Alpha Dog 2T/UMe (Release Date 18.07.25)

While many ‘heritage’ classic rock acts on both sides of the pond have chosen to give up on writing new material and rely on their legacy catalogue, in recent years Styx have proved a commendable contrast to contemporaries like REO Speedwagon and Foreigner. ‘Circling From Above’ represents a third album of all new material in the last eight years, following in the footsteps of ‘The Mission’ and ‘Crash of the Crown’.

The title track is an instrumental soundscape pitched somewhere between Pink Floyd and the Beatles, leading into the excellent ‘Build and Destroy’. It combines the vintage- very seventies-sounding keyboards from Lawrence Gowan (was that even a mellotron?) and a wah-wah guitar solo- with the contemporary- the lyric ‘lost in the sky, we turn to AI’- as well as trademark vocal harmonies.

Unfortunately what follows does not quite match up- ‘Michigan’ (a random title with no connection to the lyrics) is Tommy Shaw’s first lead vocal and a pleasant enough song with some Beatles-ish harmonies, which takes a few listens to appreciate.

‘King of Love’, which features James ‘JY’ Young’s only vocal contributions, in almost spoken style and shared with Tommy, is an odd one- moving in and out of being another with Beatles and ELO influences, and a rock’n’roll pastiche with added harmonica playing. And ‘Its Clear’ is rather spoiled by Lawrence’s vocals being swamped in effects, ironically given the title.

The ballad ‘Forgive’ is another where the strings give a strong feel of ELO or late-period Beatles and ‘Everybody Raise a Glass’ where Lawrence channels some of the musical theatre tendencies of his predecessor Dennis De Young also has Beatles influences.

‘Blue Eyed Raven’ is an interesting proposition- a typical Tommy Shaw acoustic ballad which also reminds me of Uriah Heep’s ‘Lady in Black’, it bursts into life midway through with the best outbreak of lively gypsy fiddling since ‘The Devil Went Down to Georgia’, matching the lyrical theme.

Over recent years Will Evankovich has become an important part of the Styx picture- first as producer, more recently as a band member and on this album co-writer of nearly all the songs with Messrs Shaw and Gowan. He even sings lead on a couple, including ‘She Knows’, boasting a mid-song clarinet solo, though his decent voice is hardly distinctive.

A synth solo is the highlight of ‘Things That You Said’ which is another mellow, ELO-ish song and it is disappointing that Tommy Shaw does not sing any rockier songs on the album. Moreover there are virtually no guitar solos and anyone hoping for pomp epics like ‘Suite Madame Blue’ or ‘Castle Walls’ will be disappointed with every song clocking in at well under four minutes.

Several of the lyrics are thoughtful musings on the state of the human condition in these times including the last two songs. ‘We Lost the Wheel Again’ is a much-needed Who-style rocker, livelier, rougher and less polished than the rest of the album and with guitar and synth solos, only for the album to close with another ballad in the rather dull ‘Decide Your Fate’.

The arrangements are slick and once you come to terms with the fact it is not a hard rocking album, the songs really grow on you. Nevertheless I can’t hide the fact I was hoping for a rather less mellow offering. *** 3/4

Review by Andy Nathan

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