Styx Cornerstone CD

Personnel: Tommy Shaw (vocals, guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, autoharp, mandolin); James Young (vocals, guitar, autoharp, synthesizer); Dennis DeYoung (vocals, keyboards); Chuck Panozzo (vocals, bass guitar); John Panozzo (vocals, drums, percussion); Arnie Roth (strings); Steve Eisen (saxophone); Ed Tossing (horns).
Recording information: Pumpkin Studios, Oak Lawn, IL.
Photographer: Aaron Rapoport.
Arrangers: Ed Tossing; Arnie Roth.
Presenting radio with one of the best rock ballads ever, Cornerstone gave Chicago's Styx their big break with the number one single "Babe," which held that spot for two weeks in October of 1979. "Babe" is a smooth, keyboard-pampered love song that finally credited Dennis De Young's textured vocals. While this single helped the album climb all the way to the number two spot on the charts, the rest of the tracks from Cornerstone weren't nearly half as strong. "Why Me" made it to number 26, and both "Lights" and "Boat on the River" implement silky harmonies and welcoming choruses, yet failed to get off the ground. De Young's keyboards are effective without overly dominating the music, and the band's gritty rock & roll acerbity has been slightly sanded down to compliment the commercial market. The songs aren't as tight or assertive as their last few albums, but Shaw's presence can be felt strongly on most of the tracks, especially where the writing is concerned. Outside of "Babe," Cornerstone tends to sound a tad weaker than one would expect. ~ Mike DeGagne
With CORNERSTONE, Styx entered the '80s primed to continue their run of phenomenal success. While it was one of their biggest-selling albums, it also saw the beginning of a rift between the gritty rock tendencies of Tommy Shaw and James Young and the pure pop romanticism of Dennis DeYoung. The latter's ballad "Babe" hit Number One and gave the band even more popular appeal than before, but it stood in stark contrast to the less sugary offerings of Young and Shaw.
Despite the presence of the aforementioned blockbuster single, CORNERSTORE bears some less heralded gems. Young's blazing "Eddie" is one of his most effective compositions ever. Shaw's "Lights" picks up where PIECES OF EIGHT's "Sing for the Day" left off, and his "Love in the Midnight" is a moody, atmospheric treat for hardcore Styx fans.