn't kind of reign that in.
Listen to the original recording of Miss America. It's a great track and it's one of Jy's
finest vocal moments. But the Regen version is just strange when put next to that.
I guess that's what they were going for.

Yeah, the difference with his vocals is quite apparent. He sang it more like he does live... which isn't what they were trying to capture by recording these. At least that's my belief. I still think trying to make exact replicas of old greatest hits is a waste. Record them a different way, put a spin on things. Doesn't matter if it sucks, but at least try.

[Boomchild]

Listening to this right now on Spotify.

Miss America...

To me JY's vocals sound heavily processed on his tracks.

To me, they just don't sound good. Say what you want about JY, his high headvoice is
a HUGE part of Styx's sound. Always was. I just don't get why he'd kind of "Growl" his
way through this song and why the rest of the band wouldn't kind of reign that in.
Listen to the original recording of Miss America. It's a great track and it's one of Jy's
finest vocal moments. But the Regen version is just strange when put next to that.
I guess that's what they were going for.

Yeah, the difference with his vocals is quite apparent. He sang it more like he does live... which isn't what they were trying to capture by recording these. At least that's my belief. I still think trying to make exact replicas of old greatest hits is a waste. Record them a different way, put a spin on things. Doesn't matter if it sucks, but at least try.

I think that JY stated one of the reasons for these retreads was to show how Styx has "evolved" and how this version performs those songs. "Evolved" my ass!

[Boomchild]

Here is the link to my review at Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/classic-hard-ro ... ation-i-ii

I hope everyone is well!

Thanks,


Sterling

Here's another review I came across.

http://www.classicrockrevisited.com/reviewStyxRegen.htm

[kansas666]

More like Rush meets The Chipmunks

That's funny right there...but not for the reasons you think.

[pinkfloyd1973]

More like Rush meets The Chipmunks

That's funny right there...but not for the reasons you think.

It's just plain funny

[kansas666]

So I picked up Regeneration and gave it a spin. My first impression was it was pretty good. The songs sounded a lot like the originals but with more of an edge. So I decided to create a playlist - each song on Regeneration followed by the original song.

The results were not what I expected.

For the most part they stuck very close to the originals. The only real deviation I heard was the extended guitar lead on The Grand Illusion. One thing I like about current STYX is Todd's powerful drumming. He seemed to reign it in on Regeneration though and that is one of the weak spots of this album. The originals sound more organic and I actually liked John P.'s drumming better than Todd's. There's something about the dead drum sound from the 70's that left a lasting impression. There was no reverb on the drums and they sounded flat but it worked. That and the warm analog sound of the 70's for the most part make the originals sound better.

The Original Grand Illusion songs all win hands down over the remakes. But on Pieces of Eight the vocals were pumped up a little too loud. The remakes are more balanced and for that reason I give Regeneration a slight edge. The other albums are a toss up.

It's amazing how well preserved Tommy's voice is after more than 30 years. In some ways it's better now, especially when he sings in a falsetto on Crystal Ball and Renegade.

Lawrence does a good job overall on Denny's songs. He can't pull off Come Sail Away, but I like his rendition of Pieces of Eight better than the original.

JY had a lousy voice 30 years ago and he has a lousy voice now. He does nothing for Lorelie, but his high harmonies are a STYX trademark and they work just as well as they ever did.

The only song in the entire collection that comes off considerably better than the original is Coming of Age. The original was too thin and full of reverb. They really punch it out on Regeneration.

The funny thing was the little voice I heard just before the keyboard lead on Fooling Yourself. It sounded like someone saying "Come On Jay Gowan" But then I heard for the first time buried deeper in the mix something similar on the original. Anyone know what's being said?