Crystal Ball (Styx album)
Encyclopedia
Crystal Ball is the sixth album
by Styx
, released in 1976.
This album marked the recording debut of new guitarist Tommy Shaw
. The track "Mademoiselle
" was Tommy Shaw's vocal debut and the album's Top 40 hit.
The album's title track would become a concert staple for the band as it was performed on every subsequent Styx tour that Shaw was involved with.
"Shooz" was co-written by Shaw and James Young. The bluesy rocker had Shaw on slide guitar while Young contributed a Hendrix-like solo to the middle of the track after Shaw's slide solo.
"This Old Man" was a song that DeYoung wrote for his father and the impact his dad had on his life.
Debussy's classical piece "Clair De Lune" was served as the intro to the album's closing track Ballerina. The version of "Clair De Lune" on Crystal Ball just had DeYoung on piano and changed the key from D flat to C as the next track ("Ballerina") started in C minor.
Although the album stalled at #66 upon its 1976 release, it would go platinum in 1978 after the success of the next album The Grand Illusion
.
Production
Singles – Billboard (North America)
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
by Styx
Styx (band)
Styx is an American rock band that became famous for its albums from the late 1970s and early 1980s. The Chicago band is known for melding the style of prog-rock with the power of hard rock guitar, strong ballads, and elements of American musical theater....
, released in 1976.
This album marked the recording debut of new guitarist Tommy Shaw
Tommy Shaw
Tommy Roland Shaw is an American guitarist, best known for his work with the rock band Styx. In between his stints with Styx, he has played with the supergroup Damn Yankees and Shaw Blades, and has released several solo albums....
. The track "Mademoiselle
Mademoiselle (song)
"Mademoiselle" is the first single released from Styx's Crystal Ball album. Its B-side was "Light Up", from the previous album, Equinox. It peaked at #34 on the Billboard Pop Singles Chart, Styx's third top 40 hit. Most of the early pressings on the U.S. 7"single played too fast . This made the...
" was Tommy Shaw's vocal debut and the album's Top 40 hit.
The album's title track would become a concert staple for the band as it was performed on every subsequent Styx tour that Shaw was involved with.
"Shooz" was co-written by Shaw and James Young. The bluesy rocker had Shaw on slide guitar while Young contributed a Hendrix-like solo to the middle of the track after Shaw's slide solo.
"This Old Man" was a song that DeYoung wrote for his father and the impact his dad had on his life.
Debussy's classical piece "Clair De Lune" was served as the intro to the album's closing track Ballerina. The version of "Clair De Lune" on Crystal Ball just had DeYoung on piano and changed the key from D flat to C as the next track ("Ballerina") started in C minor.
Although the album stalled at #66 upon its 1976 release, it would go platinum in 1978 after the success of the next album The Grand Illusion
The Grand Illusion (album)
The Grand Illusion is the seventh studio album by Styx, released on July 7, 1977 . It became the band's first Triple Platinum album, and spawned the Top 10 hit "Come Sail Away" and the Top 30 hit "Fooling Yourself"....
.
Reception
Daevid Jehnzen of Allmusic rated Crystal Ball three-and-a-half out of five stars. He stated that it was better than Styx's previous album, Equinox, although it was not as successful. He also said that the album "[showcases] Styx's increased skill for crafting simple, catchy pop hooks out of their bombastic sound." Alan Niester of Rolling Stone also found the album favorable, stating that "although Styx is based in Chicago, the group has its English scam down pat". He also stated that the instrumentation "always seems on the verge of going out of control, giving the whole album an extra surge of excitement."Track listing
- "Put Me On" (DeYoung, Shaw, Young) – 4:56
- Lead vocals: James YoungJames Young (American musician)James "J.Y." Young is a guitarist, singer and songwriter, and member of the rock band, Styx. Young began playing keyboard and piano at the age of five. He attended Calumet High in Chicago and learned to play clarinet and guitar during those years.J.Y...
(verse), Dennis DeYoungDennis DeYoungDennis DeYoung is an American singer, songwriter, musician and producer best known for being a founding member of the rock band Styx, a tenure that lasted from 1970 to 1999.-Early life:...
