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Thursday, April 8, 2021

Dennis DeYoung's final studio album arrives in June

My interview with Dennis (see elsewhere on this blog) and his album (with the much heralded Julian Lennon duet) were both among my favorites of 2020. Read more info on the album sequel...

Former Styx founding singer Dennis DeYoung has announced the release of his final studio album, "26 East, Vol. 2" on June 11 via Frontiers Music Srl.

Additionally, DeYoung has also released the first single and video from the album, the eight minute long "Isle Of Misanthrope." Watch it HERE: https://youtu.be/wUzp4FJ0tCM

Pre-order "26 East, Vol. 2" HERE: https://orcd.co/ddyvol2

As with the preceding volume, this one revisit's DeYoung's roots with Styx. "The Last Guitar Hero" features guest guitarist Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine, Audioslave). There are two signature DeYoung ballads, "Your Saving Grace," "Made For Each Other," as well. 

"My musical goals for this album are the same as they have always been and that’s to write the best songs possible and make great sounding records out of them. By now, Styx fans know pretty much what they can expect and I hope they will be pleased. I am," says DeYoung.

"When people ask 'What’s the first single “Isle of Misanthrope” about?', I reply "About 6 minutes." Not to be too cute, but the lyrics are a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma. Wait that’s Winston Churchill's statement about the Soviet Union. Sorry. 'Misanthrope', metaphorically speaking (ooooh look, big words) is a commentary on the contemporary state of mankind under the guise of ancient times. The more things change the more they remain the same. Also, 'Isle of Misanthrope' is my musical journey back to the days of Styx’s 'Equinox' and 'Suite Madame Blue', as I attempt to explain the exasperating and confounding nature of mankind through metaphor. It’s got a good beat, but won’t be a hit at the disco," explains DeYoung of the album's first single.

DeYoung has previously stated that "26 East” will mark his retirement from the world of recorded music. It was thanks to Frontiers President and Head of A&R, Serafino Perugino, that given the abundance of material, Dennis agreed to split the album in two parts.

This second half starts where the previous one left off and sees DeYoung collaborate again with fellow Chicagoan and Grammy Award winning songwriter Jim Peterik. The process that brought forth these two albums in the first place started when Peterik, DeYoung’s friend and neighbor, sent a song to Dennis that he thought would suit his vocals perfectly. That song became the catalyst for 10 more collaborations from the pair, of which four appear on this new release.

"The last album was supposed to be my final album, but there were so many songs written that Serafino [Perugino] of Frontiers suggested dividing it into two albums rather than one,” DeYoung states.

“26 East” was the address where DeYoung grew up in Roseland, IL on the far south side of Chicago. Across the street lived the Panozzo twins, John and Chuck, who along with DeYoung would go on to form the nucleus of Styx in DeYoung's basement in 1962.

Track list:

1. Hello Goodbye
2. Land Of The Living
3. The Last Guitar Hero (Featuring Tom Morello)
4. Your Saving Grace
5. Proof Of Heaven
6. Made For Each Other
7. There’s No Turning Back Time
8. St. Quarantine
9. Little Did We Know
10. Always Time
11. The Isle Of Misanthrope
12. Grand Finale

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