Customer Reviews

Greatest Hits (Eco)

5 star:		(143)
4 star:		(38)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(11)
1 star:		(27)

 

 

Styx is one of those groups that many people seem to hate, and yet has always done well both in concert and on tour. One likely explanation is that Styx has sung songs that often almost "gimicky" or too cute for some fans. An example might be "Mr. Roboto." Furthermore, their commercial success may turn some critics away from Styx because there often seems to be an opinion that commercial success means little artistry. Regardless of why the opinions are what they are, Styx had a long successful career, and though they are generally classified as a rock group with numerous pop hits, occasionally they had songs that were very artistic and edged into progressive rock.

Near the end of their career, Styx tried to experiment with their music, which is always dangerous for a long-established group, since their existing fans may feel betrayed and the genre they are trying to break into either reviles their music or doesn't recognize what they are trying to do. "Kilroy Was Here", from which "Mr. Roboto" was taken, was such an experiment. "Kilroy Was Here" was a concept album that told a story. I think that had Styx been a new group, the album may have worked. However, many longtime Styx fans felt betrayed by an album that appeared to diverge from Styx' traditional music. This album marked the end or the beginning of the end for a monster group that had churned out so many good songs.

Styx had one more album release in 1990, "Edge of the Century", which yielded one top 40 song, "Show Me the Way." This CD also has a re-recorded version of "Lady" done in 1995.

This CD captures many of Styx' better moments. I'm not sure that all of the songs on the CD are "greatest hits," but certainly they are representative of Styx from the beginning of their career to the end. I would suggest that if you like this CD and Styx that you should augment this CD with "Paradise Theater" and "The Grand Illusion," both of which represent Styx at their pop peak. Furthermore, "Kilroy Was Here" is a good album, but you must like that album for itself and not as another Styx album in the tradition of "Grand Illusion" or "Paradise Theater", because it is not either. I've seen some recommendations that "Pieces of Eight" is also an essential Styx CD, and it is rated 5 stars on Amazon.com.

Some call the songs on this CD glam-rock. I guess I don't know the definition of glam-rock. I consider many of these songs to still have an edge to them. As an example, "Miss America" is a rocking song. "Crystal Ball" and "Renegade" are a couple more rockers on this CD. There are other fast-paced songs, but they are more pop, such as "Fooling Yourself" and "Lorelei".

I would ignore the criticism of Styx if you are a fan of Styx. They created their own style of music, which added, not subtracted, from rock music. They didn't try to be like anyone else. I think most groups, including Styx, would rather be thought of as creating their own genre rather than fitting into an existing genre. I think in many ways they did exactly that. In the process they created detractors. Oh well. There will always be someone out there who wants to denigrate someone successful. If you like what you've heard of Styx' music, and are looking for a good sample of their career, this is the CD. Enjoy!

Styx had an incredibly distinctive sound now some twenty years ago. This album, was aptly titled and has all their hits. Included is "Lady" (more on that though, in a moment), "Too Much Time", "Babe" and my two favorites, their two signature songs (to me, that is) being "Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)" and "Come Sail Away" . They are all well reproduced, and inside a set of headphones will fill up your head with great music.

My only complaint? Their first hit "Lady" is included as not as the original, but as a re-recorded version. The differences are subtle, but throw it off for me just a tad. That is not enough of a reason to dog this album out, though. Ought to be an Amazon Essential!

Despite all of the problems that Dennis DeYoung had with the other members of Styx (he was formally kicked out last year) there is NO DOUBT that these guys have produced some of the best songs of the past 25 years. From their Grammy winning 'Babe' to what has GOT to be one of their greatest efforts, 'Come Sail Away' Styx just could do NO WRONG during the latter part of the 70's and early 80's. They were selling out everywhere they went and aside from the abysmal 'Mr Roboto' tour (imagine rock music inter-connected with a terrible Shakespear-type acting play and you get the idea of what the concert was like--simply aweful) you could just count on hearing one of their tunes on the radio quite regularly. This CD has just about everything that made Styx so dog-gone great: Ballads, Rock tunes and a few in-between numbers.

