Just Got the S/B Influence Advance CD-R

My initial impressions:
1. Much better recording and mastering job than any of the last few Styx albums post-Cyclorama. No knock on Gary, but this thing has dynamics and is much more open.
2. Most are near-straight readings, but they are actually not bad (even songs I really don't like such as "Summer Breeze" and "Dance With Me" which I didn't like before S/B covered it). Some are more of a departure than others due to the overall arrangement and instrumentation ("I Am a Rock" is a good example).
3. Jack and Tommy can harmonize well together
4. I don't see me listening to this all the time, but it makes me want another proper S/B album
5. Favorite song: "Dirty Work". I'm a Steely Dan fan, but this is really done well.
6. BBT sounds like Tommy phoned it in if you compare it to this album
1. Much better recording and mastering job than any of the last few Styx albums post-Cyclorama. No knock on Gary, but this thing has dynamics and is much more open.
2. Most are near-straight readings, but they are actually not bad (even songs I really don't like such as "Summer Breeze" and "Dance With Me" which I didn't like before S/B covered it). Some are more of a departure than others due to the overall arrangement and instrumentation ("I Am a Rock" is a good example).
3. Jack and Tommy can harmonize well together

4. I don't see me listening to this all the time, but it makes me want another proper S/B album
5. Favorite song: "Dirty Work". I'm a Steely Dan fan, but this is really done well.
6. BBT sounds like Tommy phoned it in if you compare it to this album