This year, Every Sunday Evening, Album Rock WXYG, The GOAT will feature a full album at 8:00 PM from the halcyon musical days of 1975. 1975 was one of the top Years in Album Rock history. Another year of tough choices every week. So many great ones to choose from.
We hope you’ll tune in next Sunday, April 27th, for “Equinox”, the fifth studio album by Styx, released in December 1975.
The lead single "Lorelei" became Styx's second US Top 40 hit.
Equinox was the band's first release for A&M Records (with whom they had signed earlier in 1975, after the success of the 1973 single "Lady").
It produced Styx's first single with A&M, the highly spirited "Lorelei," which found its way into the Top 30 on the charts. Although it was the only song to chart from Equinox, the album itself is a benchmark in the band's career since it includes an instrumental nature reminiscent of their early progressive years yet hints toward a more commercial-sounding future in its lyrics. "Light Up" is a brilliant display of keyboards, with De Young's vocals in full bloom, while "Lonely Child" and "Suite Madame Blue" show tighter songwriting and a slight drift toward radio amicability. Still harboring their synthesizer-led dramatics alongside Dennis De Young's vocal approach, the material on Equinox was a firm precursor of what was to come. After Equinox, guitarist John Curulewski parted ways with the band, replaced by Tommy Shaw, who debuted on 1976's Crystal Ball album.
Equinox, began Styx's (and Dennis DeYoung's) artistic peak. While previous albums had islands of great tracks, this album and the ones that would follow are consistent winners. This album equals Styx at its absolute peak. Dennis DeYoung's "Light up" opens the album in a catchy way and remained a concert stable well into the 21st century. "Lorelei" is the album's biggest hit and belongs in any Styx fan's collection. The album ends with instrumental "Prelude 12" running into "Suite Madam Blue," the album's progressive and melodic masterpiece.
Along with “Grand Illusion”, Equinox is their most perfectly realized album that strikes a perfect balance between their metal, prog and pop sensibilities.
Tune In and Turn On next Sunday, April 27th, and every Sunday evening at 8:00 PM for The GOAT'S "The Long Play with Al Neff.”
