Styx Listening Party - The Serpent Is Rising

[Toph]

OK, this one should make for some interesting discussion. Not just musically, but lyrically as well. Some of the most intriguing lyrics on any Styx album. Is this the first Styx concept album? What is the theme here? And if you don't know what the "Grove" is, I'd recommend you hit any random porn site. And since this song came out in the early 1970s, I'm betting there were some serious overgrown "groves" out there.... Anyway, this album always scared me when I was younger and was example #1 for those that liked to claim that Styx was satanic. But in hindsight, I think its more about sex than anything with the "serpent" liking to go play in the "grove." But it will be interesting to hear the interpretations of this one.

Dennis DeYoung calls this by far and away the worst Styx album ever made. What do you think?

This is not grouped as an album, but as a grouping. I think if you play this group, it should take you through all 9 songs on the album. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7FCKyb ... A12E083863

[brywool]

I think Dennis is wrong. Styx 1, for me holds that distinction. This one actually had some cool songs on it:
Winner Take All, Witch Wolf, The Grove of Eglantine, 22 Years, Jonas Psalter are all decent tunes. You kinda have to turn a blind eye to the lyrics because of the times (though it's hard!- ooh, another SIR reference???) but musically, there are some good hooks and harmonies here. There were other bands out there doing equally geeky lyrics at that time, some of them with huge hits. But overall, the album is a JC fest and you're left going "Dude, what were you on??"

Witch Wolf and Winner Take all are decent JY-led tracks. I think that Witch Wolf is the better track performance wise but Winner Take All is more interesting as a track. Dennis should've done the vocal on it, especially since he wrote it. JY's voice is not suited for it. There's something about this one and "Havin a Ball" from the next album have always made me think of The Partridge Family. Not sure why. Could just be the "upness" of the lyrics. So happy!

Regarding the Grove- cool harpsichord intro and the song's hook and harmonies are really good. I can see how Dennis would hate it, because he was writing stuff that kind of wasn't him, "Lady" being closer to how he thought. But still, I don't get the dislike for this tune. Musically, it's cool.

Lyrically, the best of the lot for me here is Young Man. I don't dig the performance much, but lyrically, I like it and it was as close to "political" as they got before Equinox and Suite Madame Blue and some of the better political songs that Dennis came up with later. They always took flack for that, but I always enjoyed DeYoung's political commentary, some of it veiled, some of it not. Someone else should've done the vocal here.

As Bad of this just makes me want to slash my wrists. Just too laid back and dark, and too long. The 3 JC songs are ones that I have rarely played.

Jonas Psalter- yeah, it's about pirates, but it's still a cool song. Jy's voice, while it's early self, doesn't bug me as much on this track. I like the changes and the harmonized guitar parts. Again, another DDY song that he gave to JY to sing. WHY? Woulda been awesome as a Dennis tune.

Serpent is Rising... I think I can count the times I've listened to this track on one hand. I always go past it. The guitar riff that starts it just annoys the crap outta me. It's great 'till the descending line that goes out of key and just kind of wrecks it. A couple of high points on the track are the harmonies and Dennis' Hammond organ stuff.

Krakatoa- I don't think I've ever made it through this track. It's utter sh*t. Second only to Street Collage from Styx I.
With Curlewski's Styx II tracks, yer left going "Yeah, these tunes work with the band they're all on the same page". With his SIR tracks, you can see why he didn't make it with Styx. Clearly going in different directions. Someone mentioned John's "Mother Dear" track from Equinox as being a bum track. I don't agree. While not a "hit song" like some of the others, it's a good album track with good synth, good melody, and Dennis handles the vocals well. So JC could write and sing and play... but it seems like his head wasn't where the rest of the band's was.

I think we kind of know that Dennis wasn't that into Curlewski's style. Has anything ever been said by the other 3 members (JY,CP,JP) about it? Meaning, maybe all 3 of them were in John's corner but Dennis was the anti-JC-song guy? (rightfully so, in my opinion)

[masque]

this album is my favorite WN release. Styx II is a very close second but most days this album is the one I listen to the most from the WN days.

why?

Because I think it has one of the best WN songs from any of the 4 releases in "22 years".....freaking love that song.

also because I think it has some of the best songs contributed by JY and JC during the WN days in "with wolf" and the title track.

"winner takes all" reminds me of "you need love" in tone and feel but is another great upbeat song from the guys. and I just love how it swells into the intro.

the weakest song on the album for me is "as bad as this", but I still prefer this JC track over any of his others compared to what he did on Styx 1 and II.

