The Grand Illusion - Styx
Track List:
The Grand Illusion
Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)
Superstars
Come Sail Away
Miss America
Man In The Wilderness
Castle Walls
The Grand Finale
Yes…(not the band)
I’ve heard Styx before, but not as an album. I know that I’ve heard Fooling Yourself and Come Sail Away. I may have heard other parts of this one too but I know I will enjoy some if not all of this most the Styx I can think of I appreciate. I like the album cover.
The Grand Illusion
I think I may have heard this before. It starts with a lot of fanfare. The song starts with a call to a show, not unlike Karn Evil 9. Then recognizes a fantasy of stardom. The song acknowledges that the subject may have a false sense of what stardom is. Indicating the things you see in magazines are another person’s fantasy. The next verse reassures that everyone is equal and not to be upset at the perception of a loss. Then the listener is instructed to not be envious of their neighbor as ultimately everyone is equal. The final verse I think really opens this one up. It is setting a stage for further conquest. Perhaps this is a song of the band, where they have been, their insecurities and their journey to this point. I am aware this isn’t their first album but I do see at least 2 songs here that were big hits (or I think they were). I am not sure how much commercial success they had prior to this. The song seems to be about keeping appropriate expectations.
Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)
The synths really shine here. I enjoy listening to this song. I am not sure who the subject of the song is. Perhaps it’s the same subject from the last song. The song encourages a young man to try to be optimistic and try to succeed at things that he doesn't feel like he will succeed at. To keep trying for his dreams. I really like the synths on this one.
Superstars
I don’t think I’ve heard this one. More vocal focus I feel. So it starts with a superstar talking to a fan. Then I think it becomes the fan’s delusion that they end up with the star and they both become famous. There are also lyrics delivered on top of the music that are much like the music in the opening number, a call to greatness, almost like a pitch.
Come Sail Away
I’m just going to listen to this and try to not hear Eric Cartman’s voice. It’s a very pretty song that South Park has kinda ruined for me. It’s about trying to seek out a place of happiness.
Miss America
What a mellotron intro! That was great, very fantastical vibes. The guitar is much more punky than I had expected. The lyrics are also quite punky sounding in their delivery. The song seems to be a scathing rebuke of beauty pageants. Equating Miss America to a zoo exhibit, needing to be prim and proper and in her place. It almost seems to try to highlight the shallowness of the pageant indicating that next year she will be forgotten. Stylistically this was a really weird one or the 2nd half of the album is going to be much different than the first.
Man In The Wilderness
A self reflective ballad? I really like the delivery of the line “Never quite knowing why” in the chorus of the song. The instrumental part is amazing. Like trying to convey a sense of travel and thought.
Castle Walls
Bass and organ intro. I suppose this and the last song I would consider the climax of the album. Both have fantastic instrumental/solo sections The song seems to be about searching for something beyond what the narrator already possesses. Almost a wanderlust.
The Grand Finale
Oh a reprise from the first song.
What I perceive…
That was a ride. I was told that this is a concept album somehow based on the number 7. I get that the album was released on 7-7-77 and there are 7ish songs (if you count The Grand Finale as the ending of The Grand Illusion.) And I think this was album 7 for the band, but I am not sure. I didn’t get any 7 illusions in the album. It seemed to be an album about coping with success, seeking happiness, and trying to find contentment. I really liked the synths and keys over the course of the album. I also noticed a distinct difficulty I’ve not noticed with other albums where I am rather familiar with about half this album and it was hard to observe this as an independent work of art. Perhaps that’s something I will get better at as this project pushes forward.
