j o n f

If neo-prog is generally disdained by serious progressive rock critics, the side of 70's prog bordering on AOR has suffered an even worse fate: it's been completely ignored. It's easy to forget that some of these pop-prog bands actually produced decent albums. Styx's The Grand Illusion is certainly one of the highlights of the genre; it blends soft-rock and prog-rock pomposity in a way that, while sounding very dated, is effective in its own way even today. Styx play (or played, rather) a type of soft progressive rock that uses a lot of harmonies (all five members sing on this album), tasteful keyboards courtesy of Dennis DeYoung and a full band approach that rarely focuses on any one person (for example, three different members of the band handle lead vocals) It's easier to point to examples than to describe the music in general; three of the songs from this album became radio hits ("The Grand Illusion," "Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)" and the classic "Come Sail Away") and most readers will be familiar with at least one of those songs. Thematically, the concept of The Grand Illusion is the counterfeit nature of modern society and the futility of aspiring to fame. It's not too deep, but I find the lyrics to be executed well throughout the album, particularly in the last track when various pieces of the previous songs come together in one medley. This is the sort of album that really has to be judged by its own standards. Yes, the melodrama and cheese factors are high, but if you can get past those barriers, there are some fine songs underneath it all. Recommended to fans of AOR or the most extreme pop side of progressive rock; "serious" fans will stay away regardless of what rating I give, so I won't bother to warn them. ;) review by Jon Fry — 8-22-00 —