Dennis' voice is one of the best in the past two decades to hit radio, and Tommy Shaw ain't half bad either--and together they have written some of the most catchy songs you will ever hear. The themed album 'Paradise Theatre' has GOT to be a MUST HAVE for any die-hard Styx fan, and despite the truly horrific 'Mr Roboto' Tour, the album on the other hand was really pretty good. But you don't NEED to grab all of their albums in order to hear the cream of the crop...if you manage to purchase THIS CD you will own the absolute BEST OF THE BEST songs these guys produced, and that is saying a LOT, trust me. Catchy guitar riffs and likeable lyrics have propelled these guys a long way, and I have my doubts as to how well they will be received without Dennis (I wouldn't want to see Styx with him, would YOU?) there is NO doubt that this particular collection of hits is quite honestly VERY MUCH WORTH the price. Buy it. Unwrap it. Enjoy. Listen and Repeat.

I am so very sorry that a band that writes songs of a positive nature that are filled with hope and inspiration offends so many people. But whether you like it or not, that hope gave them 4 consecutive triple platinum albums. As vocalists, the singers in Styx are unmatched. With three lead vocalists with totally different styles, Styx sung some of the greatest harmonies of the era. And as far as musicianship goes, let me ask you, how many keyboard players out there can play the solo at the end of Fooling Yourself played by Dennis DeYoung?? I thought so:) Blue Collar Man and Renegade only begin to show the guitar shredding capabilities of James Young and Tommy Shaw. For those who call their lyrics tripe, listen to songs like "The Grand Illusion", "Rockin' The Paradise", "Queen Of Spades". For those who hate ballads, you should check out albums like, Equinox, Crystal Ball, Grand Illusion, Pieces Of Eight. Though many of their hits were ballads, most of their songs were rock oriented with art-rock, progressive flavoring. But as for the comment about "Babe". It was a song Dennis wrote to his wife about missing her when he is on the road. Oh God, an honest song, by a man that is devoted to his wife. How awful and threatening.

Excellent music from one of the greatest and by far the most underated bands of all time. Great song by a great band. All of their A&M and CMC albums are classics. The only album that I have heard that is better than the Grand Illusion, Paradise Theatre, or Pieces of Eight is Seven Deadly Zens (Import). Tommy Shaw has written & sung a classic for all times. CMC should have broke the bank to promote this. It truly would have put them on the map. Its not too late CMC, remember the song Lady? People who dont even like Styx, will still love this CD. Thanks for the great music Styx! Thank you even more Tommy!

I am a great fan of the band Styx and their music. I grew up listening to their songs on the radio ("Mr. Roboto" and "Don't Let It End" are personal favourites.) I initially picked up this CD when it came into existence some years ago, and played it rather incessantly. I was unfamiliar with several of these tracks, and I did not recognize the versions of some of the songs in this particular collection (why is "Lady" a remake?) I am awarding this album three stars because it consists of some of DeYoung and Co. highlights from their A&M era, and it is a convenient way of having their important material on a single disc (or cassette). However, it is not a "true" greatest hits, but moreover an "ungreatest hits" compilation. Styx' singles are not easy to obtain--on any medium--and this disc of classic cuts has not provided Styx fans with an accessible means of acquiring their singles outputs. This (review) sounds pretty prehistoric, especially in this day and age when terms like "Best of" and "Greatest Hits" are not to be taken literally, but I am a purist. If I wanted full-length, uncut versions of an artist's favorite songs, I could easily get hold of his/her/their original studio albums (unless those are not available in most major record stores, in which case, you, the musiclover, can pose this query someplace on the Web. I maintain that a greatest hits album should be just that: an album containing the artist's greatest hits. (In the case of Styx, they have such an item, a sixteen [or seventeen] song collection [called, appropriately enough, 'Greatest Hits'], but it is not a domestic U.S. release, nor is it easily findable in specialty record stores [look for it on an obscure Styx site or go to CD-Plus.com.]) Well, I've about finished ranting and venting. I wish more steps would be taken to resolve this "greatest hits" issue, but, I mean, that's marketing/the music industry. Anyway, for those who have not previously been aware of this complication, and who feel as I do, I sincerely hope that I have impacted you strongly and made you realize what the deal is here. There is no easy answer to this continuous pressing burden/difficulty, I know, but in good faith, I wish each of you the best. Happy hunting!!

Yep, STYX seems out of place today, however they did produce some great stuff in their day - and this CD captures a fair whack of it. As a big fan, I was disappointed of the exclusion of a few tracks, however are conveniently found on 'Styx Greatest Hits Volume 2'...

Anyhow, Vol 1 is enough for me, and it brings back fond memories of the time to me. I keep up with the times (not stuck in 'classic rock radio'), and must admit with some of the muck out there, a good ole round of Styx (or their contemporaries) is, well, great stuff...and despite this rather plain musical stance, I gotta admit that this CD gets me singing and tapping (or air-guitaring) despite it's 'age'.

