A Few Thoughts On The New Styx Song Crash Of The Crown

To be honest I do not know what to expect from the upcoming Styx album Crash Of The Crown. This will be the follow-up to their highly successful album The Mission (2017).  When I say “successful” I do not mean in terms of records sales.  The days of a Styx album selling three million copies are long gone.  I mean successful in terms of quality.    For my money The Mission is one of the band’s best albums.  It is a triumphant return to the sound, style and quality of their glory days in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s.  I am sure that I am not the only fan that feels this way.  Can the band produce a satisfying follow-up album?   Based on the recently released song Crash Of The Crown the prospects look extremely promising.

Crash Of The Crown is full of surprises.  The song features James “J.Y.” Young, Tommy Shaw and Lawrence Gowan on lead vocals.  I was expecting to hear a song featuring Tommy Shaw on lead vocals.  Hearing all three sing lead on one song is a pleasant surprise. There are moments where the lush harmony vocals evoke the sound of Styx from the 1970’s mixed with a touch of classic Queen.  Just to reinforce the Queen influence there are a few musical moments towards the end of the song that seem reminiscent of Queen circa 1975. 

The musicianship is stellar throughout.  Lawrence Gowan’s keyboard and piano playing throughout the song are exceptional.  He adds progressive rock and classically inspired touches that add depth and drama to the music. Todd Sucherman is an absolute powerhouse behind the drum kit.  His precise and groove filled drumming keeps the song moving through various musical motifs.  The song seamlessly  flows from classic rock to progressive rock to bluesy rock and back. The efficient guitar work of Young and Shaw is highly melodic and what Styx fans have come to expect from the pair. Ricky Phillips lays down solid basslines helping to give this rocker a strong musical foundation.   The band manages to pack a great deal into three minutes and forty seven seconds.      

After listening to Crash Of The Crown several times I will say that I am excited to hear the rest of the album.  I still am not quite sure what to expect.  Surprises and the unexpected are a good thing.  Whatever the new album brings I am looking forward to experiencing it.  When one of your favorite bands, especially in the midst of a changing music scene, creates new music that is a good thing.  Styx spent many years, seemingly content, playing the hits in concert. I applaud the band for creating new music and enhancing their already rich musical history.

Troy T.