SuiteMadameBlue wrote:Dennis wasn't "trying" to sound like old Styx. With his past solo albums he was catering to the record companies on what they wanted. This time he relaxed (4+ years) wrote/re-wrote and created the songs the way he wanted them to be heard. Notice the accordian? You'll also hear songs that feature him playing his old Oberheim (sp?). On his cd/album the harmonies are back on a few songs that are very melodic and I'm sure MOST of you on THIS Melodic Rock forums will enjoy. 
I'm not totally convinced DDY was cow-towing to the record companies on his first three solo albums. You can draw the straight line from Kilroy or "Music Time" to
Desert Moon for example.
If I ever interview him again (*cough*), I may even ask the question.
The two songs I've heard are completely out of context of the rest of the album - which I haven't heard - but when I hear the whole thing (and in better quality), maybe it'll make more sense. As I said, I liked the song. I'm also a musician and composer, and I know what it's like to have something that sounds good, but you tried too hard. I don't think, however, you can completely say that he's not trying to recapture some old glory here. Not only is DDY a driven guy, but he's taken his lumps from people for his "softer sound" for quite some time. DDY is a guy who rises to the occasion, and I think this harder edged direction (which I've heard in both the songs) to some degree is an answer to it.
I really like the accordian, but this all (to me) has nothing to do with using the Oberheim or any vintage instrument; it has everything to do with some combination of the following:
a) DDY doing what he wants
b) DDY being who he is, Styx firing him has motivated him
c) DDY is probably sick of hearing that he's a ballad guy who can't write rockers in reviews, on the Internet, etc.
We saw glimpses of this direction on "My G-d Can Beat Up Your G-d". The production on this song is very Styx-esque in the way the song sounds. You can't help but draw parallels to certain periods of Styx when you listen to some of it, but you can also hear some of that
Hunchback in the song as well. Again, not a bad thing, but any musician who composes is absolutely influenced by their experiences. In some way, maybe DDY is also looking to bridge the theatrics with the rock (not unlike Meat Loaf a little - who, if you remember, DDY did open for a year or two ago). Not to say that some of the older stuff wasn't somewhat theatrical, but I think now that DDY has done theater, there's more of an actual understanding of what that is.
-ERIC