(bridge after guitar solo), lead guitar: James Young
- Lead vocals: James Young
- "MademoiselleMademoiselle (song)"Mademoiselle" is the first single released from Styx's Crystal Ball album. Its B-side was "Light Up", from the previous album, Equinox. It peaked at #34 on the Billboard Pop Singles Chart, Styx's third top 40 hit. Most of the early pressings on the U.S. 7"single played too fast . This made the...
" (DeYoung, Shaw) – 3:57- Lead vocals: Tommy ShawTommy ShawTommy Roland Shaw is an American guitarist, best known for his work with the rock band Styx. In between his stints with Styx, he has played with the supergroup Damn Yankees and Shaw Blades, and has released several solo albums....
, harmony lead guitar solos: Tommy Shaw and James Young
- Lead vocals: Tommy Shaw
- "Jennifer" (DeYoung) – 4:16
- Lead vocals: Dennis DeYoung, lead guitar: James Young
- "Crystal BallCrystal Ball (Styx song)"Crystal Ball" is the title track and second single released from Styx's Crystal Ball album. It was written by guitarist Tommy Shaw who had just recently joined the band....
" (Shaw) – 4:32- Lead vocals and lead guitar: Tommy Shaw, synthesizer solo: Dennis DeYoung
- "Shooz" (Shaw, Young) – 4:44
- Lead vocals and slide guitar: Tommy Shaw, second guitar solo in middle of song: James Young
- "This Old Man" (DeYoung) – 5:11
- Lead vocals: Dennis DeYoung, lead guitar: Tommy Shaw
- "Clair de Lune/Ballerina" (Claude DebussyClaude DebussyClaude-Achille Debussy was a French composer. Along with Maurice Ravel, he was one of the most prominent figures working within the field of impressionist music, though he himself intensely disliked the term when applied to his compositions...
/DeYoung/Shaw) – 7:09- Instrumental/Lead vocals: Dennis DeYoung, lead guitar solos: James Young (wah-wah induced solos) and Tommy Shaw
Personnel
Styx- Dennis DeYoungDennis DeYoungDennis DeYoung is an American singer, songwriter, musician and producer best known for being a founding member of the rock band Styx, a tenure that lasted from 1970 to 1999.-Early life:...
– KeyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, SynthesizerSynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
, VocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Chuck PanozzoChuck PanozzoCharles Salvatore "Chuck" Panozzo is an American musician best known as the bass player for the rock band Styx. A longtime member of Styx, he founded the group with his fraternal twin brother, drummer John Panozzo, who died in July 1996, and singer Dennis DeYoung...
– BassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, Vocals - John PanozzoJohn PanozzoJohn Anthony Panozzo was an American drummer best known for his work with rock band Styx.Panozzo grew up in the Roseland neighborhood, the south side of Chicago, Illinois, with his fraternal twin brother, Chuck . At age 7, the twins took musical lessons from their uncle in which John took an...
– DrumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, PercussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
, Vocals - Tommy ShawTommy ShawTommy Roland Shaw is an American guitarist, best known for his work with the rock band Styx. In between his stints with Styx, he has played with the supergroup Damn Yankees and Shaw Blades, and has released several solo albums....
– Electric guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
, Acoustic guitar, Vocals - James YoungJames Young (American musician)James "J.Y." Young is a guitarist, singer and songwriter, and member of the rock band, Styx. Young began playing keyboard and piano at the age of five. He attended Calumet High in Chicago and learned to play clarinet and guitar during those years.J.Y...
– Guitar, Vocals
Production
- Producer: Styx
- Engineers: Barry Mraz and Rob Kingsland
Charts
Album – Billboard (North America)| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Pop Albums | 66 |
Singles – Billboard (North America)
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | "Mademoiselle Mademoiselle (song) "Mademoiselle" is the first single released from Styx's Crystal Ball album. Its B-side was "Light Up", from the previous album, Equinox. It peaked at #34 on the Billboard Pop Singles Chart, Styx's third top 40 hit. Most of the early pressings on the U.S. 7"single played too fast . This made the... " |
Pop Singles | 36 |