Author Topic: Decade Battle #4: 70s Kansas vs. 70s Styx (Read 5443 times)

KevShmev · « **on:** November 03, 2012, 10:09:48 AM »

Time for a battle between two classic rock bands, both of whom dabbled in some proggy stuff:

70s Kansas vs 70s Styx

70s Kansas
Kansas
Song for America
Masque
Leftoverture
Point of Know Return
Monolith

70s Styx
Styx
Styx II
The Serpent Is Rising
Man of Miracles
Equinox
Crystal Ball
The Grand Illusion
Pieces of Eight
Cornerstone

-------

Two bands I have loved for a very long time. Most of the stuff from the first four Styx albums is totally unknown except for Lady, but there are a number of good songs on those early albums. But Equinox through Pieces of Eight is the best stretch of their career. Meanwhile, Kansas was absolutely stellar from the debut through Point of Know Return, with Monolith being quite good, as well. But Leftoverture was a life-changing album for me and remains one of my all-time favorite records, so I'll call that the tiebreaker and give this to Kansas.

TAC · « **Reply #1 on:** November 03, 2012, 10:24:40 AM »

I am certainly far more familiar with Styx. I have never been into Kansas. Two For The Show, which I picked up a year or so ago shows a band playing on another planet. Incredible stuff.
I will go with Styx for now.

SeRoX · « **Reply #2 on:** November 03, 2012, 10:26:05 AM »

Kansas but just because I don't give attention to Styx so much but what I heard from them is amazing. But I have to vote Kansas. And this thread makes me dig some of Styx earlier works. Thanks.

Unlegit · « **Reply #3 on:** November 03, 2012, 10:56:26 AM »

Close one, but Kansas. The first 5 Kansas albums are awesome, but Monolith isn't that good. I don't really care for the first couple Styx albums, but Equinox through Paradise Theater are all amazing albums. If Paradise Theater was on this list, probably Styx.

jingle.boy · « **Reply #4 on:** November 03, 2012, 11:21:44 AM »

Styx. Like TAC, I never get too deep into Kansas. Yes, I know... I should probably rectify that.

TAC · « **Reply #5 on:** November 03, 2012, 11:24:50 AM »

Quote from: jingle.boy on November 03, 2012, 11:21:44 AM

Styx. Like TAC, I never get too deep into Kansas. Yes, I know... I should probably rectify that.

Well that live album is a great place to start. Just make sure you get the reissue as that has a second CD. It is easy to see how you can trace a line from Kansas to Dream Theater.

Big Hath · « **Reply #6 on:** November 03, 2012, 12:22:49 PM »

not much of a fan of either one, but of what I have heard I like the Kansas stuff more

Pols Voice · « **Reply #7 on:** November 03, 2012, 02:04:02 PM »

70s Kansas is one of the greatest runs of albums of all time. Styx was pretty cool, but Kansas is exactly what I look for in music.

pogoowner · « **Reply #8 on:** November 03, 2012, 02:35:31 PM »

Styx has some great stuff, but this goes to Kansas, no contest. The five album stretch of Kansas through Point of Know Return is the best you will ever find.

Orbert · « **Reply #9 on:** November 03, 2012, 02:48:23 PM »

It's close, but I give the edge to Kansas. Early Styx, when they went full-on prog, still felt experimental, still felt like Dennis was trying things out because he had classical background but couldn't quite figure out how to blend it properly with pop. Some of it was pretty cool, actually, but I can't say I really like it, even though I have all of those albums.

Kansas came out of the chute with stuff like "Journey from Mariabronn" and "Apercu" and had a clear vision for their sound. There was no period of finding their way; they were tight from the start. I stuck with Kansas into the 80's as well. Ha, I have every album listed above by both bands.

DebraKadabra · « **Reply #10 on:** November 03, 2012, 03:15:38 PM »

I've been a hardcore Styx fan since 1982, so you do the math on who I voted for.

Jaffa · « **Reply #11 on:** November 03, 2012, 04:14:23 PM »

Probably biased by not knowing too much Kansas, but I voted for Styx anyway because they're amazing.

jsem · « **Reply #12 on:** November 03, 2012, 04:17:28 PM »

Haven't really listened to Styx, can't vote..

ich bin besser · « **Reply #13 on:** November 03, 2012, 04:26:41 PM »

Despite liking Styx better in general (first fav band), my vote goes to Kansas.

ColdFireYYZ · « **Reply #14 on:** November 03, 2012, 05:29:22 PM »

Styx was one of my favorite bands but I haven't been too into them lately, though I still love their stuff - especially Pieces of Eight. I'm going to go with Kansas on this one. I love all their 70's albums (except for Monolith which is just okay). The first 2 albums are terribly underrated.

Nekov · « **Reply #15 on:** November 03, 2012, 05:44:50 PM »

This one was tough. Kansas takes it but not by much

jjrock88 · « **Reply #16 on:** November 04, 2012, 05:25:20 AM »

Quote from: Nekov on November 03, 2012, 05:44:50 PM

This one was tough. Kansas takes it but not by much

Jaq · « **Reply #17 on:** November 04, 2012, 07:39:08 AM »

Kansas takes it because their pre-hit albums > Styx. There's a reason why it took several years for Lady to become an after the fact hit, Styx's Wooden Nickel albums were wildly uneven IMO.

lonestar · « **Reply #18 on:** November 04, 2012, 11:57:03 PM »

Knew I was gonna be on the losing side before voting, but Po8/Grand Illusion/Cornerstone were a HUGE part of my adolescence.

