26east: Volume 2

Former Styx founding member Dennis DeYoung is back with the second volume of his fond farewell to recorded music, 26 East, Vol. 2. As with the preceding volume, 26 East, Vol. 2 once again hints strongly at DeYoung's rock roots with Styx. The production and musicianship are EPIC, and those timeless vocal arrangements get delivered in spades. A fitting goodbye and a final signature on an outstanding body of work which will stand the test of time. Vol. 2 picks up where Vol. I left off, with DeYoung mining similar musical territory. With direct links to the classic Styx sound, as only he can provide, along with some straight ahead rock. The breadth of the album is illustrated on tracks like 'The Last Guitar Hero', with help from the Houdini of guitarists Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine, Audioslave), to two signature DeYoung ballads, 'Your Saving Grace' and 'Made For Each Other' to the piece de resistance, the first single, the 'Isle of Misanthrope', an eight minute masterpiece with a surprise finish.