Cornerstone | 
| Artist: Styx
Label: A&M
Category: Music
List Price: $9.98
Buy New: $4.06
You Save: $5.92 (59%)
New (30) Used (23) Collectible (1) from $4.06
Rating:  41 reviews
Sales Rank: 7445
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 4.6 x 0.5
MPN: 3239
UPC: 075021323926
EAN: 0075021323926
ASIN: B000002GBU
Release Date: October 25, 1990
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Tracks:
| • | Lights | | • | Why Me | | • | Babe | | • | Never Say Never | | • | Boat on the River | | • | Borrowed Time | | • | First Time | | • | Eddie | | • | Love in the Midnight |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
If Styx didn't do enough to endear itself to a generation of prom-goers with its 1975 slow-dance classic "Lady," they closed the deal a few years later with Cornerstone's premiere hit, "Babe." Perhaps the prototypical I-love-you-but-I-just-gotta-go power ballad, the song was Styx's first No. 1 hit, and it propelled the album to platinum-plus status. Led by that track as well as "Why Me," another Top 40 hit, Cornerstone is Styx at their most accessible and melodic. The album experiments with some new sounds as well, with horns added to the mix on Dennis DeYoung's "Borrowed Time" and "Why Me" and mandolin on Tommy Shaw's "Boat on the River." If their album sales didn't offer the final word on the band's popularity at the close of the '70s, a 1979 Gallup poll did the trick: The group was named America's most popular rock band. It's you babe, indeed. --Daniel Durchholz
Album Description
Japanese-only SHM-CD (Super High Material CD) paper sleeve pressing of this album. SHM-CDs can be played on any audio player and delivers unbelievably high-quality sound. You won't believe it's the same CD! Universal. 2009.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 36 more reviews...
 4 3/4 stars--still great music October 14, 2001
Brad (CT)
32 out of 32 found this review helpful
The criticism of this album is well-documented--too many DeYoung ballads, not enough guitar-based rock. While I agree that "The Grand Illusion" and "Pieces Of Eight" are better rock albums, this one stands right up there as a pop/rock masterpiece. "Babe" is of course incredibly overplayed but is still a standout ballad, as is "First Time". Besides these songs, there are no other "sappy ballads" here. 2 out of 9 tracks as ballads is not a bad ratio. "Boat On The River" is mellow but a uniquely enjoyable Tommy Shaw tune--and NOT a ballad. "Lights", "Why Me" (the follow-up single to "Babe") and "Never Say Never" are good mid-tempo rockers. "Eddie" flat out rocks, as does "Borrowed Time". The chorus of "Love In The Midnight" is an example of the best of Tommy and Dennis when they collaborate together. In a nutshell, this album stands up musically to other Styx efforts while not quite as rocking as its predecessors.As a side note, I totally disagree with those who say that Styx was a talentless band. Each member was musically talented in their own right, and the sum of those parts always made for an interesting and constantly changing sound. Those who call this band "the worst of corporate rock" simply don't like this type of music and should just stick to reviewing their annoying "political" and "alternative" bands or whatever crap they as well as the supposed "music critics" like. After all, you won't find me reviewing something like a Sonic Youth album any time soon.
 Solid STYX that shows some very bright stars June 14, 2000
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
The strength of Cornerstone is clearly the ballads. I can't hear "Babe" or "First Time" without envisioning a beautiful young memory in a tight sweater at a school dance. Even without the ballads, several things stand out about this album. First, "Borrowed Time" and "Why Me" demonstrate that STYX is still in touch with its roots. Second, "Lights" and "Never say Never" show a new and interesting feel to the group's style. Third, "Eddie" is a fabulous tail-twister for Senator Kennedy. Most of all, Tommy Shaw really showed why STYX brought him in with his unique and wonderful "Boat on the River". Overall, this is a very good album.
Give me lights! January 10, 2005
Tnahpellee (Australia)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I love this album. Do you know why I love this album? Because it's just really feel-good pop. I think formulaic pop music is only something bad when it's performed flatly. But then the most outlandish uncomercial rock sounds bad if flatly performed, well I suppose it would. But Styx perform with such passion and charisma that the music on this album seems like a once in a life time thing. Take the song 'First Time', it's just a pop song but Dennis absolutely lives every minute of that song. But I have a couple of quibbles. One, why was 'why me?' the second single if you have a masterpiece like 'Lights', which would have soared to the top of the charts, at your disposal? I think Lights has way more pop appeal than Why Me. Lights is pure pop with a strong hint of prog, actually. The intro is similar to the courtly beginning of 'The Grand Illusion', and the song is arguably one of the best Styx songs. Lights, Babe with it's haunting synthesiser riffs and the infectious prog-rock track Never say never, which features some of Tommy Shaw's best vocals, are the highs, in my opinion. Borrowed time has a prog-like synthesiser opening to what becomes a fun rock n roll track that features some good chord changes and some excellent riffs. I love the opening bit to 'Eddie' "I woke up today..." and it has great solo but the rest of the song doesn't tickle my fancy. It has a stunning fade-out though. I think the song 'Love in the midnight' is depressing and would fit much better on 'Piece of eight'. I don't like the song but it is a fan favourite.
Ballads that have no equal August 23, 1999
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This is the first album I ever listened to with my first girlfriend and it holds a special spot in my heart. But that is not the only reason I am giving this album 5 stars . It is a masterpiece and should be taught in colleges on how to write Ballads. The songs have feeling and emotion in them. Some Ballads seem to have been scribbled on a piece of paper and thrown together the next day but there is heart and soul in these songs. I am very surprised First Time never made it to the No1 spot. But Babe overshadowed it.
A great mess. June 12, 2008
J. HARMON (Houston, Texas)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
LOVE IN THE MIDNIGHT, LIGHTS, BOAT ON THE RIVER, EDDY (Ted Kennedy), and BABE are incredible songs. Everything else is forgettable. STYX fell apart during this album... and the scars never truly healed. Dennis' ego could not accept the "sea change" within STYX and this album reflected what became two bands in one... the Dennis DeYoung band and the Tommy Shaw band. This album has some great songs but no cohesiveness. Every other album that followed was similar in fractured structure (including the Number One album PARADISE THEATRE) until CYCLORAMA (Dennis was no longer in the band.)
So be forewarned, this album has some great songs... but no album cohesiveness.
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