Orbert · « **Reply #19 on:** November 05, 2012, 07:19:47 AM »

Mine too, Chef. The Grand Illusion was my first concert, and I think we spent that whole summer sitting in my buddy's basement, smoking non-tobacco, and listening to The Grand Illusion, Equinox, and Crystal Ball (Pieces of Eight and Cornerstone obviously came later). Styx was my favorite band for a while, and I still have great memories of them.

But Kansas was there, too, and if we're just talking 70's, and I put the best against the best of each, the worst against the worst, and the average against the average, Kansas comes out on top.

DebraKadabra · « **Reply #20 on:** November 05, 2012, 12:14:34 PM »

Quote from: lonestar on November 04, 2012, 11:57:03 PM

Knew I was gonna be on the losing side before voting, but Po8/Grand Illusion/Cornerstone were a HUGE part of my adolescence.

Agreed. I still get a LOT of shit for digging on Styx so much, but I really don't care. They were and still are a HUGE part of who I am.

jammindude · « **Reply #21 on:** November 05, 2012, 01:54:57 PM »

This is the first EASY decision. Styx.

I reallly like Kansas, and I love what I've heard. I'll admit that I havn't heard S/T or SfA....but then again, I've only heard the first 4 Styx albums in passing as well.

But IMO.. Equinox-PoA > Masque-PoKR...and The Grand Illusion is the greatest album on either list by a LOOOOOOONG shot. So that's where this contest ends for me.

The Letter M · « **Reply #22 on:** November 05, 2012, 03:24:41 PM »

Quote from: jammindude on November 05, 2012, 01:54:57 PM

This is the first EASY decision. Styx.

I reallly like Kansas, and I love what I've heard. I'll admit that I havn't heard S/T or SfA....but then again, I've only heard the first 4 Styx albums in passing as well.

But IMO.. Equinox-PoA > Masque-PoKR...and The Grand Illusion is the greatest album on either list by a LOOOOOOONG shot. So that's where this contest ends for me.

Whaaaaat?! The self-titled debut and Song For America are two of the best of their earliest albums! They're truly great albums, especially for being their first 2! Great American prog, and the epics are truly well thought-out and composed, they never did anything quite like it after then.

-Marc.

Orbert · « **Reply #23 on:** November 05, 2012, 03:59:08 PM »

Agreed. You say was an easy decision, but I suspect it might not have been so easy if you were familiar with the earlier albums by both bands. Kansas started off very strong and refined their sound, and I'd say their first couple of albums were at least as good as anything that came later; Styx took a while to really find their voice and their first several albums are kinda weak. That's why I said I had to really consider the "averages" of each band's 70's output before deciding, and it was a much closer call.

jammindude · « **Reply #24 on:** November 05, 2012, 03:59:42 PM »

See, and I keep hearing how Masque is the fan-fav. And Masque is *really* good, but it can't touch the Styx stuff that I grew up with. (though that's probably just nostalgia talking)

Orbert · « **Reply #25 on:** November 05, 2012, 04:46:04 PM »

Masque is very good. It still brought the prog, and the pop was toned down a bit. But the proggiest Kansas was on the first album, followed by the second.

Both bands started off with the prog and the pop at opposite ends and had to learn to blend them. They both ended up doing so very well in the mid-70's. So it really just comes down to personal taste.

LudwigVan · « **Reply #26 on:** November 06, 2012, 09:34:27 AM »

Kansas AINEC.

Quote from: TAC on November 03, 2012, 11:24:50 AM

Quote from: jingle.boy on November 03, 2012, 11:21:44 AM
Styx. Like TAC, I never get too deep into Kansas. Yes, I know... I should probably rectify that.
Well that live album is a great place to start. Just make sure you get the reissue as that has a second CD. It is easy to see how you can trace a line from Kansas to Dream Theater.

This. There's a lot more Kansas in DT than most tend to realize.

Orbert · « **Reply #27 on:** November 06, 2012, 11:31:50 AM »

Quote from: LudwigVan on November 06, 2012, 09:34:27 AM

Kansas AINEC.

And I Never Even Cried?
All It Needs Except Chocolate?
At Individual Nodes Entropy Collapses?

Help!

Big Hath · « **Reply #28 on:** November 06, 2012, 11:35:14 AM »

All India Newspaper Editors Conference
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TAC · « **Reply #29 on:** November 06, 2012, 11:39:58 AM »

Am I Nearing Elderly Condition!

LudwigVan · « **Reply #30 on:** November 06, 2012, 11:45:51 AM »

And It's Not Even Close

wkiml · « **Reply #31 on:** November 06, 2012, 11:51:58 AM »

Kansas...when I heard them for the first time it was instant love

News: Track-by-track video for Untethered Angel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Co1_h0GtAw

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Author Topic: Decade Battle #4: 70s Kansas vs. 70s Styx (Read 5443 times)