Editorial Review:

Amazon.com essential recording:
More than two decades before it became Eric Cartman's favorite song on South Park, "Come Sail Away" was the choice of music fans with one foot in the art-rock camp and the other in Top 40 pop. The Grand Illusion straddled the seemingly divergent directions as only Styx could, laying on the pomp with layers of keyboards and high-flown lyrical conceits, yet keeping the proceedings light with hook-filled choruses and breezy melodies. Tommy Shaw's engaging "Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)" is the set's highlight, offering a bit of armchair psychology even as it acted as a subtle dig at the snarling punk rockers to whom Styx was anathema. James Young's "Miss America" rocks out, while Dennis DeYoung's title track reminds us that life is fleeting and illusory. Not exactly Nietzsche, but you can dance to it, sort of. --Daniel Durchholz

This album takes you through a wonderful musical journey.
Beautiful melodies by Tommy Shaw and the sweet harmonies from Dennis De Young, both great on lead and backing vocals.
Styx is the best musical rock band of all time!!!
The gel on this album of 'dreamy' keyboards/vocals from De Young, and Shaw's lullaby vocals,together with 'fireworks' guitar solos from both Tommy and James Young makes this album one best rock album ever.
Man in the wilderness,Castle Walls, Fooling yourself and Come sail away are highly inspirational songs.Tommy Shaw molded Styx into a classic band and proved to be the perfect partner to De Young, though it's a pity De Young wanted 'commercial' change and the band 'sucked' after their 1979 Cornerstone album.Other classic Styx albums are Crystal Ball, Pieces of eight and Cornerstone.

Average Rating:

Rating: - Rock Odyssey
This album takes you through a wonderful musical journey.
Beautiful melodies by Tommy Shaw and the sweet harmonies from Dennis De Young, both great on lead and backing vocals.
Styx is the best musical rock band of all time!!!
The gel on this album of 'dreamy' keyboards/vocals from De Young, and Shaw's lullaby vocals,together with 'fireworks' guitar solos from both Tommy and James Young makes this album one best rock album ever.
Man in the wilderness,Castle Walls, Fooling yourself and Come sail away are highly inspirational songs.Tommy Shaw molded Styx into a classic band and proved to be the perfect partner to De Young, though it's a pity De Young wanted 'commercial' change and the band 'sucked' after their 1979 Cornerstone album.Other classic Styx albums are Crystal Ball, Pieces of eight and Cornerstone.

Rating: - Fantastic Solid Album
This album is without a doubt one of the best albums ever made. The songwriting is excellent and there is not one weak song on it. My favs are Man In The Wilderness, Miss America, and Castle Walls. Despite the fact that Styx became more "poppy" in the early 80s this album contains some rocking guitar. Pieces Of Eight is another Styx classic. Get them both!!

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Rating: - Styx's classic masterpiece
Chicago based rockers Styx's seventh album entitled The Grand Illusion was released on July 7, 1977 to an unsuspecting audience in the States. The number seven would prove to be Styx's magic number. I first bought this album after hearing the live versions of guiatrist/vocalist Tommy Shaw's Fooling Yourself(a Top 30 hit), guitarist James "JY" Young's Miss America and of course keyboardist/vocalist Dennis DeYoung's classic Top 10 hit Come Sail Away(later humorously covered by the character Eric Cartman on South Park) on Caught in the Act, which I got on tape in 1984(I was eight then). I subsequently received this album on cassette when I was 9 in 1985 and was blown away by every song including Dennis' classic title cut, the Shaw/DeYoung/Young collaboration Superstars, plus the underrated gems like Tommy's Man in the Wilderness, Dennis' Castle Walls and the concluding The Grand Finale. I eventually got the CD version of the album in November of 1993 and then rebought the disc after it got stolen. This album was Styx's first US Top 10 album peaking at #6 and the first of FOUR Triple Platinum(FIVE double Platinum) albums in a row! I love this album and hope they remaster it soon. Whomever said Styx were a lousy band should think otherwise after hearing this record.

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Rating: - I wish I could give it Zero stars
Styx is one of the worst bands of all time. They featured Hair Metal-esque whiny vocals. The guitarist was far from being a virtuoso, but you could tell he thought that he was. Styx are full of themselves, no one should be subjected to the torture of listening to them

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Rating: - Styx's triumphant masterpiece
Chicago based rockers Styx's seventh album entitled The Grand Illusion was released on July 7, 1977 to an unsuspecting audience in the States. The number seven would prove to be Styx's magic number. I first bought this album after hearing the live versions of guiatrist/vocalist Tommy Shaw's Fooling Yourself(a Top 30 hit), guitarist James "JY" Young's Miss America and of course keyboardist/vocalist Dennis DeYoung's classic Top 10 hit Come Sail Away(later humorously covered by the character Eric Cartman on South Park) on Caught in the Act, which I got on tape in 1984(I was eight then). I subsequently received this album on cassette when I was 9 in 1985 and was blown away by every song including Dennis' classic title cut, the Shaw/DeYoung/Young collaboration Superstars, plus the underrated gems like Tommy's Man in the Wilderness, Dennis' Castle Walls and the concluding The Grand Finale. I eventually got the CD version of the album in November of 1993 and then rebought the disc after it got stolen. This album was Styx's first US Top 10 album peaking at #6 and the first of FOUR Triple Platinum(FIVE double Platinum) albums in a row! I love this album and hope they remaster it soon. Whomever said Styx were a lousy band should think otherwise after hearing this record.

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Related Items:

Pieces of Eight

Equinox

Paradise Theatre

Cornerstone

Crystal Ball