The Serpent is Rising, thoughts anyone?

[Abitaman]

The Serpent cd is my least favorite of not just the WN cds, but of all their cds. It is a very weak concept cd, yes even weaker than Kilroy. But at least Kilroy had some outstanding songs. Serpent has some good songs, some ok I listened to that once this year, and also contains the worst Styx song ever-PlexiGlass Toliet (someone went blah all over the toilet)
Witch Wolf and Young man are two of my top 5 favorite JY songs. They both rock and have a sonic under tone on them that vibrates you to the bone. JY really showed promise in the WN time frame, hasn't been until BNW that he really came back.
I can live with Winner Takes All (lyrically I like the song, same musically, JY is a little over the top on this,
Bad As This, great acoustic number, could have done with out the middle part
Jonas Psalter is a good rocker, but not as good as Wolf and Young.
Hallelujah is interesting, they do a good job of it, lot better than I would have thought, but it doesn't really add or take from the cd.
22 Years, The Serpent is Rising, I just don't like. Serpent John's voice just grates me.
Krakatoa is your modern day song, I mean there is no singing on it, So this would be a hit today, because most people today don't sing.
The Grove.....Dennis's only real song on the cd, is a huge let down. It is a Born for Adventure wanna be. I guess he was getting ready for the day he would write BFA.
Then we get back to the toliet again........Why is this song on here. This should have been a b-side. This was to be a concept cd, how does this even fit into the concept. I guess they want to lighten things up. Makes me want to throw up -ERIC

[classicstyxfan]

Eric, I think you are too hard on this one......Especially Plexiglass Toilet !

Many JC songs were very light hearted, as was PT.......it's catchy ! but not to be taken seriously, just to get your feet tapping and perhaps crack a smile at the Lyrics. I like it !

Jonas Psalter rocks ! my all time favorite JY vocal.

Young Man with the chreschendo at the end and DDY's keyboards is still one of my all time favorites.

If I were to leave off a cut or 2 it would be the title track and Krackatoa, but I usually just skip to the next CD at this point.

I'll spin this one before Kilroy too !

[DanMan]

I personally like this one.

My dad had a mix casset tape and Jonus Psalter, Grove of Eglantine, Serpetn is Rising, and Krakatoa were on it.

We loved Cranking Krakatoa up in our old Chevy tape player while we were hunting. The sythesizer build up at the end is a classic noise that everyone loves.

I love Jonus Psalter!! Who doesn't love a pirate song..Yo ho yo ho....he he

And who doesn't love a little funny song about a toilet...its classic...not good....but classic.

I think it was a great practice for a good concept album...I wouldn't rank it up very high but its got some GREAT songs on it!!

[bugsymalone]

Here we go Eric! Album No. 3.

First off, the original cover artwork sucked. MHO only. OK, that is out of the way.

Second note: The sonic run, right after Karakatoa was lifted, apparently, from an electronic riff from Beaver and Krause. I think we discussed this before in another thread, but that is the sonic run you hear at the beginning of film theaters using the TXH sound systems.

OK, that is out of the way as well. On to the music.

I agree with the rest of you here about “Young Man.” This is simply one of JY’s very best songs. Great lyrics. Good vocals from him. One of DDY’s very best keyboard breaks.

I am a big fan of “Winner Take All”. Just a nice, tuneful, rocking song written by Dennis and his brother-in-law Chuck Lofrano.

I also love the rocker by John C. “22 Years.” Love the vocal trade-offs in this one.

“Jonas Psalter”. Well, as Dennis puts it “ I even wrote a song about PIRATES for God’s sake!” I actually like this one ok. Has that E. A. Robinson “Richard Cory” vibe at the end.

The rest of the album is a take it or leave it to me.

“Grove of Eglantine” has always bothered me lyrically. Is it a 17th/18th century kind of thing, as most of the lyrics seem to reflect? Then why the line “ring you up”? Oh well…this is just me perhaps. Not a big fan of this song.

“Plexiglas Toilet” is fun and silly.

