Styx Grand Illusion CD

Styx: Dennis DeYoung (vocals, keyboards, synthesizer); Tommy Shaw
(acoustic & electric guitars, background vocals); James Young (guitar, background vocals); Chuck Panozzo (bass, background vocals); John Panozzo (drums, percussion, background vocals).
Recorded at Paragon Studios, Chicago, Illinois.
Personnel: Tommy Shaw (vocals, guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, 12-string guitar); Chuck Panozzo (vocals, guitar, bass guitar); James Young (vocals, guitar); Dennis DeYoung (vocals, keyboards, synthesizer); John Panozzo (vocals, drums, percussion).
Recording information: Paragon Recording Studios, Chicago, IL.
Other than being their first platinum-selling album, The Grand Illusion led Styx steadfastly into the domain of AOR rock. Built on the strengths of "Come Sail Away"'s ballad-to-rock metamorphosis, which gained them their second Top Ten hit, and on the high harmonies of newcomer Tommy Shaw throughout "Fooling Yourself," The Grand Illusion introduced Styx to the gates of commercial stardom. The pulverized growl of "Miss America" reveals the group's guitar-savvy approach to six-string rock, while De Young pretentiously struts his singing prowess throughout the title track. Shaw's induction into the band has clearly settled, and his guitar work, along with James Young's, is full and extremely sharp where it matters most. Even the songwriting is more effluent than Crystal Ball, which was released one year earlier, shedding their mystical song motifs for a more audience-pleasing lyric and chord counterpoise. Reaching number six on the album charts, The Grand Illusion was the first to display the gelled accomplishments of both Tommy Shaw and Dennis De Young as a tandem. ~ Mike DeGagne
THE GRAND ILLUSION was the album that rocketed Styx to superstardom after all their years of hard work. That time spent in the trenches was clearly not wasted, as the group displays an unprecedented level of tightness here in their writing, arrangements, and performance. This is something of a concept album, the theme being the hypocrisy and self-deception inherent in modern American society. The songs that tackle this concept most directly are James Young's bristling rocker "Miss America," Dennis DeYoung's appropriately grandiose-sounding title tune, and "Superstars," Tommy Shaw's evisceration of the rock star life.
Some of the most effective songs here are Shaw's inspirational "Fooling Yourself," the more obscure, moody tunes "Castle Walls" and "Man in the Wilderness," and DeYoung's epic tale of interstellar experiences "Come Sail Away," which would become one of the most loved songs in the band's catalog. Achieving the perfect balance between pop appeal, rock muscle, and prog-influenced flavoring, GRAND ILLUSION is Styx at the top of its collective game.