Review Dennis Deyoung One Hundred Years From Now Songs
I thought it would be fun to compare the virtually recent solo album by Dennis DeYoung: One Hundred Years from At present with the nigh recent studio album of new songs from the band Styx, Cyclorama. DeYoung'southward album came out in 2007 in Canada, and then was released with some changes to the US in 2009. Cyclorama was released in 2003 and is the just Styx studio album without DeYoung's presence. DeYoung'south album apparently did non chart in the United states (though it hit number 1 in Canada), while Cyclorama reached 127 on the Billboard nautical chart, selling well-nigh 50,000 copies. I'll first with the older album.
I believe Cyclorama is an excellent anthology and I savor it more as I listen to it more. It'due south just non actually a Styx anthology for me. Without DeYoung information technology seems like a very different band. Not a bad band, but a different band. The album has a number of highlights. James Immature shines with These are the Times,his best vocal since Miss America. It is a powerful difficult rock vocal that probably could not be written past a fellow. Information technology reflects the wisdom of experience along with the recognition that choices affair. One with Everything by Tommy Shaw is some other of my favorites — on so many levels the vocal moves and amazes me, the music is one with the lyrics, it is on my list of all fourth dimension favorite songs. Lawrence Gowon, who replaced DeYoung, also contributes solidly to the anthology, peculiarly with the socially and psychologically relevant More Honey for the Coin.
The album has no clunkers. Killing the Thing that you Honey drags a bit for me, and is the song I most frequently click past. James Immature'southward Helm America is OK; the idea is good and the music rocks, just the song itself seems to be missing something. Otherwise, every song is enjoyable, well produced and well written. Tommy Shaw's contributions reflect some of the best song writing of his career, showing that he has grown equally an artist. Rather than following old formulas, he explores new ground and each vocal is interesting and compelling.
1 of my favorites is Kiss Your Ass Goodbye by Glen Burtnik, a song which combined with the Bourgeois Hog bit by Baton Bob Thornton at the offset is the kind of intermission from the norm that compares to Mr. Roboto and Plexiglass Toilet. It'southward a novelty song, but fun. It as well adds to the circuitous variety the album offers while even so seeming coherent and continued. In that Shaw's One With Everything captures the spirit of the ablum — diverse, yet a true unified effort.
I Hundred Years from Now by Dennis DeYoung sounds more similar a Styx anthology than does Cyclorama. In fact, it'south got a drove of songs that rival annihilation DeYoung wrote either solo or as a member of Styx. Given that on any given Styx album his contributions represented three or four songs, his ability to put together 12 tunes this good is astonishing. I have since ordered his Hunchback of Notre Matriarch musical and volition mind to that equally well!
The title track, done on the Canadian version partly in French in a duet with Eric Lapointe, is done in English by DeYoung alone on the US release. To me it is up there with Suite Madame Blue, Unfinished Song, Grand Illusion and Pieces of Viii among DeYoung's best efforts. It combines a pleasant, catching and powerful melody with lyrics conveying a profound message.
Another song that I notice riveting is Rain. Information technology has DeYoung'south hallmark talent of writing a melody that is intensely powerful all the same accessible, evoking images of real devastation (apparently Katrina was an inspiration) also as being a metaphor for ane overwhelmed past life.Crossing the Rubicon is a deep and almost mystical song that reflects wisdom and experience. As one ages one has to recognize the demand to motility on and make changes; instead of 'waiting for a ameliorate day,' you have to take risks and movement onto new ground. If you're similar Estragon (the character from "Waiting for Godot" to whom DeYoung alludes) you'll simply be waiting for death. Each time I listen, the more meaningful the song is for me.
There was a Timeis a cogitating await back, reminding me a bit of his earlier Goodbye to Roseland, but ameliorate. Private Jones is a hard rock tribute to those who fought in the post 9-11 wars, reflecting the uncertainties and disappointment of those whose patriotism seemed confronted with an ambiguous reality.
There's also a group of songs that has a spiritual sense of man religion in relationships: Save Me, I Believe in You, and Forgiveness. Breathe Again rounds off that listing, existence a very personal song from DeYoung to his married woman Suzanne, yet a powerful statement in its ain correct. Two of my favorites are social commentaries on the information revolution: I Don't Believe in Anything and Turn Off CNN.
Whatever fan of Styx in its heyday will capeesh DeYoung's solo effort. He's allowed himself to create an album with the elements that made Styx one of the virtually successful bands of its era, but doesn't do so in a formulaic style. The songs show his versatility both as a vocalist and vocal author. His vocalization sounds very much like it did in Styx' heyday; to me the anthology stands alongside Grand Illusion and Paradise Theater in quality.
The good news, then, is that both Styx related acts have quality. Like the original band in the early days, both decline to take short cuts or coast. Cyclorama's songs are fresh, exciting and coagulate a various ready of elements into a superb album. Dennis DeYoung captures the spirit and sound of classic Styx in a dynamic, fresh collection of songs. The bad news is that neither CD sold enough to create anticipation of new material whatsoever time soon. It'due south unclear if the current Styx lineup will ever release another set of new songs (songwriter Glen Burtnik has left the ring since Cyclorama) and DeYoung has a diversity of projects.
The quality of these two CDs hint that a studio album reuniting Styx and DeYoung could be big. Shaw and DeYoung showed in these albums that they are if anything better song writers than they were in the by, and James Young'due south These Are the Times hints at his capacity to contribute a precious stone. If they came dorsum together and pooled their creative juices, having the maturity and perspective to realize that product they create is worth not delving into past disagreements and fights, they could not only have a better anthology than either of these two, but 1 that might actually sell — Gold, mayhap even platinum. What a coup that would be for a band that'southward been around in some form for almost fifty years!
They need non lose Gowon either. With CDs running 65 or 70 minutes, he could contribute some songs and an expanded Styx could satisfy and unite a fan base that's oft been split between DeYoung fans on the one paw and Shaw-Young fans on the other. DeYoung and Chuck Panozzo are the simply true original members of the band remaining, information technology would be a fitting cap to the band's career to heal the rift. If DeYoung'south other projects and dislike of heavy touring continues, that would no longer be a problem. He could perform some large concerts, and Gowon could handle the longer tours. The ring could be reinvigorated and fans would be delighted.
A pipe dream? Are the egos really likewise big and the feelings too sensitive? I hope not. DeYoung has claimed he'southward willing to try it over again. The others might decide its worth a risk for another best seller and spike in their career. They may experience that information technology would be a gift their fans deserve. And possibly, equally they shot past age lx and first to look mortality in the face, they may realize that the collective magic that gave them five direct multi-platinum albums deserves another run.
Source: https://scotterb.wordpress.com/2011/10/07/one-hundred-years-from-now-and-cyclorama/
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