Dennis DeYoung - Desert Moon

Released in 1984

Dennis DeYoung, the former lead singer and keyboardist for the 80's pop/rock band Styx, started his solo career with his 1984 masterpiece, Desert Moon. The album features a nice blend of pop, ballads and rock. Unlike his former band Styx, DeYoung's solo work leans more towards the pop side of the equation, but tracks like Boys Will Be Boys demonstrate that when a rock infusion is necessary, Dennis is quite capable of delivering the goods.

DeYoung's solo career took off with a good start on this debut album, for he scored a Top Ten hit with the title track, Desert Moon. This track remains a favorite among many 80's fans to this day (including myself), but despite this initial success Dennis DeYoung's solo efforts often slip under the radar of notice by many decade followers.

Some of the album highlights are:

• Desert Moon – In my opinion this is by far the best track on the album, as well as one of the more memorable songs of the decade. It's a haunting ballad full of lush atmosphere and poetic lyrics.
• Boys Will Be Boys – A unique pop-rocker that possesses a cool 50's vibe.
• Dear Darling (I'll Be There) – Though not as atmospheric as Desert Moon, this sentimental ballad also succeeds in striking the right chord with listeners.

During his stint in Styx we became introduced to Dennis DeYoung's wonderful vocals and accomplished musicianship, but it's this first solo album that allows us to truly revel in both. Featuring passionate vocals, a flood of juicy keyboards and a nice variety of styles among the various tracks, Desert Moon churns out pure 80's goodness. If one complaint was to be found it would be in the number of tracks on the album - chocking in at eight songs total, this album seems to end all too quickly.

Rating: 9 stars

Track List Don't Wait for Heroes Please Boys Will Be Boys Fire Desert Moon Suspicious Gravity Dear Darling (I'll Be There)

Music Sitemap

• Hair Metal
• Pop & New Wave
• Rap & Hip-Hop
• Rock & AOR