STYX | REGENERATION, VOLUME I & II
by John Kindred
Staff Writer
The question of the day is, “Why are bands re-recording and releasing their original recordings from decades ago?” With many bands firmly on this band wagon, why should we not expect a classic band like STYX not to follow suit? After all, like many of today’s current touring and recording artists whose humble beginnings began in the late ’60 and ‘70s, they are a shell of their former selves. Often sporting one or two original members.
So here we have Regeneration Volume I & II packaged together for the first time and available to the mass public instead of only being sold at the band’s concerts. Although fronted by original members, Tommy Shaw and James “JY” Young, the rest of their band-mates only have been around since ’95, at the earliest. Currently the band is emphasizing that the current lineup has actually has been together longer than the original group. It’s unclear if that justifies re-recording and releasing material originally sung by band founder and contributing songwriter, Dennis DeYoung who left the band in ‘99. The band’s original drummer, John Panozzo, died in ’96, while his brother, bassist Chuck Panozzo, sits in on specific songs during the band’s live set. Lawrence Gowan, DeYoung’s replacement, really is a clone of the former vocalist and keyboardist. Bassist Ricky Phillips and drummer Todd Scherman round out the current lineup.
Regeneration Volume I & II boasts re-recorded versions of classic STYX compositions, a brand new song “Difference In The World” and re-recordings of “High Enough” and “Coming Of Age,” from Shaw’s former band, Damn Yankees. The majority of the songs on both CDs were and continue to be FM rock radio staples: “The Grand Illusion;” “Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man);” “Lorelei;” “Crystal Ball;” “Come Sail Away;” “Blue Collar Man (Long Nights);” “Miss America;” “Renegade;” ”Too Much Time On My Hands;” and “Snowblind.” “Sing for the Day” and “Queen of Spades” are more obscure album tracks that only diehard fans would know. Both songs are throwaways and blur the continuity of what could be considered another “greatest hits” package.
Listening to the re-recorded songs on Regeneration Volume I & II offers nothing new regarding re-interpretation of the music. Although we are a couple of decades away from the ‘70s and ‘80s and the technology and equipment used to record with has advanced with the times, the songs sound similar in tonality as well as sonically. The guitar tone is that same Marshall-esque crunch of the ‘70s. Guess what? Tommy Shaw still sounds like, well, Tommy Shaw, that’s guitar and vocals. And Lawrence Gowan sounds, well, a lot like Dennis DeYoung. If the band wanted to re-create the songs sung by DeYoung, then they had to find someone who sang damn close to the original singer.
Regeneration Volume I & II is what it is, whatever the reason. As a fan of the band, would you buy it for one new song? It would be better for STYX to have released a new album of songs than to revisit the past. It’s all a bit too nostalgic.
Genre: Classic Rock
Band:
Tommy Shaw (v)(g)
James “JY” Young (g)
Lawrence Gowan (v)(k)
Ricky Phillips (b)
Todd Scherman (d)
Track Listing:
DISC 1
1. The Grand Illusion
2. Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)
3. Lorelei
4. Sing For The Day
5. Crystal Ball
6. Come Sail Away
7. Difference In The World
DISC 2
1. Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)
2. Miss America
3. Renegade
4. Queen Of Spades
5. Boat on The River
6. Too Much Time On My Hands
7. Snowblind
8. Coming Of Age
9. High Enough
Label: Eagle Rock
Styx can be found on the web at:
http://www.styxworld.com/
http://www.facebook.com/styxtheband
http://twitter.com/STYXtheband
Hardrock Haven rating: n/a
This doesn’t sound like a multiplatnium band neither does the albums. Jy’s vocals are over the place. Lawrence Gowan is NOT no Dennis Deyoung.
This review comes from Classic Rock Magazine
Styx – Regeneration: Volumes I & II
Eagle Records
http://www.eaglerockent.com
http://www.styxworld.com
Rating: D
Many rock fans do not realize that many of their favorite bands do not own the rights to their own material. With classic rock tunes being favorites of advertisers, and advertisers willingness to pay big bucks to use these tunes in commercials, many bands redo their own songs in order to have something that they own to sell for these commercials. They also are handy to force the hardcore fan base completists to shell out a few more bucks for new product – err, sorta new product – to add to their collection.
Whether this was the reason Styx released a two-disc set of their own tunes or not, only the band and their management knows.
It’s a shame this type of thing has to go on, as it really makes bands like Styx look as if they are out of original ideas. The fact that this ‘Styx’ album also contains two Damn Yankees songs on it only adds to the confusion.
The only interesting things about this album are the songs that Lawrence Gowan sings. Gowan replaced Dennis DeYoung and hearing his take on classics Styx tunes, including “The Grand Illusion” and “Come Sail Away,” is something different. However, he can be heard singing these songs on any of the live CDs or DVDs that have been released since he has been in the band.
This is a throwaway album that really is not that impressive. There is a new song titled “Difference in the World” but, at the end of the day, it does more to make one wonder if the band really is out of good ideas, as it is a forgettable song.
Perhaps the time has come for Styx to take a few years off the road and recharge their batteries. Can anyone say, “Damn Yankees reunion?”
By Jeb Wright