“As Bad as This”. The only thing I like in the song is the lyrical musical break.

“Witch Wolf” and “The Serpent is Rising” – nothing that gets me going in either of these songs.

This album, like the first one and the last one of the WN era is sort of a mishmash without a lot of direction.

Bugsy

[DanMan]

I am going to take a step back with the song Grove of Eglantine...we all know what it is really about

Lyrically I think it is beautiful but the message behind it is quite a bit diffent than what my culture puts out.

[sadie65]

I often find this one the most difficult to listen to of the Wooden Nickel era.

I absolutely get a kick out of Plexiglass Toilet though. Makes me laugh every time.

22 Years by JC is one I enjoy off the album. And Young Man is one of JY's songs that I like.

Krakatoa...needs to be skipped for me when I hear it.

Winner Take All is fairly good as is Eglantine.

I confess I am one who has never liked Witch Wolf.

And I'm with Bugsy...what the heck was with the artwork for the cover???

But sorry guys...I'd take Kilroy over this one.

[gr8dane]

Ha,Serpent to me is probably my second favorite Styx album.Grove of Eglantine is in my favorite top 3 of WN era.
Had Plexi,Krakatoa and Halleluja been replaced by a regular song this would have been even more fantastic.
This is probably the Styx album I play the most and am still finding new things i have missed before.
Gritty trippy and proggy,can't get much better than that.

[AnnieOprah]

Well if you don't know what the concept is about, let me try to explain...

The entire thing is an allegory for sex...terrible idea for a concept - especially when they are so overt.

You can guess what the Serpent is and well you know why it is rising...

The Grove of Eglatine...well me and every other red blooded female can certainly relate..why Dennis wrote a song about it....gross!

Krakatoa....well, what does a volcano do? It erupts...much like a serpent that has risen....

And Hallelujah...now you boys correct me here, but isn't that kind of what its like after the volcano erupts...

Stupidest concept ever... I think an 8th grader could have done better.

[gr8dane]

Well if you don't know what the concept is about, let me try to explain...

The entire thing is an allegory for sex...terrible idea for a concept - especially when they are so overt.

You can guess what the Serpent is and well you know why it is rising...

The Grove of Eglatine...well me and every other red blooded female can certainly relate..why Dennis wrote a song about it....gross!

Krakatoa....well, what does a volcano do? It erupts...much like a serpent that has risen....

And Hallelujah...now you boys correct me here, but isn't that kind of what its like after the volcano erupts...

Stupidest concept ever... I think an 8th grader could have done better.

I think I know what the serpent is ,but I don't know why it is rising.
Is somebody blowing the whistle?
Please do tell.

[yogi]

Overall, I did NOT like this effort. Still two of Styx's finest songs are on here. JY's 'Young Man' is an AWESOME song. Maybe his best ever. He redid this gem on Out On A Day Pass, but his Serpent version is much better.

Finally, John C. and his title track are spine tingling. To me this was his best effort ever with Styx.

Listen to Nirvana's Nevermind CD and tell me if Kurt Cobain's Smells Like Teen Spirit, In Bloom, Lithium & Come As You Are dont have a major hint of John Curulewski's Serpent Is Rising.

I wonder if Kurt ever heard this song???? They sure sound a hell of a lot alike to me!!!

As for Serpent being a concept album??? Where did you hear that???

[AnnieOprah]

Overall, I did NOT like this effort. Still two of Styx's finest songs are on here. JY's 'Young Man' is an AWESOME song. Maybe his best ever. He redid this gem on Out On A Day Pass, but his Serpent version is much better.

Finally, John C. and his title track are spine tingling. To me this was his best effort ever with Styx.

Listen to Nirvana's Nevermind CD and tell me if Kurt Cobain's Smells Like Teen Spirit, In Bloom, Lithium & Come As You Are dont have a major hint of John Curulewski's Serpent Is Rising.

I wonder if Kurt ever heard this song???? They sure sound a hell of a lot alike to me!!!

As for Serpent being a concept album??? Where did you hear that???

