Styx - Regeneration

The current line-up of Styx has re-recorded some of their best material which is cool with me as I love when bands do this because sometimes you get a real gem. I have to say that this album is a complete surprise to me as they sound bloody brilliant on nearly every song that's included on the two discs. It's almost like getting a live Styx concert minus the vocal mistakes that happen in a live show. When the Grand Illusion starts you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference until the uber fans hear the slight differences in Gowan's vocals. Don't get me wrong he's damn close but he's got a fuller voice than Dennis has/had and that slight difference can be heard when you are as familiar with their material as I am being one of those uber fans of Styx.

I was a little surprised the Larry didn't have lead vocals on "Lorelei" almost disappointed to be honest. I guess Ricky Phillips is singing it because I don't believe J.Y. can sing that well. But alas it is J.Y. and he's not terrible but it is lesser than the original in every way. With that said Gowan's singing of "Come Sail Away" is a good cover of a great song that can never be done better by any other artist. Dennis's vocal on this track perfect beginning to end and the musicality the band surrounded that absolutely perfect vocal with can't be touch no matter how anyone may try. The original is the best version and will forever be the best version.

The second disc continues with the remakes and includes a couple of Damn Yankee covers as well. We all know Tommy was a Damn Yankee along with one of my favorite musicians/song writers Jack Blades and the overrated Ted Nugent on guitar. The band do a great version of "Blue Collar Man" that rivals the original but still lacks the spirit of that first recording. Tommy does himself no favors singing "Renegade" in a different key much lower than what we have been hearing for over 30 years. The bands new version is almost terrible once it kicks in and they sound so devoid of emotion and lack of fire as they run through their cover version of their own song.

Then "Too Much Time On My Hands" is played differently and Tommy sounds old not to mention like a parody of himself trying to sing a tribute to his own band and song. It's like a cover band at the bar who's singer almost sounds like Tommy and when your drunk singing along he's a dead ringer for Tommy Shaw. Now to the Damn Yankees covers, well first things "Coming Of Age" was sung by Jack Blades - JACK FREAKING BLADES! Whomever is attempting to do it here hasn't got a fucking hope in hell of matching the AOR genius. The version is an ok cover but I'd never listen to this when I can hear the real thing there is no reason to listen to some assclown trying to be one of the greatest AOR vocalists on planet earth. Then we get "High Enough" which actually isn't awful it's a pretty good version from Tommy. It's shows the flaws in his aged voice because he doesn't have that Blades harmony to cover them up. Overall I'd say this is a pass just go buy Greatest Hits from 1992 and be happy or really do yourself a favour and buy Equinox, Crystal Ball, The Grand Illusion & Cornerstone to enjoy the brilliance of this most glorious band.