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

[Rockwriter]

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

[brywool]

Good review.

Keep in mind, I like all incarnations of the band, but I think your review could've been much more to the point:

_____________________________________________________________________

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

Regeneration Volume I & II is, as the title implies, a two-CD collection of both of Styx' Regeneration projects, which saw the band re-record some of its classic songs in new versions with its current lineup.

WHY???


Sterling Whitaker, Classic Hard Rock Examiner
October 4, 2011
______________________________________________________________________

[gr8dane]

Scorpions is up next.

[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.

[Boomchild]

Scorpions is up next.

I thought they said they were calling it quits with their last album?

[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

Nice read Sterling. I think you came off as being very honest about this stuff.

[Boomchild]

Good review.

Keep in mind, I like all incarnations of the band, but I think your review could've been much more to the point:

_____________________________________________________________________

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

Regeneration Volume I & II is, as the title implies, a two-CD collection of both of Styx' Regeneration projects, which saw the band re-record some of its classic songs in new versions with its current lineup.

WHY???


Sterling Whitaker, Classic Hard Rock Examiner
October 4, 2011
______________________________________________________________________

I think that's very clear. M O N E Y

[froy]

Scorpions is up next.

I thought they said they were calling it quits with their last album?

Looks like they are coming back to the US in 2012. Can't wait..

[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.

Hurry run home and listen to copied music..

[Rockwriter]

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

[FormerDJMike]

I think it is pointless. The versions we already have sound good when they were originally recorded. But why did Kiss do it on Sonic Boom? Or Journey on Revelation? Foreigner? And now the Scorpions? I even have an Atlanta Rhythm Section of re-treads. Maybe they do it for liscensing or whatever. But it is pointless with all of these bands.

I noticed inside the packaging they left off the credits for the songs on disc one but had them for disc 2. Was this a mistake or intentional? What did Chuck play on? No idea. There is something about this release that lacks the "warmth" of the original songs. Like Sterling said, maybe it is because of digital recording in 4 different parts of the country.

Todd is an excellent drummer but on these versions I missed John. The drums lack the "umph" of John's original tracks.

I was most curious about Miss America. I was some-what hoping it would be more true to the original with JY going deep on vocals instead of trying to strain like he does on the live version. I was greatly disappointed. The backing vocals sound pretty good but the lead vocals are pretty bad (yeah, it sounds like the live version). Snowblind sounds forced and even a few times it almost sounds as if Tommy is out of breath.

Damn Yankees tunes? Why? Who is singing what? It sounds like Tommy is singing both his and Jack's parts (and this is not a slam, just an observation). I find Coming Of Age to be the least annoying of the re-records. That and Crystal Ball (as I think Sterling mentioned).

Honestly, I was hoping for some deeper tracks from the first 4 albums. Would be curious to hear their takes on some of the older, forgotten gems instead of another complilation of hits. Would love to hear Best Thing, You Need Love or even A Day from Styx II, Young Man & R&R Feeling.

Now that I have listened to it, it's time to file it away and forget about this one.

With that all said I still await the GI/PO8 release with more anticipation.

Mike

[Everett]

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?

[yogi]

Why 2 discs??? That sucks!!

Why would they not put both volumes on one disc???

[brywool]

As much as I like the new band (relax, I like the old as well)- they have CLEARLY lost their way. Not because Dennis is absent, but just because there's nothing new. Too bad. A lotta writing talent there that's not being utilized. I know that playing in the bands that I do, to keep playing the same songs year after year after year gets incredibly tough on your motivation bone. I can't imagine how these guys do this. Not a slam on them, I just can't imagine playing the same shortlist of tunes for nearly 30 years. It's gotta be hard to do.

[styxfansite]

there is no heart or love in these songs like the origianls. they are just "there" on cd for whatever purpose they get used for.

[froy]

there is no heart or love in these songs like the origianls. they are just "there" on cd for whatever purpose they get used for.

there is no love and No Heart in this band the spirit has been killed.

[yogi]

NO one is talking about the REAL story here.

Why 2 discs????

If I want to skip from song 6 to song 11 I have to change the ENTIRE CD. How damn stupid is that???


