Equinox is a sign of the Fall

It's one of the a rules of the internet: whenever someone dismisses Styx or Journey or REO Speedwagon in an online forum, someone else will pipe in to say "their early albums weren't half bad!".

Which is about one third true. The early Journey albums with Gregg Rollie are nearly unlistenable. REO Speedwagon was a barely competent bar band early on with one or two decent songs (okay, one decent song -- "Ridin' The Storm Out". That song rocks!)

The one band from this unholy triumvirate whose early albums I would describe as "not half bad" is Styx. Before they signed with a major label, Styx made four albums for Wooden Nickel Records that melded meat and potatoes rock (ala REO) with prog rock flourishes (aka keyboard solos). Thanks to the internet, which provides the ability to listen to music without paying for it, I've listened to all four of these albums. The first two (Styx and Styx II) are kind of interesting, like a mix between Yes and the Moody Blues. Styx II included their breakthrough hit "Lady", which was a sign of things to come.

"Lady" became a hit in 1975 (two years after it was released), Styx signed to A&M and released Equinox. After the release Equinox, Tommy Shaw replaced John Curulewski and Styx became a lot more commercial and less interesting. Their first album with Shaw, Crystal Ball had a few moments (like the title track), but after Equinox, they had crossed their celestial equator and were on their way to longer nights and impossible odds.

To mark the Autumnal Equinox, here are five songs from Styx's first six albums (all but Serpent). Their early albums weren't half bad. Or maybe they were half bad? It depends on if you view their early sound as half empty or half full.

Styx

1. Best Thing (Styx, 1972)
2. Lady (Styx II, 1973)
3. Rock and Roll Feeling (Man of Miracles, 1974)
4. Lorelei (Equinox, 1975)
5. Crystal Ball (Crystal Ball, 1976)