Rolling Stone - Crystal Ball Review

[yogi]

I just read Rolling Stone Magazines review of Styx's Crystal Ball Album It was reviewed in Jan 13,1977 by Alan Niester.

Alan praised the album. He said that it 'didnt have the immediate impact of its predecessor Equinox' but he 'found it one of the most dynamic and satisfying rock albums of the year".

He talks about how their rock is so interesting a cross between the best of the English and American bands. He praises JY and Tommy and talks about 3 different changes during Put Me On as hey seem to be ging out of control but they find their way back making their music so catchy and interesting.

He loved this album.

Why did this magazine sour soo much on Styx???

How on earth could their next two albums The Grand Illusion & Pieces of Eight do this????

[Baron Von Bielski]

Especially Grand Illusion. Almost flawless.

[gr8dane]

I just read Rolling Stone Magazines review of Styx's Crystal Ball Album It was reviewed in Jan 13,1977 by Alan Niester.

Alan praised the album. He said that it 'didnt have the immediate impact of its predecessor Equinox' but he 'found it one of the most dynamic and satisfying rock albums of the year".

He talks about how their rock is so interesting a cross between the best of the English and American bands. He praises JY and Tommy and talks about 3 different changes during Put Me On as hey seem to be ging out of control but they find their way back making their music so catchy and interesting.

He loved this album.

Why did this magazine sour soo much on Styx???

How on earth could their next two albums The Grand Illusion & Pieces of Eight do this????

Initially I was disappointed in Crystal Ball.But love it today.I will take it over TGI and PO8 any day.

[Toph]

Crystal Ball in my opinion is the weakest of all the A&M effort and a step back from Equinox.

Put Me On - Silly
Mademoiselle - OK, but anyone who thinks that Styx is "rock" shouldn't like this song. Very much like Sing For The Day, Never Say Never, She Cares...etc
Jennifer - Creepy as hell. Technically singing about statutory rape...
Crystal Ball - The one classic on the album and really the only song I will play repeatedly
Shooz - Sorry, not Styx nor a Styx sound.
This Old Man - This one is pretty good. Should have been considered a single.
Clair De Lune/Ballerina - Had the potential. 3 minutes too long. The "La La La Las" are obnoxious as hell and I don't need them repeated 246 times. JY is dialed up way too high up in the mix here too. Also, don't like Dennis singing in such a low voice for the chorus. If this fades out at 4 minutes, another potential single.

They were trying to find their way with a new member and clearly lost their way a little. Needed one more step away of Wooden Nickel and one more toward acoustic Tommy Shaw songs (like CB) and you have Grand Illusion.

[Boomchild]

Initially I was disappointed in Crystal Ball.But love it today.I will take it over TGI and PO8 any day.

This album is one of my go to Styx albums from that era. I have played it more frequently the TGI or PO8.

[Boomchild]

Why did this magazine sour soo much on Styx???

I think it's for several reasons. Rock music critics and journalists like to be able to pigeonhole artists and groups. Because Styx' musical stylings were diverse, they couldn't do that with Styx. Styx also did not have your typical R'N'R band persona. No "bad boy" image. Which I guess translated to the critics as "uncool". Then you have the poor choices and advice from the band's management when it came to dealing with press.

[S2M]

My rankings of the non-Wooden Nickel releases:

Pieces of Eight - LOVE it! Title song is my 2nd favorite Styx song.
Paradise Theatre - a close 2nd
Grand Illusion - these all could be 1, 1A, 1B
Cornerstone - Lights, Boat on a River, Borrowed Time, Babe, First Time...amazing!
Equinox - Light Up, Lorelei, Suite Madame Blue - Hey, it's got 2 more great songs than CB.
Crystal Ball - my favorite song, but least favorite album. Only song I play from this release.
Kilroy - Don't Let it End...that's it.
Edge - Show me the Way...that's it.

[Toph]

You must be like Tommy Shaw and JY - you forget the band had two A&M albums after Paradise.

My A&M rankings
1. Paradise
2. Grand Illusion
3. Cornerstone
4. Equinox
5. Kilroy
6. Pieces of Eight - Overrated. A poor man's Grand Illusion
7. Edge - Too hair bandy
8. Crystal Ball

[yogi]

I still dont get it. This guy wrote for Rolling Stone Magazine. He reviewed it for Rolling Stone Magazine. Published it in Rolling Sone Magazine, and he loved the album. ' Maybe the best rock & roll album of the yeart' In the same review he praised the prior Styx album, Equinox. Then after this review the magazine trashes every Styx release forward.

Did this guy die? Get fired for this review? What?

" Sometimes it makes no sense at all"

[Abitaman]

You must be like Tommy Shaw and JY - you forget the band had two A&M albums after Paradise.

My A&M rankings
1. Paradise
2. Grand Illusion
3. Cornerstone
4. Equinox
5. Kilroy
6. Pieces of Eight - Overrated. A poor man's Grand Illusion
7. Edge - Too hair bandy
8. Crystal Ball

For me it is...
1. Grand Illusion
2. Paradise
3. PO8
4. Cornerstone (# 3 and #4 switch on any given day...but today it is)
5. Equinox
6. Edge of Century
7. Kilroy
8.....and a good bit down grade wise...Crystal Ball

[gr8dane]

Initially I was disappointed in Crystal Ball.But love it today.I will take it over TGI and PO8 any day.

This album is one of my go to Styx albums from that era. I have played it more frequently the TGI or PO8.

Don't play GI or Po8 that much, almost never.
Go to Styx, Wooden Nickel.Crystal Ball and Brave New World.
Now ,Mission is the new go to.

[Boomchild]

Initially I was disappointed in Crystal Ball.But love it today.I will take it over TGI and PO8 any day.

This album is one of my go to Styx albums from that era. I have played it more frequently the TGI or PO8.

Don't play GI or Po8 that much, almost never.
Go to Styx, Wooden Nickel.Crystal Ball and Brave New World.
Now ,Mission is the new go to.

Sorry to hear that.