Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Styx
Label: A&M Records / Interscope
Release: 1990
Duration: 42:35
Rating: 3.5/5
American prog rock/AOR trailblazers Styx needed almost seven years to crawl out of the slump caused by a perfect career ‘shot in the foot’ called »Kilroy Was Here« (1983), a botched concept album about robots that nearly relegated this once hugely successful band to the past for good. In the meantime they were rocked by the (temporary) departure of guitarist and vocalist Tommy Shaw, one of the key pieces of their big success story, back when they dominated the top of the American charts in the second half of the seventies and the early eighties. Right after the »Kilroy Was Here« tour, Shaw launched a solo career and then, in 1990, joined forces with Ted Nugent in the short-lived Damn Yankees.
His (temporary) replacement was multi-instrumentalist Glen Burtnik, a solo artist on Styx’s then-label A&M. Burtnik, later a member of The Orchestra, made up of former ELO members, had a voice similar to Shaw’s, but his guitar playing didn’t reach the virtuoso depths of his predecessor, so it’s no surprise that, with Shaw’s expected return, this was his only stint as an official Styx member until the album »Cyclorama« (2003). »Edge of the Century« was also the last album for original drummer John Panozzo, the unlucky guy, who died of kidney failure six years later, which hit his brother, original bassist Chuck, especially hard.
The reborn Styx on »Edge Of the Century« are full of fresh vigor. With the exception of a few harder-rocking outliers, the record is an almost complete swerve into AOR/pop rock waters, with a pile of more or less syrupy power ballads, and they also started soaking up certain sonic influences from the glam metal scene of the day, which was already slowly bowing out of the dominant radio waves. Still, it turned out that after their long absence Styx were still attractive to the American market, since »Edge of the Century« coughed up a hit single in the form of »Show Me The Way«, which American soldiers adopted as their anthem during the Gulf War. Some radio stations also spun an adapted version of the song, where, in typically American fashion, the soldiers’ children joined in on vocals. The other two singles, »Love Is the Ritual« and »Love at First Sight«, failed to repeat that success, and even though the album went gold, Stxy were off on another six-year break right after the tour ended.
On most of the tracks, keyboardist, vocalist and arranger Dennis DeYoung took the lead songwriting role, which was kind of expected after Shaw’s departure, while some good ideas also came from Burtnik, original guitarist/vocalist James Young and outside collaborators Plinky, Bob Burger and Ralph Covert. The aforementioned ‘pop metal’ anthem »Love Is the Ritual« is brimming with the youthful energy of the so-called MTV generation, provided by new guy Burtnik as lead vocalist, whose voice almost shamelessly recalls Tommy Shaw. DeYoung’s excellent production is noticeable from the very first second and makes sure most of the material on »Edge of the Century« stands the test of time a lot better than you’d expect.
The big hit »Show Me The Way« is a thoroughly characteristic DeYoung power ballad, the kind this great devout Catholic had successfully forged in the past, so it’s no surprise that, on the wings of mighty vocal harmonies under the keyboardist’s baton, cocky guitar phrases and ethereal piano arrangements, it instantly charms tender souls, like the American soldiers mentioned earlier. Lyrically it’s yet another typical, syrupy and pathetic fairy tale about the ‘American dream’, so listening to the lyrics is strongly discouraged.
The title track is a rhythmically well-wound melodic rocker that naively idealizes some key historical events from the early nineties, like the fall of the Berlin Wall. Burtnik once again sounds like some cocky brat, while he and Young trade guitar passages with ease and, teaming up with DeYoung, convincingly build catchy vocal harmonies. »Love At First Sight« is a syrupy love power ballad with a very good symphonic arrangement, tasteful guitar variations and a gorgeous DeYoung vocal performance, but the lyrics are pure AOR cliché that will give the average listener a sugar rush.
»All In a Day’s Work« is a rather uninteresting acoustic-guitar love ballad, again not short on typical American pathos, mostly thanks to Burtnik’s ‘whiny’ vocal performance, even though, instrumentally and vocally, it’s played top-notch, as you’d expect. »Not Dead Yet«, written by indie musician Ralph Covert, is a fairly fun hard rocker on which DeYoung successfully morphs into a naughty vocal rascal, even if the rhythmic nuances are pretty straightforward this time and the listener is once again dealing with thoroughly silly lyrics.
»World Tonite« is another, somewhat more spirited cut with punchy guitar phrasing, plus interesting synth embellishments and mighty vocal harmonies. Burtnik turns into Shaw’s vocal clone again and, with his rascally vocal performance, sounds like a real idol of the by then already ‘doomed’ hair metal generation. »Carrie Ann« is admittedly yet another love power ballad with hopelessly transparent, pathetic lyrics, but it’s still the most sophisticated ballad on the album, one that simply wins you over with its hypnotic chorus and central piano arrangement. DeYoung, who was the chief ‘culprit’ for Styx being compared to Queen in the seventies, once again turns damn successfully into a vocal ‘diva’ here, with the help of rich backing vocal harmonies, and at the same time serves up some seriously tasteful symphonic variations.
The excellent melodic rocker »Homewrecker« is the only track where the mic also goes to James Young, eternal lover of dirtier melodies, which means that this time there’s no shortage of punchy guitar passages and beefy drum fills, while the blond-haired guitarist, as lead vocalist this time, snarls effectively at yet another shameless heartbreaker. The mighty chorus is soaked in souped-up synth lines, and it somehow seems surprising that this song didn’t leave a bigger mark on the AOR scene of the day. Then again, you have to remember that by the time »Edge of the Century« came out, it was already 1990. The closing track, the nostalgically tinged »Back to the Chicago«, is yet another pompous power ballad with solemn orchestral arrangements and soul elements, which goes especially for yet another phenomenal vocal performance directed by that old keyboard tomcat DeYoung. The lyrics are about the band’s return to Chicago, where the Styx story began in the early seventies.
With »Edge of the Century«, Styx successfully told the world at the end of the nineties that they were still alive and still capable of making good music. Even though »Show Me the Way« was an unexpected big hit, it was clear that the era of their greatest commercial success was over, so with the onset of the grunge invasion they decided on almost seven years of hibernation. They only made a truly impressive comeback in 1997, after the death of drummer John Panozzo, when they released the double live album »Return to Paradise«.
Line-up
Dennis DeYoung – keyboards, vocals
James Young – guitar, vocals
Glen Burtnik – guitar, vocals
Chuck Panozzo – bass guitar
John Panozzo – drums, percussion
GUEST MUSICIANS:
Michael Smith – saxophone
Dan Barber – trumpet
Mike Halpin – trombone
Ron Kolber – baritone saxophone
Howard Levy – harmonica
Jon Negus – clarinet, saxophone
Mark Ohlson – trumpet
Joe Pusateri – percussion
Production
Dennis DeYoung
Track List
1. Love Is the Ritual (3:48)
2. Show Me the Way (4:35)
3. Edge of the Century (4:20)
4. Love at First Sight (4:35)
5. All in a Day’s Work (4:11)
6. Not Dead Yet (3:32)
7. World Tonite (3:38)
8. Carrie Ann (4:26)
9. Homewrecker (5:12)
10. Back to Chicago (4:18)
