Most Styx Sounding Song on the Mission

[Toph]

Ok, what do you think? Looking for the most "Styx sounding" song on the Mission. Only have included full songs in this poll.

[S2M]

Should have included another option: None

[Boomchild]

Should have included another option: None

Ding!

[Toph]

Should have included another option: None

Ding!

There you go

[masque]

well this could go many different ways, depending on one's mood and how they want to play the game.....case in point;

#1 I voted for "radio silence" because I assumed you meant which of these songs sounds most like "classic styx" which would be the A & M years and albums. RS is laid out to be man in the wilderness 2.0. from the arrangement, performance and choice of keyboard sounds. plus the album was recorded on 2" tape and later transferred to pro tools in an effort to have the overall sonic appearance be reminiscent of how classic albums sounded.

#2 I hear many "call backs" to the "styx sound" throughout the album, especially in the background vocals and harmonies.....in fact, those call backs go all the way back to their wooden nickel days. I think they did things in many spots on the album literally trying to provide some fan service. for me, it connected. I love the album.

#3 one could argue that since this incarnation of styx with the exception of the bass player has existed since late 1999 and legally with the name that ALL of the songs sound like "styx" since they are now and have been for nearly 20 years the legal version of styx. lol.......although, we all know that won't sit well with certain people on this board.

#4 and you could argue that none of them sound like classic styx because DDY is not there. just like EOTC didn't sound like classic styx because Tommy wasn't there. still a good album though.

#5 lastly you could argue even if DDY were still there it wouldnt sound like "styx" unless you defined what era of styx you were referring to......because to me, even if TS and DDY were together making an album with JY, unless they actively sat down and tried to write grand illusion 2 it would likely sound alot like wherever their writing tastes are today.......and not much of that sounds like styx from 75-83........but the mission is probably the thing that has come closer to that sound to my ears than anything else.

[S2M]

well this could go many different ways, depending on one's mood and how they want to play the game.....case in point;

#1 I voted for "radio silence" because I assumed you meant which of these songs sounds most like "classic styx" which would be the A & M years and albums. RS is laid out to be man in the wilderness 2.0. from the arrangement, performance and choice of keyboard sounds. plus the album was recorded on 2" tape and later transferred to pro tools in an effort to have the overall sonic appearance be reminiscent of how classic albums sounded.

#2 I hear many "call backs" to the "styx sound" throughout the album, especially in the background vocals and harmonies.....in fact, those call backs go all the way back to their wooden nickel days. I think they did things in many spots on the album literally trying to provide some fan service. for me, it connected. I love the album.

#3 one could argue that since this incarnation of styx with the exception of the bass player has existed since late 1999 and legally with the name that ALL of the songs sound like "styx" since they are now and have been for nearly 20 years the legal version of styx. lol.......although, we all know that won't sit well with certain people on this board.

#4 and you could argue that none of them sound like classic styx because DDY is not there. just like EOTC didn't sound like classic styx because Tommy wasn't there. still a good album though.

#5 lastly you could argue even if DDY were still there it wouldnt sound like "styx" unless you defined what era of styx you were referring to......because to me, even if TS and DDY were together making an album with JY, unless they actively sat down and tried to write grand illusion 2 it would likely sound alot like wherever their writing tastes are today.......and not much of that sounds like styx from 75-83........but the mission is probably the thing that has come closer to that sound to my ears than anything else.

VERY well thought out response! I actually enjoyed reading it.

And even though I'm not really a fan of this incarnation/iteration of STYX, I'll always be partial to Cyclorama...which to these ears, is exponentially better than The Mission.

And with a name like 'Masque', I'd love to hear your take on the different versions of KANSAS over the years...as they are my 2nd favorite band behind RUSH.

[gr8dane]

Should have included another option: None

....and while we are at it.How about an option,'They are all great,even if Dennis who is Styx,responsible for their fame and fortune, is not on it,and yet the 'other guys' managed do a great f**king job.

[Toph]

Should have included another option: None

....and while we are at it.How about an option,'They are all great,even if Dennis who is Styx,responsible for their fame and fortune, is not on it,and yet the 'other guys' managed do a great f**king job.

Actually Will Evankovich managed to do an acceptable, but not great, job. Tommy Shaw couldn't produce himself out of a paper bag.

[masque]

well this could go many different ways, depending on one's mood and how they want to play the game.....case in point;

#1 I voted for "radio silence" because I assumed you meant which of these songs sounds most like "classic styx" which would be the A & M years and albums. RS is laid out to be man in the wilderness 2.0. from the arrangement, performance and choice of keyboard sounds. plus the album was recorded on 2" tape and later transferred to pro tools in an effort to have the overall sonic appearance be reminiscent of how classic albums sounded.

#2 I hear many "call backs" to the "styx sound" throughout the album, especially in the background vocals and harmonies.....in fact, those call backs go all the way back to their wooden nickel days. I think they did things in many spots on the album literally trying to provide some fan service. for me, it connected. I love the album.

#3 one could argue that since this incarnation of styx with the exception of the bass player has existed since late 1999 and legally with the name that ALL of the songs sound like "styx" since they are now and have been for nearly 20 years the legal version of styx. lol.......although, we all know that won't sit well with certain people on this board.

#4 and you could argue that none of them sound like classic styx because DDY is not there. just like EOTC didn't sound like classic styx because Tommy wasn't there. still a good album though.