Yeh, Jonas Psalter is about pirates but I have always loved that song......and in particular when then music stops and they harmonize on the "with that bullet in your head" line was something that always really thought was cool.

to me there is just more of flow to this album than the others......the songs sound like they belong together better than they had on their first two albums, even considering "plexiglass toilet" and "krakatoa".

the production of the album is slightly better than Styx II and shows a band growing to me in their songwriting and experimentation.

overall I give the album a 7.3.

[gr8dane]

this album is my favorite WN release. Styx II is a very close second but most days this album is the one I listen to the most from the WN days.

why?

Because I think it has one of the best WN songs from any of the 4 releases in "22 years".....freaking love that song.

also because I think it has some of the best songs contributed by JY and JC during the WN days in "with wolf" and the title track.

"winner takes all" reminds me of "you need love" in tone and feel but is another great upbeat song from the guys. and I just love how it swells into the intro.

the weakest song on the album for me is "as bad as this", but I still prefer this JC track over any of his others compared to what he did on Styx 1 and II.

Yeh, Jonas Psalter is about pirates but I have always loved that song......and in particular when then music stops and they harmonize on the "with that bullet in your head" line was something that always really thought was cool.

to me there is just more of flow to this album than the others......the songs sound like they belong together better than they had on their first two albums, even considering "plexiglass toilet" and "krakatoa".

the production of the album is slightly better than Styx II and shows a band growing to me in their songwriting and experimentation.

overall I give the album a 7.3.

Pretty much this.
Like all the songs.
Could do without Kakatoa and Plexi.

[ztyxlynne]

This is my least favorates out of all the WN recording's.The only reason I will listen to it is when I listen to Plexi. People that I play that to can't believe that is Styx. What were they thinking of? It is a funny song though. I remember in being on Dr Demento.

[Toph]

This is a very polarizing one for me. There are a few songs I like and there are quite a few that I just can't stand. In general I think I'm not a fan of JC. Tommy Shaw was such a stronger player, vocalist, and songwriter. JC just was too weird for Styx. And that is how I would categorize this album - weird. It doesn't flow well and whatever concept there is just doesn't come to life for me. I ask you all - what is really the concept here? Is it about sex? Is it about the devil? Is it ultimately about good conquering evil? Is it about Kundalini (look it up)? It really is a WTF type of album. That being said it has a few good songs that I do enjoy:

- 22 years - this is such a catch tune and I love the duet between JY/Dennis. Interestingly enough - Curelewski wrote this song. Not sure why he didn't sing it. Very unlike him - this is a catchy upbeat song. If there was a single on this album this should have been it.
- Winner Take All - Should have been sung by Dennis. A great upbeat song reminiscent of You Need Love.
- Hallelujah Chorus - If these are their voices, a nice sound. Like the religious nature of this song to counteract some of the strange, creepy earlier songs like Serpent and Krakatoa.

OK Songs
- Young Man - Stronger JY song. A bit proggy flavored and political too. Good song.
- Jonas Salter - Why DDY didn't sing this song again is beyond me, but not a bad melody - although the lyrics are a bit goofy.
- Grove of Eglatine - Melody is decent - Lyrics god awful. What is this fake British accept that DDY is employing? WTF kind of song has, "You're a wicked wench Ha! But thanks for all the love." - what does that mean and to does it relate to what the grove is really about? One moment he's praising the grove and the next minute he's calling it a wicked wench? A bit bi-polar.
- As Bad As This - Snoozer - the only good part is the instrumental in the middle

Awful -
- Serpent - People used to say this song proved Styx was satanic. The serpent being the devil and he was rising and taking over your soul. Gotta say, it kind of sounds that way to me and I could definitely understand why someone would think that way.
- Krakatoa - Again - another attempt and sounding like they are worshipping at the altar of satan. Just weird and unpleasant to listen to. Heard someone else say, getting back to the sex concept, that this represents the big orgasm. Who the hell knows what JC was thinking. The only thing I can conclude was this guy was really messed up or on some serious drugs. How did they let this crap onto the record? Only good thing - the THX sound at the end.
- Plexiglass - OK, so we have all this good vs. evil, satan vs. god, sex type imagery going on for this record and then they put on this? Really? I just don't get it.

I still am struggling with what this album is supposed to be about. Can anyone enlighten us with inside information?

[FormerDJMike]

I've heard Serpent Is Rising (the song) is also sexual in nature. As in an erection. Leading to Krakatoa ad finally hallelujah chorus leading to the end results.....