STYX CRYSTAL BALL AUDIOPHILE 180 GRAM LIMITED EDITION TREMENDOUSLY RARE OUT OF PRINT 2015 UNIVERSAL MUSIC LP - THIS IS OUR ONE AND ONLY COPY FOREVER


Crystal Ball, released in 1976, showcased the songwriting talents of Dennis De Young, Tommy Shaw and James Young.
Styx's 1976 offering is unique in many ways. It was the first album where Tommy Shaw contributed to songwriting. Shaw had already joined the band before recording this album to tour for the previous record EQUINOX. On CRYSTAL BALL they continued the art-rock aesthetic that they had always followed, but Shaw contributed a new organic feel that had not been present before and also brought in a rock factor that rivaled JY (the other lead guitarist/singer). The title song is a prime example of this and one of the band's best songs ever. Shaw is a natural when it comes to creating melodies and acoustic arrangements. He is a well-above average singer and lead guitar player too. He also contributed the two hits on this album; Mademoiselle and Crystal Ball. They're both catchy and at the same time artsy. Check out the Ahhh, Tsss, sounds on This Old Man. It's a song about DeYoung's (Founding member/keyboardist/lead vocalist) father and the sounds are a reference to printing presses (his father owned a print shop). This was the thing about Styx that was so appealing. They were creative, they rocked, they wrote catchy melodies and the songs were never boring. (Unless you're not into the artsy sort of thing). They were a true progressive rock fusion band and one of the best to combine prog with pop. Dennis DeYoung was a music major and the musical director for the band. He is famed for being a control freak, but if you listen to all of Styx albums from STYX I and on; if you listen to the songs written by DeYoung, it becomes clear that he was the main architect of the Styx sound. He was not greater than the sum of their parts, but his style is the one the prevailed and carried on through their best work. Of course the rest of the band also contributed greatly, but I'm talking about the underlying style that is Styx. This album is hugely underrated, and although bombastic and sometimes silly (Put Me On), these were the things that were a big part of the Styx charm. They were many times called America's answer to Queen. I don't think that it was a conscious effort on their part but in many ways it is correct.

Crystal Ball TRACKS ARE:

1. Put Me On

2. Mademoiselle

3. Jennifer

4. Crystal Ball

5. Shooz

6. This Old Man

7. Clair De Lune / Ballerina

SOME LIVE - STYX Caught In The Act Live LIMITED EDITION 180 GRAM AUDIOPHILE 2 LP SET WITH EMBOSSED STYX LETTERING ON GATEFOLD JACKET

180-gram LP SET

Styx: The A&M Albums 1975-1984, is a nine LP box set featuring eight of of the band's most iconic albums (including thedouble live set Caught in the Act), pressed on 180-gram heavyweight vinyl, from Universal Music Enterprises. The individual albums will also be available separately as part of the UMe "Back to Black" vinyl reissue series.

Caught In The Act (1984) was a double-live album that captured the band's Kilroy Was Here tour, with one new song, "Music Time," which hit the Top 40 of the Billboard 100. The album hit No. 31. It would be the last Styx album until 1990'sEdge of the Century, recorded after Tommy Shaw left the band.

Side 1
1. Music Time
2. Mr. Roboto
3. Too Much Time On My Hands
4. Babe

Side 2
5. Snowblind
6. The Best Of Times
7. Suite Madam Blue

Side 3
8. Rockin’ The Paradise
9. Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)
10. Miss America
11. Don’t Let It End

Side 4
12. Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)
13. Crystal Ball
14. Come Sail Away  
  
 
 

AUDIOPHILE COPIES 

 
E-BAY STORE FOR YOUR INDIVIDUAL STYX SELECTIONS - INDIVIDUAL TITLE INFORMATION OR INDIVIDUAL PURCHASE JUST HIT THIS STORES TAB  & TYPE IN STYX INTO THE SEARCH FIELD WITHIN OUR STORES SECTION AS YOUR PERSONAL CODE AND ALL INDIVIDUAL STYX TITLES + INFORMATION WILL APPEAR

AS OF Sep-26-2008 per USPS policy, seller added the following information:

International Buyers – Please Note:

Import duties, taxes, and charges are not included in the item price or shipping cost. These charges are the buyer's responsibility. Please check with your country's customs office to determine what these additional costs will be prior to bidding or buying. Note: It's illegal to falsify customs declarations or mark an item as a "GIFT" or mark item at a LESSER VALUE in order to avoid customs fees International Buyers are responsible for their country’s Customs Fees.     

INTERNATIONAL BUYERS NEED TO BE AWARE OF THE CUSTOM'S TAXES IN THEIR OWN COUNTRY AND KNOW THEY (AS THE BUYER) ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR CUSTOMS TAXES.

FACTORY SEALED OUT OF PRINT PRODUCT is IRREPLACEABLE and therefore NOT RETURNABLE.

USA SHIPPING:   We box/package protectively – Ship UPS Ground/Insured within Continental USA – Hawaii/Alaska by mail.  We accept PayPal ONLY WITH CONFIRMED SHIPPING ADDRESS

INT’L SHIPPING: Because of Postal Regulations in following countries -- U.K. (England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland), SOUTH AMERICAN COUNTRIES, QATAR, PHILIPPINES, SRI LANKA, ISRAEL, RUSSIA, MEXICO and MALTA – AT CHECKOUT, MUST CHOOSE EXPRESS SHIPPING ONLY  -    NEW ---  AUSTRALIA SHIPS EXPRESS ONLY 

We box/package protectively for safe world-wide shipping.  When accepting PayPal, ship ONLY BY PRIORITY MAIL/FULLY INSURED OR EXPRESS MAIL FULLY INSURED –

International Buyers are responsible for their country’s Customs Fees.