#5 lastly you could argue even if DDY were still there it wouldnt sound like "styx" unless you defined what era of styx you were referring to......because to me, even if TS and DDY were together making an album with JY, unless they actively sat down and tried to write grand illusion 2 it would likely sound alot like wherever their writing tastes are today.......and not much of that sounds like styx from 75-83........but the mission is probably the thing that has come closer to that sound to my ears than anything else.

VERY well thought out response! I actually enjoyed reading it.

And even though I'm not really a fan of this incarnation/iteration of STYX, I'll always be partial to Cyclorama...which to these ears, is exponentially better than The Mission.

And with a name like 'Masque', I'd love to hear your take on the different versions of KANSAS over the years...as they are my 2nd favorite band behind RUSH.

well thanks a bunch! me and you could be good friends.....because my three favorite bands of all time are styx, KANSAS and rush......lol

as for my take on the different versions of KANSAS, here is what comes to mind off the top of my head;

obviously, the classic original version is my fave......from their debut album through audio visions, those are simply brilliant albums with some of the best songwriting and musicianship you will ever hear. i know it's cliche and overpaid, but they truly did have a chemistry that really worked for that band.

of the original run of albums I truly love them all for various reasons, but like many fans I would have to settle on leftoverture and point of know return being their two best albums, with POKR typically being my overall #1 by just a hair most days.

however, what is really unique about their music is there have been times all of those original albums have been my favorite on a particular day or week or month......and that is just fantastic as a listener and fan.

if you made me rank them, i would do it like this and keep in mind, there is VERY LITTLE separation between any of them for me;

POKR
Leftoverture
Monolith
Masque
Song for America
audio visions
Kansas

but let me emphasize that #7 is just barely below #1 for me.

I think steve walsh is one of the top 5 rock singers of all time in his prime.....when he left band that was enormous.....John Elefante was about as good as a replacement as you could find and I think it was smart of the band to try to find a guy to sing like steve.

so here comes kansas 2.0

vinyl confessions is an underrated album......over the years, I can revisit it and feel that it is real good quality form start to finish. their sound changed quite a bit but not drastically. my biggest issue with the album is that the overall production I think is a notch below their previous albums. its an enjoyable album and worthy of the kansas name but below any of their previous albums.

drastic measures is hit and miss.....if you are a fan then you know kerry wrote very little for the album.....it was mostly a john and dino elefante album with the members of kansas playing on it. with that said, he does have a few songs that I LOVE......fight fire with fire is still one of my faves from any era of kansas......going through the motions is killer and everyone is my friend is also a song I like. overall, to me this is pretty much the weakest album of their career.

here comes kansas 3.0

welcome steve morse. god i love that guy and always have.....his contributions to the band were fantastic.....yet, his writing with walsh sounded more like streets than kansas on "power". which was OK, I was just glad to have steve back in the fold and I like hard rock, so I really enjoyed the album.....doesnt sound much like kansas other than steve's vocal, but neither did power windows sound much like rush other than geddy's voice. if you can accept power for what it is then it is a great overall album a nice return to the scene. and honestly, pure progressive rock would not have stood a chance at that time, so they had to move with the times. power has some standout songs, like silhouettes in disguise, taking in the view and musicatto along with solid songs like tomb 19. love this album, but if i am in the mood for kansas to sound like kansas this album still has to be ranked below all of the originals but it's damn solid.

in the spirit of things is an album that I absolutely love and it has some incredible songs on it......it sounds as much like kansas as they could have sounded in the late 80's......I just wish they had written all of the songs, which they didn't, but they sure did pick some great songs to put on the album. with that said, some of the originals were stellar.....songs like "ghosts" and "bells of saint james" would rank amongst their best ever and were written within the band, with ezrin helping on ghosts.

here comes kansas 4.0

im gonna skip "wheels" and move onto the version that included greg robert and david ragsdale doing freaks of nature. this is an album I loved when it came out. I dont love it as much now, but it's still solid. this version of the band was fantastic......veyr good band and for the first time in over a decade, they were reproducing the old songs in a similar fashion as the original did......that was great to see and hear again live. unfortunately, this is also the time period that steve began losing his voice. now as a super fan of steve's, I still loved him and I accepted the changes in his voice, but damn what a loss. it was great to see kerry throw a song in there in black fathom 4 and the album had some really good songs but this album has to be on the low end of their albums career wise.

kansas 5.0 hot damn we got the whole band back together and kept billy greer......wow, somewhere to elsewhere is just stellar......its one album that could honestly challenge and possibly find a way to crack into being one of the top 7 albums of their career. icarus 2 and the coming dawn were just absolute diamonds in their careers.....fantasitc songs. and it was great to have everyone back involved and kerry certainly wrote songs that sounded like "kansas". my only fault with the album is the lack of writing from steve.......i dont like that part. but overall, a great return to nostalgic form for the most part.

kansas 6.0, the prelude implicit. this version of the band is a really good band.....live they are doing these songs full justice and all of the instrumentation from the albums is there and the musicianship is stellar. the album is very solid and well done.......for this version of kansas to choose to make new music, then I give them props for making good music. but you have no kerry and no steve and therefore, it can only be so good.......so while I have ZERO issue with them being "kansas", the most important parts of what made kansas so important to me are not there...so it allows me to judge the album as a band that sounds like kansas mostly and they do a good job and they tried to make music that sounds like what a kansas fan wants to hear. good for them and good for us, but it isn't the same. so I do enjoy it and can even say i like it alot, but it is what it is.

overall, they are one of the greatest bands of all time. I am out of time today, I will try to later tonight or tomorrow to reply back as to what some of my favorite songs are of all time from them.

[Archetype]

Radio Silence is the most classic sounding track. The Red Storm is what I want Styx to be.