By: Jesse Striewski

Former Styx frontman Dennis DeYoung is back with his long-awaited latest solo album, (his first of new material in over a decade). And although the title states “Vol. 1,” it almost feels like a “goodbye” of sorts (hopefully I’m way off on that one, though).

In all honesty, 26 East, Vol. 1 doesn’t start off as strong as it could; album opener “East of Midnight” is more or less just there, while “With All Due Respect” manages to be catchy, yet reaches near cring-worthy levels lyrically in an attempt to be timely. But things quickly turnaround, with tracks like “A Kingdom Ablaze,” “You My Love,” and “Damn That Dream” all invoking the true spirit of DeYoung’s usual m.o. There’s even a brief throwback to Styx classic “The Best of Times” in the form of “A.D. 2020” thrown in for good measure.

But the album reaches its definite peak with “To the Good Old Days,” a bittersweet duet with Julian Lennon that’s as much a tribute to The Beatles as it is a look back on DeYoung’s entire life/career. Whether you’re a die hard fan of his music or not, DeYoung has undoubtedly left a legacy in that’s nothing short of amazing. And if this is to be his swan song, there’s definitely worse ways to go out.

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars