Styx with CYO - Reviews

[kansas666]

Where are the reviews?

[DerriD]

Dave,

I've actually meant to pick up the CYO cd, honestly. I really only want it for the CycloMedley and to hear One With Everything live. But let's face it, the orchestra thing has been done to death (yes DDY too) and this is the 4th live CD with the 'new' line-up. Holy crap, make that the FIFTH live CD (I forgot about 21st Century Live). So this is the 2nd bonus DVD as well. Kinda hard to get worked up about the release. Damn, I'm almost to the point where I can fill a CD with nothing but versions of Blue Collar Man.

[styxfanNH]

The Medley is on the dvd.

NO one's posting a review because everyone's tired of the beating they are going to take.

Here are the criticisms, assign the person that belongs to it.

Just anothet cd that's already been done by Dennis.

Thet're a bunch of hipocrytes, saying they hate this stuff then doing it themselves.

The cd doesn't have any of Dennis's songs on it, it's not a Styx cd without Dennis.

Just another version of BCM

They leave off their signature songs of Lady, Grand Illusion and CSA, how good could it be.

They're all pathetic

There you go, we all know it would be worse

[SuiteMadameBlue]

No one should be afraid to post their review, just ignore any stupid comments, everyone has a right to their opinion. I'm so sick and tired of people being afraid to post about anything. I babble about Dennis a lot, and when ChicagoStyx makes his comments I just give it back to him, all in fun

The only complaint that I will make and I said the same thing when I heard the cd from 96' with the symphony, "Miss America". ACK! I personally don't like it at all with a symphony/orchestra. The song is fine by itself, but not with a symphony, with or without Dennis or anyone. IMO.

The kids sounded great!! They'll remember that night forever!!!!

I love to tease about "Blue Collar Man", big deal. I would like a count on how many times it was recorded even by others - LOL That could be the same with "Come Sail Away" too. Which one is on more cds/dvds ?

[styxdudebrandon]

This is off topic, but I just noticed something, Froy is gone, where did he go?

[DarrenUK]

Best Buy to get the CD and DVD

[Abitaman]

Was suppose to pick up my copy Friday, but didn't fill up to a 45 minute drive to go get it. Got it ordered, I'll give a review when I get it-ERIC

[styxfanNH]

Here's my review for those that care.

I've listened to the cd about 4 or 5 times in my car and once in my home stereo. They sound very different based on the speakers in both places.

On a scale of 1-10, I would score it a 7.5 to 8.

The vocals are very clear and forward in the mix. Now I like vocals that are forward in the mix because I think the voice as an instrument shouldn't be burried liek it is in many mixes, but for this mix I thought it should have been dropped a little to let the other stuff through.

The songs vary in eq issues throughout the entire cd, in some of the songs, there is too much on the high end and others they are kinda muddy on the bottom end. In particular, on BCM Todd's cymbals are very bright.

But I think that they lost the focus of what this event was about. It wasn't about Styx, it was about the CYO. and there are places where you can here the orchestra and chorus, but it is like they are playing in another state proportional to the mix. I wanted more CYO and less Styx.

If they wanted this to be the Styx classic they intended it to be, they should have brought someone who has experience mixing an orchestra as well as Loizzo and Tommy. Instead they got the Styx part down but didn't give the true talent their due.

Alan said this was a missed opportunity. After several listens, I would have to agree. I still need to listen to it through a set of headphones to get a true read on it, but that will be for later.

Hopefully t he dvd will be different.

[shaka]

I agree with most of what you said. Sometimes the mix is good and other times it's horrible. It makes me wonder if they did a lousy job micing up the orchestra and choir and had to pay the price during mixdown. I disagree with you saying that the true talent belongs to the orchestra. All of the current members of Styx are very talented.

Eric

Here's my review for those that care.

I've listened to the cd about 4 or 5 times in my car and once in my home stereo. They sound very different based on the speakers in both places.

On a scale of 1-10, I would score it a 7.5 to 8.

The vocals are very clear and forward in the mix. Now I like vocals that are forward in the mix because I think the voice as an instrument shouldn't be burried liek it is in many mixes, but for this mix I thought it should have been dropped a little to let the other stuff through.

The songs vary in eq issues throughout the entire cd, in some of the songs, there is too much on the high end and others they are kinda muddy on the bottom end. In particular, on BCM Todd's cymbals are very bright.

But I think that they lost the focus of what this event was about. It wasn't about Styx, it was about the CYO. and there are places where you can here the orchestra and chorus, but it is like they are playing in another state proportional to the mix. I wanted more CYO and less Styx.

If they wanted this to be the Styx classic they intended it to be, they should have brought someone who has experience mixing an orchestra as well as Loizzo and Tommy. Instead they got the Styx part down but didn't give the true talent their due.

Alan said this was a missed opportunity. After several listens, I would have to agree. I still need to listen to it through a set of headphones to get a true read on it, but that will be for later.

Hopefully t he dvd will be different.

[styxfanNH]

Never said that Styx wasn't talented, they are. But what made this night special was the addition of the CYO and in some songs they almost appear non existant.

[FormerDJMike]

so the medley isn't on the CD? Glad I didnt pre-order, that was the only thing that had me wanting to buy it. Glad I kept my $$$.

[StyxCollector]

I've listened to OWE quite a few times now and I still feel it's a missed opportunity. Look, I've seen Styx numerous times since 1999 (and DDY plenty as well since, oh, 2001), so I'm not in any camp.

The mixing is flat out bad. The kids are an afterthought in the mix in most songs. The whole reason for this CD is the kids. Instead, it sounds like here's a Styx live album. Oh, and there are some talented kids playing with us in an orchestra that you sometimes cn hear. For example, in the title track, when the kids "sing" the chorus with the band, it sounds like they're shouting it like they're just part of the audience. If you're playing with an orchestra, you should feel the power of it. I'm sure it was powerful in person. Here, it's a whimper.

Larry's keys are 10x louder than the orchestra. His keys are one of the worst offenders on the album.

Bottom line: Gary Loizzo and TS (I think that's who mixed it - the booklet is at home and I'm in O'Hare) were way outclassed in mixing this one. I mean, did it sound good in the studio and like shit in the final product? Do they even know? This isn't a mastering problem (i.e. too loud, too bright, etc.), although I have issues with that as well. As StyxFanNH says, it's VERY uneven. They needed an outside mixer to do this right. Even if they fucked up the mastering, at least the songs would have a good mix. Here, you basically get neither sans "Just Be".

And it also sounds like the way the vocals are mixed, you're creeping into "Brave New World (Reprise)" territory. Just flat out bad.

Say what you want about DDY, but this would have been better with him because the mix and the final product would have most likely been better. I feel even worse for the kids because they got a piss poor souvenir of their time with Styx.

I hope the DVD is better, but I doubt it since I assume the 2.0 (stereo for you non audio geeks ) mix is the same. And heaven help us on the 5.1 if the 2.0 is this bad.

Now, the lone studio track on the CD ("Just Be") sounds a billion times better. Gary is a great rock band mixer in the studio. He's earned that for the past 20 - 30 years with Styx. I still think "Just Be" is mediocre at best (the middle is the best part; the beginning still plods and the chorus is forgettable).

Sad, really. This had SO much potential. I wanted to really like this one despite it being another live album and having no DDY songs (it would have been interesting to hear this orchestral version of, say, "Come Sail Away", to compare and contrast).

As I said, I feel the worst for the kids.

[RossUK]

I've got a feeling the DVD will be better. I've listened to clips from the DVD and CD on the 1witheverything website. Being the longest clip I chose blue collar man to watch first. Then i went to the audio clips. The BCM clip sounded quite different "in the mix" vocals very upfront both in the dvd clip and cd sample but everything else seemed behind it. I just thought the dvd clip was more well, ballsy. The orchestra has real presence.

I'm hoping its reflected in the dvd as a whole.

[brywool]

God, is another version of JY shrieking Miss America needed???? The clip on MelodicRock is dreadful.
WHY do they have him doing lead vocals and Burtnik was under utilized (???). Dumb move. JY's backups are great.
His lead voice is crap.

[Ash]

Why is it (and I'm just asking) that we're always hearing the words "Styx" and "Missed Opportunity" in the same sentance release after release?

[SuiteMadameBlue]

The DVD's sound is a little better and footage is shot really nice, from what I heard. IMO

[Grotelul]

Why is it (and I'm just asking) that we're always hearing the words "Styx" and "Missed Opportunity" in the same sentance release after release?

Speaking of missed opportunities... a few come to mind... Cornerstone, Kilroy Was Here, Edge of The Century. Cornerstone was the record that made me wince when I first put it on the turntable. Is my stereo broke? Are my speakers not working properly? Where is the power that I remember from POE, GI and others?!! Depressed now.

[Ash]

Why is it (and I'm just asking) that we're always hearing the words "Styx" and "Missed Opportunity" in the same sentance release after release?

Speaking of missed opportunities... a few come to mind... Cornerstone, Kilroy Was Here, Edge of The Century. Cornerstone was the record that made me wince when I first put it on the turntable. Is my stereo broke? Are my speakers not working properly? Where is the power that I remember from POE, GI and others?!! Depressed now.

Yeah... what a missed opportunity Cornerstone was... only had a #1 song on it - went Triple platinum... yeah that was a missed opportunity.

Hell even Kilroy had 3 top-40 songs, two of them going top 10 and selling millions of records.

What are we comparing again? I forgot.

[styxfanNH]

Why is it (and I'm just asking) that we're always hearing the words "Styx" and "Missed Opportunity" in the same sentance release after release?

That's because they keep releasing the same stuff over and over so the tags stay the same.

[Blue Falcon]

God, is another version of JY shrieking Miss America needed???? The clip on MelodicRock is dreadful.
WHY do they have him doing lead vocals and Burtnik was under utilized (???). Dumb move. JY's backups are great.
His lead voice is crap.

Styx is just Corporate Rock nowadays. This CD/DVD was just another excuse to flood the market with EVEN MORE substandard Styx product. But who cares, right? A few thousand shmucks will buy it anyway without realizing it's crap!!!

Ah, JY and his sharp business mind...

[brywool]

Cyclorama was a brilliant album. Better than anything they'd done in years. Then they follow it up with a covers album and another live album....
Personally, I dig the entire orchestra maneuver. But, the fact that this is their billionth live album still bugs me. I wished they'd done a new studio record with orchestral stuff all over it. That'd rock. I just can't hear Blue Collar Man and Miss America again.
It's like playing in a cover band where you have to play "What I Like About You" ever night. Kill me!

[SuiteMadameBlue]

Brywool, love your avatar!! Very creative !!

I can understand what you're saying.

BTW, I took a long break from hearing "Blue Collar Man", refused to listen to it for months and months almost a year. I heard it on the radio last week and it sounded SO great!

[rajah2165]

Why is it (and I'm just asking) that we're always hearing the words "Styx" and "Missed Opportunity" in the same sentance release after release?

Speaking of missed opportunities... a few come to mind... Cornerstone, Kilroy Was Here, Edge of The Century. Cornerstone was the record that made me wince when I first put it on the turntable. Is my stereo broke? Are my speakers not working properly? Where is the power that I remember from POE, GI and others?!! Depressed now.

Groteful - lets hope your posts get better than that one...

Cornerstone - Triple platinum; Grammy nominated for album of the year; #1 single for 2 weeks and People's Choice Winner in Babe; Another top 30 single in Why Me? Top 10 European smash in Boat On the River...

Kilroy - Platinum; 2 top 10 singles; 1 gold single; 1 additional top 40 single; One of the top songs of the entire 1980s

Edge of the Century - Gold; Top 3 single; Top 25 single in Love At First Sight; Top 40 album; Song dubbed "Gulf War Anthem"

Please do tell the results of anything that has been released in the last 8 years that has been worth a note and made any type of dent in the music scene?

That's what I thought...

[styxfanNH]

Rajah,

Cyclorama was a good solid album. It didn't get any airplay, but musicly its pretty sound. BBT sounded pretty well too, but it's a covers album and really can't be considered new stuff. The rest is just live productions and various greatest hits packages. Really it's only one real album and a lot of fluff.

[Grotelul]

Why is it (and I'm just asking) that we're always hearing the words "Styx" and "Missed Opportunity" in the same sentance release after release?

Speaking of missed opportunities... a few come to mind... Cornerstone, Kilroy Was Here, Edge of The Century. Cornerstone was the record that made me wince when I first put it on the turntable. Is my stereo broke? Are my speakers not working properly? Where is the power that I remember from POE, GI and others?!! Depressed now.

Groteful - lets hope your posts get better than that one...

Cornerstone - Triple platinum; Grammy nominated for album of the year; #1 single for 2 weeks and People's Choice Winner in Babe; Another top 30 single in Why Me? Top 10 European smash in Boat On the River...

Kilroy - Platinum; 2 top 10 singles; 1 gold single; 1 additional top 40 single; One of the top songs of the entire 1980s

Edge of the Century - Gold; Top 3 single; Top 25 single in Love At First Sight; Top 40 album; Song dubbed "Gulf War Anthem"

Please do tell the results of anything that has been released in the last 8 years that has been worth a note and made any type of dent in the music scene?

That's what I thought...

I could care less how many records those sold. Styx had something great going and could have been one of the best rock bands ever but they had to go way too mainstream. I would venture to add..4 of the 5 members of the group during those records agreed with my opinion on this. Just because Britney Spears sells records, does that make her music any good? Please. And I could really care less about anyones opinion of my posts... Oh God...someone dislikes what I posted!!! How am I going to sleep tonight! Get a life.

[Ash]

Honestly - I couldn't care less really.

Kansas did what you suggested. Kansas is what Styx would have become.

Kansas released Point of Know Return when Styx released Pieces of Eight. Both progressive rock albums to the core. Both were big and had huge world tours.

