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Paradise Theatre was Styx’s 10th album, a concept album chronicling the imagined historical rise and fall of the Chicago Paradise Theatre* (and according to Wiki this was a metaphor for the changes in American society in the late 70′s). It also became the band’s most successful record, hitting #1 on the US album charts with several strong singles. Those singles are also the songs I like the most. The epic and anthemic lite-prog rock track “The Best of Times” was the first single from Paradise Theatre and it went to #3 on the US charts. The second single, “Too Much Time on My Hands,” is my favorite from the album and it hit #9 on the US Hot 100 chart and #2 on the Top Rock Tracks chart. (A couple of years ago Jimmy Fallon and Paul Rudd did a hilarious and spot-on re-creation of the song’s video.) I only vaguely remember the third single, “Nothing Ever Goes as Planned,” which isn’t surprising since it only went to #54 in the US. I do remember the final single, “Rockin’ the Paradise,” which went to #8 on the Billboard Rock Chart. It was also the 10th video aired by MTV when it launched in August ‘81. The rest of the album is kind of bland, again a commercially palatable, prog rock lite sound (though “Snowblind” is super-proggy and “Half-Penny, Two-Penny” is pretty rollicking), technically competent but not much heft or soul to keep me thoroughly engaged for the whole album, which is kind of the point of AOR. Apparently the band was in the midst of some bitter fighting during the writing and recording of Paradise Theatre, with competing songwriters and divergent directions, which explains some of the unevenness of the album’s concept and delivery.

*Since originally posting this, a friend of mine mentioned that her mom used to work as a candy girl at the real Paradise Theatre in Chicago, I’m guessing in the 50′s.

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Crime of the Century marked Supertramp’s breakthrough in the US; their first two albums didn’t do well and the band actually broke up and then reformed with new members before recording their third album. Crime of the Century charted at #38 in the US and #4 in the UK and eventually made it onto a few of best-of-the-70′s lists. The single “Dreamer” off of Crime of the Century was the band’s first big hit, making it to #13 in the UK and the live version hit #15 in the US a bit later. Its B-side, “Bloody Well Right” became the bigger success in the US, hitting #35 on Billboard’s Hot 100.

Allmusic says “Supertramp came into their own on their third album, 1974’s Crime of the Century, as their lineup gelled but, more importantly, so did their sound. The group still betrayed a heavy Pink Floyd influence, particularly in its expansive art rock arrangements graced by saxophones, but Supertramp isn’t nearly as spooky as Floyd – they’re snarky collegiate elitists, an art rock variation on Steely Dan or perhaps a less difficult 10cc, filled with cutting jokes and allusions, best heard on “Bloody Well Right.” This streak would later flourish on Breakfast in America, but it’s present enough to give them their own character. Also present is a slight sentimental streak and a heavy fondness for pop, heard on “Dreamer,” a soaring piece of art pop that became their first big hit. That and “Bloody Well Right” are the concise pop moments on the record; the rest of Crime of the Century is atmospheric like Dark Side of the Moon, but with a lighter feel and a Beatles bent.”

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