Styx : Crystal Ball

 

I USED TO WALK 

THE STRAIGHT 

AND NARROW LINE

I USED TO THINK

THAT EVERYTHING WAS FINE

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 

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.

Reception

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.

" 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."

TRACKLIST

Put Me On

Mademoiselle

Jennifer

Crystal Ball

Shooz

This Old Man

Clair De Lune/Ballerina

Lorelei 

(Live)

Crystal Ball 

(Live)

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