After this album - can you name the next Kansas album recorded? It was called Monolith and was actually better than Point of Know Return musically. But it was too prog, too dark - and Kansas fell out of the limelight - something they never recovered from. Styx evolved their sound (something every successful band does) going more acoustic (the trend at the time) and producing Cornerstone and their greatest album - Paradise Theatre. Kansas produced Audio Visions (with one minor hit) and then Vinyl Confessions and Drastic Measures with a different vocalist. Kansas produced Paradise Theatre and Kilroy was Here - two of the most well known albums of their times.

Say what you want about what music you like and what music you do not like - but if you want to try and re-write what is part of history - then it is YOU, my friend, who needs to get a life.

[Grotelul]

Honestly - I couldn't care less really.

Kansas did what you suggested. Kansas is what Styx would have become.

Kansas released Point of Know Return when Styx released Pieces of Eight. Both progressive rock albums to the core. Both were big and had huge world tours.

After this album - can you name the next Kansas album recorded? It was called Monolith and was actually better than Point of Know Return musically. But it was too prog, too dark - and Kansas fell out of the limelight - something they never recovered from. Styx evolved their sound (something every successful band does) going more acoustic (the trend at the time) and producing Cornerstone and their greatest album - Paradise Theatre. Kansas produced Audio Visions (with one minor hit) and then Vinyl Confessions and Drastic Measures with a different vocalist. Kansas produced Paradise Theatre and Kilroy was Here - two of the most well known albums of their times.

Say what you want about what music you like and what music you do not like - but if you want to try and re-write what is part of history - then it is YOU, my friend, who needs to get a life.

Kansas and Styx were not the same kind of bands in my opinio. I always placed Kansas in the far prog rock crowd who happened to have a few hits and they lost their main man shortly after. Styx was always more commercial but never totally commercial before Cornerstone. You are right, a band should not remain the same but to go from POE to Cornerstone and then Kilroy? When I first listened to Grand Illusion and then POE, it was powerful interesting rock music. Sounded heavy and was just some great rock music in my opinion. Then came Cornerstone and it was such a drastic change. It was more than a change to acoustic, it was a totally different sound. If you listen to both POE and Cornerstone, if you didn't know any better, you would swear they could be two different groups. I was just disappointed in the direction they took, mainly due to one man's opinion on what direction they should go. I think they could have remained together throughout the 80's making something really special if not for one man wanting to dictate what the group was going to do.

[bugsymalone]

...a band should not remain the same but to go from POE to Cornerstone and then Kilroy?

I keep wondering where "Paradise Theater" went in this progression. But then I read this:

I was just disappointed in the direction they took, mainly due to one man's opinion on what direction they should go. I think they could have remained together throughout the 80's making something really special if not for one man wanting to dictate what the group was going to do.

So I guess it makes total sense to leave out Styx' only No. 1 album.

Bugsy

[Grotelul]

...a band should not remain the same but to go from POE to Cornerstone and then Kilroy?

I keep wondering where "Paradise Theater" went in this progression. But then I read this:

I was just disappointed in the direction they took, mainly due to one man's opinion on what direction they should go. I think they could have remained together throughout the 80's making something really special if not for one man wanting to dictate what the group was going to do.

So I guess it makes total sense to leave out Styx' only No. 1 album.

Bugsy

I liked Paradise Theater a lot better than those other three but no where near Grand Illusion or POE regardless of being a number 1 record. It gave me hope they were heading back in the right direction. Kilroy Was Here was not it. If done properly it could have been a really cool idea. They went too far with the cornball lame crappola and weak songs....they were laughed at. Like Chuck says..people were saying.. What is this? They didn't even know. Mr Roboto is a catchy tune but I can't think of anything else on that record worth listening to.

[Blue Falcon]

Honestly - I couldn't care less really.

After this album - can you name the next Kansas album recorded? It was called Monolith and was actually better than Point of Know Return musically. But it was too prog, too dark - and Kansas fell out of the limelight - something they never recovered from.

I'm sure one of the reasons Monolith flopped was the whole American-Indians-wearing-space-helmets thing, which I'm sure went over everyone's head. Kansas also lacked any sort of visual identity...I could walk right past the original lineup on the street and not recognize a single one of them.

Of course some bands you don't WANT to see...Styx was one of the bands that MTV helped to kill off, thanks to the less-than-handsome looks of JY and DDY. MTV killed off all those 'ugly' bands, it seems.

Styx is now in the dreaded 'release-one-album-and-then-a-live-album' cycle just to keep product in the stores. Too bad most of it is substandard.

Funny thought about 'Borrowed Time' from Cornerstone: the intro sounds like it could be the theme song for a show like Good Morning America. Just close your eyes and listen to it...you can almost smell the toast burning!