You'll find even more Styx ... at the main page ... freak. Stynxy Overall Album Score: 7.6 out of 10 Macintosh Computers suck! ... But ... that has nothing to do with Styx. ... A band which a few very clever people like to call Stynx ... not that I don't agree with them. But at least their sophomore album isn't a bad one. ... Of course it's not really a very *GOOD* one either, but at least it barely qualifies for Don Ignacio's Seal of Approval. Thankfully, Styx decided to polish up their act dramatically for this thing. And I'm freaking grateful for that! This album even contains their very first hit in it! "Lady!" ... It's not a great song, really, but I do like it, at least, for that wonderful whistle at the beginning of it. It's kinduva dumb reason to like a song (just for the whistle), but ... what can I say? I do! The best song on here, though, in my opinion is "Father O.S.A." It's one of those bombastic progressive-rock/pre-AOR things and it's kinda awesome. Apart from the final two tracks, all the other songs are pretty good as well. This is such a thankful turnaround from that decrepit Styx album! Yay!!!!! ... It's still not that great, though. Overall Album Score: 7.6 out of 10 (A huge improvement over Styx ... most assuredly, this is not one of rock's #1 greatest albums ... but it's likable, overall.) Average Song Score: 7.9 (Oddly enough, these songs are kinda decent all around ... MUCHHHH better than that previous "thing" they released.) Album Tilt: 7.5 (The album has its highs and lows. It's highs are, undoubtedly "Lady" and "Father O.S.A." and "You Better Ask." The lows are those freaking final two tracks.) Artist Rating: 7.5 (Still not the artists, but ... they're not horrible. Strangely enough, they are at their best when they are acting like total geeks here. See "Father O.S.A.") Track Reviews You Need Love 8/10 ...Um... I need love ... Thanks for telling me that, guys! ... I never realized that one before! ... Off to an Internet dating service, I go. Or maybe off to get me a Russian mail order bride. ... Yeah ... HEY! This song doesn't really suck! It's kind of bouncy ... the melody isn't annoying. DeYoung's vocals are still a bit shaky, but they aren't annoying. The instrumentation is solid, too. Unfortunately, that didn't transfer into a very memorable song, but at least this doesn't suck. Lady 8.5/10 I don't know who I'm trying to appease sometimes: Styx fans or Styx haters. Fortunately for me, I'm neither! So I can give this freaking song an 8.5 if I freaking feel like it! SO THERE!!! ... Honestly, this song would have been a clear 10 if that chorus wasn't so dang ... Styxian. The introduction of this song is so light and delicate and so acutely instrumented that it's difficult not to fall in love with it. The rest of the song, unfortunately, is dull, pounding, and ... uhhh ... not very good. ... Maybe an 8.5 is even a too-exaggerated-of-a-score, but that freaking synth-whistle (that sounds so world-weary) at the beginning of the song (which lasts only about 20 seconds) just makes me HAPPY. ... Again, Styx are very very good instrumentationalists. You can say what you like about their music. But their instrumentation is tops much of the time. A Day 7.5/10 This song is perfectly boring, but ... it's not particularly bad. Maybe the best thing about it is that Dennis DeYoung doesn't sing vocals. It's that John Curulewzi dude. Sure, his voice isn't as bombastic as DeYoung's but ... at least he's in freaking control of it! ... When it's all said and done, this is one of the band's more solid, genuinely progressive rock tracks. It's kinda pointless, but ... never expect Styx to have much of a point. Select parts of this song are quite lovely, however. You Better Ask 8.5/10 NEEDS MORE COWBELL!!!!!!!!!! ... What's this, anyway? A ******ROCK****** song? ... No! It'll never work!! ... I think Curulewzi's singing on this one again ... his vocals are nice'n'snaring here! No wonder he quit the band! His vocals aren't geek-sounding! And he knows how to write rock! ... Really, this song is kind of awesome ... and totally unlike Styx. (The quiet circus thing at the end was ... uhh ... obviously one of DeYoung's things.) Little Fugue in "G" 8/10 Johann Sebastain Bach apparently loved Styx enough to come back from the dead as a zombie and played for them a little one-minute song on the organ! Thanks Johann! You rock! Father O.S.A. 9/10 Oh, geez ... Dennis DeYoung is back at the PEN! ... Although, I kind of like this one! It's a pretentious boogar little progressive rock song, but the melody isn't bad and I pretty much enjoy the instrumentation throughout. The church organ peppered throughout the song was a verrrrrry nice touch. Overall, a pretty formidable little prog-rock tune combining rock and classical music in a rather pleasant way! Hey! Styx doesn't suck anymore! Yay! Earl of Roseland 6.5/10 Still bombastic, still progressive-rock, still uber-pretentious ... This is everything that "Father O.S.A." is except it just isn't very good! It's really quite BORINGGGGGGG. And the melody sucks and the instrumentation is no particular treat this time, either. I'm Gonna Make You Feel It 7/10 If it was their intention to make me feel *bored*, then I guess I can say they succeeded with flying colors! This song is nothing but a hookless, bombastic THING that ... I DON'T CARE ABOUT!!!! It's guitar-heavy, yeah, and that's usually a nice thing to be (compared to totally geeky), but ... yeah. They sorta needed a melody, maybe. Styx me with some more of your comments here!

All reviews are copyrighted by Michael Lawrence. Diet Coke corrodes the teeth. A lot.