Styx Equinox CD

Personnel: John Curulewski (vocals, guitar, synthesizer); James Young (vocals, guitar); Dennis DeYoung (vocals, keyboards, synthesizer); Chuck Panozzo (vocals, bass guitar); John Panozzo (vocals, drums, percussion).
Audio Remixers: Styx; Barry Mraz.
Photographer: Chris Micoine.
Equinox produced Styx's first single with A&M, the highly spirited "Lorelei," which found its way to number 27 on the charts. Although it was the only song to chart from Equinox, the album itself is a benchmark in the band's career since it includes an instrumental nature reminiscent of their early progressive years, yet hints toward a more commercial-sounding future in its lyrics. "Light Up" is a brilliant display of keyboard bubbliness, with De Young's vocals in full bloom, while "Lonely Child" and "Suite Madame Blue" show tighter songwriting and a slight drift toward radio amicability. Still harboring their synthesizer-led dramatics alongside Dennis De Young's exaggerated vocal approach, the material on Equinox was a firm precursor of what was to come . After Equinox, guitarist John Curulewski parted ways with the band, replaced by Tommy Shaw, who debuted on 1976's Crystal Ball album. ~ Mike DeGagne
By 1975, Styx had persevered long enough, and had enough success via their sleeper hit "Lady," to graduate to a major label. Superstardom was still a couple of years off, but they were clearly on their way, having consolidated their sound effectively. EQUINOX was the last Styx album to feature original guitarist John Curulewski, one of the more progressive forces in the band. In a way, the album represents the last stand of prog-rock as a major element of the band's sound (though traces of it would crop up over the next few albums).
Curulewski's "Mother Dear," though an obscurity, is a highlight here, with its sophisticated, introspective lyricism and complex, synthesizer-laden arrangement. Dennis DeYoung picks up on that ambitious thread with "Suite Madam Blue," an epic-length tune that moves through several moods and is sort of an elegy for America. On the poppier side, there's the celebratory "Light Up," and the infectious, synth-dotted "Lorelei."