If I wreck when driving because of this I will be pissed!!!

[Boomchild]

there is no heart or love in these songs like the origianls. they are just "there" on cd for whatever purpose they get used for.

there is no love and No Heart in this band the spirit has been killed.

The spirit is not killed, Dennis just took it with him.

[Boomchild]

From some of the comments here it seems that this isn't what the fans wanted as the band seems to see it. Where are the folks that were waiting for rerecorded classics?

[Boomchild]

As much as I like the new band (relax, I like the old as well)- they have CLEARLY lost their way. Not because Dennis is absent, but just because there's nothing new. Too bad. A lotta writing talent there that's not being utilized. I know that playing in the bands that I do, to keep playing the same songs year after year after year gets incredibly tough on your motivation bone. I can't imagine how these guys do this. Not a slam on them, I just can't imagine playing the same shortlist of tunes for nearly 30 years. It's gotta be hard to do.

I think that if Dennis was still there you wouldn't see a release like this. If there was I think he would be looking to put a different spin on the songs and would have gone for better production on the project.

[blt man]

Damn Yankees tunes? Why?

Maybe he wanted to throw a few dollars to Jack?

[Boomchild]

NO one is talking about the REAL story here.

Why 2 discs????

If I want to skip from song 6 to song 11 I have to change the ENTIRE CD. How damn stupid is that???


If I wreck when driving because of this I will be pissed!!!

Listening to the discs alone could cause you to wreck.

[yogi]

With the old Styx lineup LOVE spewed from songs such as Mr. Roboto,Shooze, Queen Of Spades, Lord Of The Rings, Miss America, Castle Walls, Cold War, Midnight Ride, High Time etc...

Where has the love gone?????

The 'Kilroy Was Here' tour was nothing more than a 'love fest' between the band members themselves and between the band and their fans!!!

[styxfansite]

With the old Styx lineup LOVE spewed from songs such as Mr. Roboto,Shooze, Queen Of Spades, Lord Of The Rings, Miss America, Castle Walls, Cold War, Midnight Ride, High Time etc...

Where has the love gone?????

The 'Kilroy Was Here' tour was nothing more than a 'love fest' between the band members themselves and between the band and their fans!!!

to borrow a lyric from Meatloaf "I couldn't have said it better myself"

[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!!!!

[Monker]

With the old Styx lineup LOVE spewed from songs such as Mr. Roboto,Shooze, Queen Of Spades, Lord Of The Rings, Miss America, Castle Walls, Cold War, Midnight Ride, High Time etc...

Where has the love gone?????

The 'Kilroy Was Here' tour was nothing more than a 'love fest' between the band members themselves and between the band and their fans!!!

"Lord of the Rings" is not a Styx song. That is both a trilogy of novels and movies.

[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.

So what do you think of it?

Sterling

I agree with you that the parts sound disconnected. I thought the DY songs were interesting and also thought Larry did a good job on queen of spades. He hits all the notes although he does change the phrasing a little which is okay with me. But overall this is not something I would listen to more then a few times. I wish they would take the time to give the fans a real CD of new songs. Many other artists from the 70s and 80s are still doing it, why not Styx!

[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?

[Monker]

As much as I like the new band (relax, I like the old as well)- they have CLEARLY lost their way. Not because Dennis is absent, but just because there's nothing new. Too bad. A lotta writing talent there that's not being utilized. I know that playing in the bands that I do, to keep playing the same songs year after year after year gets incredibly tough on your motivation bone. I can't imagine how these guys do this. Not a slam on them, I just can't imagine playing the same shortlist of tunes for nearly 30 years. It's gotta be hard to do.

I think that if Dennis was still there you wouldn't see a release like this. If there was I think he would be looking to put a different spin on the songs and would have gone for better production on the project.

If Dennis were still there, the band probably would have broke up by now because none of them could stand working with the guy.

[Monker]

From some of the comments here it seems that this isn't what the fans wanted as the band seems to see it. Where are the folks that were waiting for rerecorded classics?

Yeah, this forum is such a good representation of the fanbase. Sure it is.

Nobody would post here if they did like this release.