Bottom line - go for it, you'll like it!

All I've been reading is how the "hits" (in restropect) were silly and pretentous. May I remind you all that Dennis DeYoung is the genius behind the conceptual album. Light some candles, turn down the lights and put on The Grand Illusion. Listen to the story behind the music. The music surrounds you and transports you to other places, times and worlds. STYX will forever be the band that will take an "angry young man" and turn him on to life. Another review was from a 15-year-old kid who also relishes the simple fact that STYX doesn't need to sing about sex, guns, gangs & drugs to make good music. I agree. Listen to the songs on all their albums that appear between the "hits". "Half-Penny, Two-Penny" Could JY lick his guitar any louder? Could the pipe organ solo on "I'm O.K." sound any more magestic? If you have a kick-*** surround system with a sub-woofer, crank that organ solo up. I swear you'll change religions. Granted, Kilroy Was Here is bubble gum, but again, it tells a story. Remember, it was 1983, STYX was competing with the likes of Journey, REO Speedwagon and Triumph. That was the sound of the time. Go back to the Wooden Nickel albums. "Jonas Psalter" kicks so much rock-n-roll ass I named my boat after the song. "The Grove of Englantine" "You Need Love" "Earl of Roseland" forget about it! Everytime STYX comes to town I would run over my own mother for tickets. There are those who dismiss STYX as just another long haired band that sold out to the masses in a heap of late seventies commerciality, but I say they're fooling themselves. Be honest, whenever you hear "Come Sail Away" or "Renegade" on the radio you sing along. You do. You know who you are. And you know all the words too. I'm proud to say that as I made the switch to CD's a few years ago, the first thing I did was complete my STYX collection before I bought anything else. I still need Tommy's First two solo CD's, JY's "City Slicker", DDY's "Desert Moon" and "Serpent is Rising" STYX epitomizes Rock-n-Roll.

This is by far the best collection of Styx's hits that is currently out there on one disc. Although the volume levels are a tad low, they did a pretty good remastering job overall and so the sound quality is really very good. You also get 16 tracks on one disc and hence great value for money.

As a guitarist myself, I have to say that Styx is a major reason way back when I was a kid listening to their "Paradise Theatre" album when I decided that I wanted to learn to play electric guitar. They had all the ingredients that make up any great band: great musicianship, great singer and great songwriting.

Lots of people would have raved about Dennis DeYoung's songwriting and singing prowess but for me, the real MVP is Tommy Shaw. He consistently churns out tasty lick after tasty lick on every track and his guitar solos are consistently brilliant as well. The work he does on "The Best of Times", "Don't Let it End", "The Grand Illusion" and "Blue Collar Man" are just simply inspired.

Styx doesn't just churn out senseless heavy metal lyrics about drugs and women, the formula that many one-hit wonder bands have used and have soon slipped out of view and are quickly forgotten (anyone remember Cinderella, Poison, Skid Row et al anymore?), as their lyrics cover various other interesting themes and topics.

My favourite tune lyrics-wise is "Fooling Yourself" which I still find very therapeutic and reassuring to listen to from time to time when I'm feeling down. "Babe" could very possibly be one of the best love songs ever written too. Other tracks with great lyrics are "Show Me the Way" and "Don't Let it End."

Love 'em or hate 'em, there's no denying Styx their due in the history of rock music of the 70's and 80's. Styx are destined to be remembered for many more years to come because of their great songs, great musicianship and don't underestimate the great Tommy Shaw.

Very highly recommended.

styx...journey...foreigner...kansas...boston

the best of eighties rock by far, styx being #3 on my best 80's band list

if you're into rockin' songs, they got the goods...
-> renegade- great song, maybe their best rock song...
-> grand illusion- underrated; very good, upbeat/pumpup song
-> blue collar man (long nights)- appeals to the common folk :0 :)
-> COME SAIL AWAY- the juggernaut, their absolute best all-around song

if you're the power-ballad type, they deliver w/style
-> the best of times- moving piece (see what A.D. Boorman has to say)
-> BABE- their best ballad (see above)
-> show me the way- a suprisingly good song from their later years
-> crystal ball- my favorite slower song by them

of course, there are the tweener songs, which are all fantasic 80's music. these include the infamous Mr. Roboto, and one of my personal favorites, suite madame blue. as you probably can conclude from alot of the other reviews, styx has a DIFFERENT APPEAL TO EACH of the people that like their music, it takes amazing talent to do this. (even my mom likes styx!)