Crystal Ball (Styx album)
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| Crystal Ball | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | October 1976 | |||
| Recorded | 1976 | |||
| Studio | Paragon, Chicago | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 34:45 | |||
| Label | A&M | |||
| Producer | Styx | |||
| Styx chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Crystal Ball | ||||
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Crystal Ball is the sixth studio album by the American rock band Styx, released in 1976. It marked the recording debut of new guitarist Tommy Shaw.
"Mademoiselle" was 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 with which Shaw was involved.
Claude Debussy's classical piece "Clair de Lune" served as the intro to the album's closing ballad, "Ballerina". The version of "Clair de Lune" on Crystal Ball features only DeYoung on piano, with the key changed from D flat to C, as the next track ("Ballerina") begins in C minor.
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [3] |
| Rolling Stone | (favorable) [4] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [5] |
Crystal Ball lacked the commercial strength and chart performance of its predecessor Equinox or its follow up Grand Illusion. It peaked at #66 on the Billboard album chart, the lowest of any of the Styx A&M releases. It was certified gold in 1984, 8 years after its release.
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 (1975), 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."[3] 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."[4]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead vocals | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Put Me On" |
| 4:56 | |
| 2. | "Mademoiselle" |
| Shaw | 3:57 |
| 3. | "Jennifer" | DeYoung | DeYoung | 4:16 |
| 4. | "Crystal Ball" | Shaw | Shaw | 4:32 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead vocals | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Shooz" |
| Shaw | 4:44 |
| 2. | "This Old Man" | DeYoung | DeYoung | 5:11 |
| 3. | "Clair de Lune" / "Ballerina" |
| DeYoung | 1:05 / 5:53 |
| Total length: | 34:45 | |||
Personnel
Styx
- Dennis DeYoung – vocals, keyboards
- James "JY" Young – vocals, guitars
- Tommy Shaw – vocals, guitars
- Chuck Panozzo – bass
- John Panozzo – drums, percussion
Production
- Producer: Styx
- Engineers: Barry Mraz and Rob Kingsland
Charts
| Chart (1976–1977) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[6] | 21 |
| US Billboard 200[7] | 66 |
