This is especially true for “Rockin’ the Paradise” and “Nothing Ever Goes As Planned”, both popular songs on the album, each of which can either be interpreted as entertaining or over-the-top on any given day. However, some of the other “theme” songs really tend to straddle the line between legitimate rock opera and some high school theater production. But this is a case where the ballad is supreme (and not so much sappy) with strong influence from each of the members of Styx and the obvious endorsement of fans at large. Many longtime fans (and apparently some band members themselves) lamented the heavy introduction of ballads by Denis DeYoung, starting with the soft-rock hit “Babe” on the previous album, Cornerstone. “The Best of Times” provides not only the top hit on the album, but the recurring theme with the opener “A.D. A mini-suite in of itself, it builds to a crescendo with some excellent lead guitar and just the right touch of piano and saxophone (by guest Steve Eisen) in the coda where repeatedly JY screams īut the concept itself and all the songs that surround it, truly belongs to DeYoung. “Half Penny, Two Penny” may be the best rock song on the album. The band was truly offended by these charges and would mock them on their next album, Kilroy Was Here, with genuine backwards messaging. In spite of it’s noble message for society on the surface, it was targeted by Tipper Gore’s PMRC and other anti-rock groups for allegedly backwards masking Satanic messages. “Snowblind” is an anti-drug song with a lugubrious feel throughout. JY’s efforts were back-to-back tracks on the album’s second side. Besides some great axe work, Shaw also adds the top-end harmonies that distinguishes the Styx sound. It contains a nice mix of synth effects, a classic guitar solo, crisp and catchy lyrics, and well-delivered vocals. Shaw’s best contribution is the hit “Too Much Time On My Hands”, which is about as good as a pop single got for that era. Musically, Paradise Theatre contains a nice balance among the band’s three primary songwriters, Dennis DeYoung, Tommy Shaw, and James (JY) Young. Recorded: Pumpkin Studios, Oak Lawn, IL, 1980
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