Well Dennis DeYoung certainly picked up on the "theatrical rock opera" shtick from the Who. Lately he writes broadway showtunes, which makes perfect sense considering most of Styx's biggest hits were the anthemic ballads he wrote (Lady, Babe, The Best Of Times, Don't Let it End.)
But there are also a few fun prog-pop moments to be found throughout their LP's. "Come Sail Away" and "Mr. Roboto" are just good fun, ya know?
The guitarists Tommy Shaw and James Young weren't half bad in a 70's midwestern rock mode either. They wrote the more "uptempo rockin" numbers. Some of Shaw's songs are interesting (the paranoid rant "Too Much Time on My Hands.")
Their best LP's are probably "The Grand Illusion" (1977) and "Pieces of Eight" (1978). "Paradise Theatre" (1980) is more pop-oriented, but kind of a classic of it's genre (though few have respect for the genre of "early 80's midwestern FM radio rock" with admittedly good reason.)
Of course where & when I grew up they were duking it out with REO for the title of #1 band . . . it's like this stuff is in my DNA.
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