Cyclorama is the 19th album from Styx, 14th album if you discount live in concert albums.

Cyclorama opens up with the track “Do things my way” as a strong track that is typical in hook layout of past STYX songs.

Next is “Waiting for our time” a classic Tommy Shaw tune with a ballad opening that progresses to a harder edged rock number.

“Fields of the brave” had Dennis DeYoung written all over it, yet Dennis had nothing to do with it. (To my knowledge) It’s like STYX imitating Dennis for that matter. Larry Gowan who has been touring with STYX for the last few years definitely has Dennis’s vocals down, but something just isn’t right. The song is good, but it could be better with Dennis’s input and real vocals in my opinion.

“Bourgeois Pig” has the return of Chuck Panozzo on bass. Which is always a warm feeling just knowing this. Billy Bob Thornton does the lead vocals and I can’t help but wonder if it’s sampled from a movie he did or if he actually came in the studio to record his lines for this 50 second long track. Anyway it goes it Rocks and I like it.

“Bourgeois Pig” also ends abruptly to lead into the intro of “Kiss your *ss goodbye” which Glen Burtnik sings lead vocals on. Glenn is a very dynamic musician, whose involvement with STYX has me chuckling in stitches when I think of it. In 1990 when STYX regrouped from their hiatus under Dennis DeYoung's direction it was Glen who filled in for Tommy Shaw who was working with Damn Yankees at the time. So now here he is with the band again and doing most of the bass work for Chuck on the STYX incarnation lead by Tommy Shaw and minus Dennis DeYoung. What a strange web we weave sometimes. “Kiss your *ss goodbye” also has background vocals by the group “Tenacious D”. I personally was unable to distinguish “Tenacious D” from anybody else’s vocals, otherwise the track is catchy with the obvious harmonious hook of the title line.

“These are the times” has the growl of James Young, reminds me of the opening of “Snowblind” on the Paradise Theater album. Solid and emanates classic STYX from all angles.

“Yes I can” is modern Tommy Shaw, which really isn’t surprising as Jack Blades from “Night Ranger”, “Damn Yankees” and “Shaw Blades” has a credit for helping write this track.

“More love for the money” is another track that seems obligatory to Dennis DeYoung. (See “Fields of the brave” above).

“Together” is another Tommy Shaw tune and my favorite track on the album. I really enjoy the lines: “we could use another summer of love, it’s cloudy but there’s a blue sky above”. It resonates what I look for in life; reminiscing of past lives, bleak interpretation of the present followed with optimistic hope of what’s beyond.

“Fooling Yourself (Palm of your hands)” is a harmonious abbreviated semi-a capella version of the 1977 hit from the “Paradise Theater” album, which is short sweet with very little over kill.

“Captain America” is again classic James Young on full throttle. This track is what I love about James Young songs; it has the power and rock such as classics “Miss America” and “Half-Penny, two-penny”.

“Killing the thing that you love” is a lullaby written and sung by Glen Burtnik, which is good, but I think that Dennis DeYoung would have sounded awesome singing.

“One with everything” is good, it is different and I really think it moves the band forward in a new direction.

“Genki Desu Ka” was amusing the first time I heard it, but subsequent listening finds me skipping the track, ejecting the tape or turning the player off in general. I don’t have patience for the silent spots and could care less for the banter between “Tenacious D” and Tommy Shaw on the arrangements for appearing on the album. Perhaps if this were filmed for an appearance on video, maybe a making of type of deal it would be good, but listening while driving around town or on the open highway doesn’t do a thing for me.

I must confess that I like this album, it is of moderate pleasure, I’m not sure if I will listen to it frequently or if it has run its course and become filed away in my collection with other albums that I don’t listen to as much as I would like or should. Pulled out for trivia and trips down memory lane. Overall I give this album 3.5 stars out of 5, I look forward to the next album from STYX.

Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: Hanging With Friends