Equinox produced
Styx's first single with
A&M, the highly spirited
"Lorelei," which found its way to number 27 on the charts. Although it was the only song to chart from
Equinox, the album itself is a benchmark in the band's career since it includes an instrumental nature reminiscent of their early
progressive years, yet hints toward a more commercial-sounding future in its lyrics.
"Light Up" is a brilliant display of keyboard bubbliness, with
De Young's vocals in full bloom, while
"Lonely Child" and
"Suite Madame Blue" show tighter songwriting and a slight drift toward radio amicability. Still harboring their synthesizer-led dramatics alongside
Dennis De Young's exaggerated vocal approach, the material on
Equinox was a firm precursor of what was to come . After
Equinox, guitarist
John Curulewski parted ways with the band, replaced by
Tommy Shaw, who debuted on 1976's
Crystal Ball album. ~ Mike DeGagne
