The 1972 self-titled album from Chicago-based quintet
Styx could be considered an ambitious outing for any band's debut. Clearly influenced by the primarily U.K-centered progressive rock scene,
Dennis DeYoung (keyboard/vocals) hooked up with twin siblings
Chuck Panozzo (bass/vocals) and
John Panozzo (drums/percussion/vocals) in a combo named
the Tradewinds during the late '60s. The first lineup of
Styx began to emerge once
John Curulewski (guitar/synthesizer/vocals) and James "J.Y." Young (guitar/vocals) joined up, initially surfacing under the moniker
TW4. Local gigs in and around the Windy City led them to the attention of
Bill Traut, a Chicago musician/producer whose regional record label Wooden Nickel was distributed throughout North America by RCA.
Traut was actively seeking new talent and
TW4 was just what he was looking for to compete with the likes of
Emerson, Lake & Palmer,
Yes and
Rush. With some tweaking,
TW4 evolved into
Styx and began work on this, their inaugural long-player. Immediately striking is the strong musicianship that
DeYoung and
Curulewski -- both classically trained -- bring to the project. The four-part "Movement for the Common Man" is impressive considering the dynamics of its scope -- ranging from the hard-hitting aggressive "Children of the Land" to the audio vérité "Street Collage." The latter section includes dialogue and conversations with everyday people and effortlessly flows into a chorus of
Aaron Copeland's "Fanfare for the Common Man." The nearly quarter-hour suite concludes with the brisk and inspired "Mother Nature's Matinee." "Right Away" is a mid-tempo bluesy number with formidable slide guitar licks from Young that could sit contently beside the smooth Southern comfort of
Lynyrd Skynyrd's
Gary Rossington.
DeYoung's electric organ similarly takes on a soulful vibe recalling
Booker T. Jones of
Booker T. & the MG's fame. Although comparatively mellow, the ballad "What Has Come Between Us" is also more complex and intricate, providing an exceptional platform for their nascent vocal harmonies. The catchy and propulsive "Best Thing" became
Styx' incipient excursion into the pop singles chart, landing at 82 nationally and scoring even better regionally. Perhaps the biggest surprise is the cover of
George Clinton's "After You Leave Me," which is turned into a suitably open-throttled ending to
Styx' commendable introductory affair. ~ Lindsay Planer