Dennis has said that it is when he has been interviewed. He absolutely hated that album and took a back seat in the writing and development of it because he had led the way in Styx II, which they believed at the time was a complete flop. He said his confidence was shot and so he handed the reigns over to JC/JY for the next album.

[FormerDJMike]

I love this album. There is not a Styx album that I dislike, but for a time this was my favorite. Stand outs are "Young Man", "Witch Wolf", "As Bad As This" & "22 Years". Must not be such a bad album as Styx played "22 Years" live thru 1976 or so. That one is a must-hear.

Personally, this was the hardest for me to find. It took me about 6 years to find the cartoon cover re-issue on cassette. I did not find the original until it mysteriously popped up on CD around 1990 or so. Maybe that is why I liked this one so much... It was so hard to find that it was like discovering a lost album.

Mikey

[Zan]

I love this album. There is not a Styx album that I dislike, but for a time this was my favorite. Stand outs are "Young Man", "Witch Wolf", "As Bad As This" & "22 Years". Must not be such a bad album as Styx played "22 Years" live thru 1976 or so. That one is a must-hear.

Personally, this was the hardest for me to find. It took me about 6 years to find the cartoon cover re-issue on cassette. I did not find the original until it mysteriously popped up on CD around 1990 or so. Maybe that is why I liked this one so much... It was so hard to find that it was like discovering a lost album.

Mikey

MIKE!!!!! Miss you, dood!

[FormerDJMike]

Thanks Zan! Never went a way, have just been busy.

Have been out of radio for over a year now and do not miss it at all. I think they miss me, as they still call about 3 times a week. I still do occasional on-air work for them but rarely lately. I make more than double what I made there and get 187 off days a year. What more could a person ask for?? Looks like with those off days I could be on-line more but I chose to use my time in other ways. Just wanted to see what was going on in the music community lately. I browse quite a bit, just don't post as much as I used to.

Hope all is well with everyone!!!

Oh, and I do not mind the cover of SIR. Always thought it was kind of cool trying to find all the critters and things on the cover.

[yogi]

So was Serpent 'REALLY' a JC/JY concept album, or is this something 'made up' by some Styx fans who are reading things into the lyrics????

I heard the little story behind Grove, now whether that is true or not I dont know. Did that come out in some DDY or Styx article that I missed?

I do know for a fact that Dennis hated that album, but as for the 'concept' I would love to see something factual in print!!

Remember, Snowblind contained 'backwards satanic messages.'

Rock on Tipper, I ran could use a good woman like you right about now!!

[BlackWall]

I like this one on about the same level as I like "Styx II"..

It's decent, I don't know about the whole concept. I can see where it loosely fits, but not every song really plays into it; "Witch Wolf", for example; or "Young Man"(though, if you really read way between the lines, I suppose this one could.. )

My favorites are "Young Man" and "22 Years". "Young Man" ranks along "These Are The Times" as being one of J.Y's best contributions. I find it interesting that "22 Years" is written by John C., yet is sung by Dennis and J.Y.; you have to wonder if they tried it with John C. doing the vox, and it just didn't work? It also makes me wonder if maybe they had considered this one for release as a single? In any case, Dennis and J.Y.(especially Dennis) really rock here.

"Winner Take All" is decent, but a little annoying. I think this one is probably the most commercial song on the album; next to "22 Years".

As for John C, I found his contributions here to be a little less inspired than those on "Styx II"(with the exception of "22 Years").
I actually don't mind "Plexiglass Toilet"; I think it shows that the guys actually could let loose and have fun together. Dennis is missed on this album, but I don't really like what he did end up actually bringing to the table here.

[kansas666]

This is my favorite of the Wooden Nickel albums. It rocks the most, is the most consistant and the album cover is really trippy.

[jimmy19029]

I really like this album alot. Probably my favorite of the Wooden Nickle era. Love the title track. Witch Wolf rocks! And I really like Young Men and As Bad As This. Plexiglass Toilet is cute......the first time. I usually skip over it on the CD player. No offense.