If I asked you to give me a list of songs by Styx, it's unlikely any of your picks would come from the four albums they produced with Wooden Nickel. Many of their big hits such as "Come Sail Away", "Renegade" and "Mr Roboto" were from albums produced with A&M but before they made the big record label switch, Styx gave us one last gift in the form of Man Of Miracles.
Whilst the cover conjures the appearance of a long-winded Prog Opera, the album's content is mostly good old fashioned Rock. In fact, with an upbeat album opener called "Rock & Roll Feeling", you'd be a bit dim not to realise this straight away. From there, the album swings between footstomping guitar driven Rock and mystical, moody Prog. Ultimately, the entire album is one you can listen to from start to finish or pick & choose tracks from after enjoying it the first time, giving it decent repeat value.
Whether you're into your grandiose Uriah Heep Hard Prog material ("A Song For Suzanne", "Man Of Miracles") or your rousing Doobie Brothers Classic Rock ("Havin' A Ball", "A Man Like Me"), this album is one for fans of 70's AOR everywhere, although it's the kind of album that's best enjoyed through headphones instead of speakers. You're more likely to get the best out of it if you're listening to it privately out of social situations like parties, as the material on here isn't quite as accessible as the music of bands such as Queen.
However, that doesn't remove any of this album's value and whilst it hasn't stood the test of time with "Iconic Albums To Listen To Before You Die" lists, Man Of Miracles is an unearthed gem that ranks highly on my personal tier. I love the well-oiled combination of each instrument adding their own touch to all the songs, I love the fact that the album doesn't accidentally use the wrong drumbeat or chord progression in several tracks (which happens surprisingly often in Blues based Rock) and I love the way it not only opens but closes on a perfect note, rather than fading out with a whimper.
Despite my gleaming praise, music journalists from yesteryear didn't quite agree with me. When Man Of Miracles was released in 1974 (and recently reviewed by music websites), critics called out Styx's inability to settle on a style and claimed that the album was bipolar in its sound. I can understand this point but I definitely wouldn't call that a negative observation. Yes, a record should be relatively self-contained within the genre so that it doesn't sound like a band desperately trying to please everyone but this album doesn't spread itself thin, at least not from the perspective of a 21st century listener.
As I mentioned, it covers two distinct sounds but there's an even split between the styles. The record finds the right balance between devoting the first and second halves to the respective subgenres and ricocheting from Rock to Prog like a musical pinball. In the same way a well-written story deals with a plot and subplot before having both come together in a satisfying conclusion, this album takes periodic breaks from one genre by spending a bit of time on a subgenre until the final track where both come together spectacularly.
I'll be the first to admit that tastes change over time and music certainly can grow on you. Music can also lose the magic it first had when you listened to it over the course of months to years (see Ted Nugent's discography or the entire Punk genre) and whilst there are albums I've harshly reviewed on this blog that will probably get a higher score if I revisited them now*, I can't see Man Of Miracles falling far below the 9/10 I'm awarding it on this post.
Styx are a band that have divided the tastes of Rock enthusiasts over time. Some see them as a solid Arena Rock band and some perceive them as a bit of a pompous joke. If everyone who had an opinion on Styx listened to this album, I think the general consensus would change overnight...or maybe I just really like this album. Feel free to listen to it if you haven't already & share your judgement in the comment section!
* Now there's an idea for an anniversary blog post!
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