I couldn't help myself, this was three bucks, and looked to be in decent shape. Nothing a little bath wouldn't clean up. A few weeks ago I had a hankering for
Crystal Ball and it was on repeat in the truck for several days. This was around the time I'd spent a few days spinning
Equinox the last album to feature the original line-up.
Crystal Ball was one hell of a transition album as it was the one to introduce Tommy Shaw into the mix. His impact was huge and immediate, it still sounded like Styx but more better.
A year later Styx returned with The Grand Illusion and the band was a cohesive unit where everything was fitted together. The album opens with the title track and this just felt different. Dennis and Tommy were both front and centre with "JY" offering up the blistering riff monster that anchored "Miss America" to start side two. This was the start of the big run for the band, and while there are some killers on Pieces of Eight, and the band's subsequent albums, this here was the band's big breakthrough.
The liner notes with a geeky teenagers wet dream. The insert labelled the lead vocal and lead guitar player. This was important stuff. This was a band who had not one, but two lead players. One of the biggest surprises to me was that Tommy provided the lead on James' "Miss America" and it was perfect. The guys complimented each other and they played off each other.
One of the things that always bugged me about credits was how narrow they were back in the day. Here the songs are attributed mainly to one person, and you just know that behind the scenes while things were being arranged that the other guys brought more to the table than just playing their assigned part. Take "Man in the Wilderness" when the song goes into the break that segues into the solo it sounds like Wooden Nickel era Styx with "JY" out front, but the credits have Tommy delivering the blistering solo. Does it matter? No, it doesn't but the obsessive kid still wants to know how the sausage was made.
Regardless, The Grand Illusion stands as one the best albums Styx would record. The band was balancing their progressive elements with pure unadulterated rock and the band was simply killing it. There was no slight of hand or any attempt to bait and switch the listener into thinking this was anything other than a killer rock and roll album.
There are no duds here, and the album is loaded with now classic songs, "The Grand Illusion", "Fooling Yourself", "Come Sail Away", "Miss America" (yeah this is a killer song, well played Mr. Young, well played), and one of my favourites the understated "Castle Walls" are indelible songs.
If anything it was the band who was pulling a fast one on themselves by burying the ballads and focusing on melting faces. They'd manage to keep up appearances on the next album, but when
Cornerstone hit and "Babe" was released as a single it was as if Dennis just sat back at the table and undid the top button of his pants and slouched in his chair finally being able to relax. It's not like this wasn't in his repertoire ... "Lady" the other gack inducing song by the band was part of the catalogue. It's just that for a few years Styx was a real rock band, and this is how I like to remember them.
Yeah, this is why they were one of my favourite bands.
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