Cyclorama (2003)
1.Do Things My Way
2.Waiting for Our Time
3.Fields of the Brave
4.Bourgeois Pig
5.Kiss Your Ass Goodbye
6.These are the Times
7.Yes I Can
8.More Love For the Money
9.Together
10.Fooling Yourself (Palm of Your Hand)
11.Captain America
12.Killing the Thing That You Love
13.One With Everything
14.Genki Desu Ka
After what felt like a lifetime, the newly restructured lineup that was now carrying the Styx name finally delivered a full-fledged studio album in 2003. Since debuting this version of the group in the summer of 1999, they’d already knocked out over 435 live shows—so it wasn’t a matter of practice. The real holdup was legal. Founding member Dennis DeYoung (who was basicically kicked out of his own band) had taken legal action that effectively halted any new studio material from being released under the Styx banner.
When the smoke cleared, what finally arrived was arguably the band’s strongest studio release since Paradise Theatre. For the first time ever, there were four different singer/songwriters contributing, giving the record a wider creative scope than any of their more recent efforts. But unlike prior patchwork albums, this time it actually sounded like everyone was playing from the same playbook. There’s a surprising amount of cohesion here, even though each member’s unique musical tendencies still shine through.
Tommy Shaw, now clearly the de facto leader (whatever that might mean), steps up in a big way—taking the mic on five tracks. As always, Shaw knows how to deliver the goods when writing for Styx. His opener Do Things My Way is exactly what you want from a first track—driving, catchy, confident. Not like the awkward misfire of I Will Be Your Witness that opened the tepid and misguided Brave New World. The real gem, though, is the track near the end One With Everything, a tour-de-force that channels vintage Styx while also nodding to classic rock icons like Yes, ELP, and even Jethro Tull. It’s theatrical, bombastic, and just might be the best track on the record.
Now, without DeYoung’s presence, some thought the remaining band members might fill more of the spotlight—but we only get two songs apiece from the others. James “J.Y.” Young contributes one absolute standout in These Are the Times, a haunting, acoustic-driven piece featuring his trademark ominous baritone. Easily his best moment since the classic “Dr. Righteous” days. His other cut, Captain America, is a straightforward rocker that doesn’t quite reach the heights of Miss America but gets the job done.
Glen Burtnik, now in his second stint with the band, was no longer filling in for a founding member, and the pressure seemed lighter. Unfortunately, he only gets two tracks—though both are solid. Kiss Your Ass Goodbye and Killing the Thing That You Love are pure Burtnik—witty, melodic, and punchy. If we’re now calling that “classic Styx,” then so be it.
Then there’s Lawrence Gowan. To be fair, the guy’s got chops—he’s a fine player, and a solid vocalist—but his contributions just don’t gel the way the others do. Fields of the Brave is easily the weakest track here—plodding, repetitive, and not especially memorable. More Love for the Money is better, but still falls short of expectations, especially for fans who had high hopes after hearing A Criminal Mind live. Maybe he just needs more time to settle in, but these two cuts didn’t do him any favors.
Of course, fans will always wonder what this album could have been if DeYoung were still in the band. It’s not hard to imagine how two or three of his theatrical rock ballads might have elevated the whole thing even higher. But then again, his tendency to steer the band toward Broadway-style arrangements is likely what led to the split in the first place. So we’ll just have to live with that “what if?”
There are also a few head-scratchers sprinkled throughout. Bourgeois Pig, featuring none other than Billy Bob Thornton (seriously), is a 40-second oddity that leaves you wondering if your CD skipped. Then there’s a mini cover of Fooling Yourself featuring Beach Boy legend Brian Wilson—yes, really—but it feels more like a novelty than anything else. And then there’s Genki Desu Ka, which wraps up the album on a bizarre note. Thankfully, in the age of digital players, you can just skip these.
But all that aside—this is a great record. If you just can’t stomach Styx without Dennis DeYoung, fine—grab a Sharpie, black out the band’s name on the CD cover, and pretend this is some new supergroup with Shaw and J.Y. at the helm. Either way, it’s absolutely worth a listen. Bravo to everyone involved.
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