BUTCH ENGLE & THE STYX
No Matter What You Say (Beat Rocket/Sundazed)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale

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No, no. Not that Styx. Butch Engle and The Styx were a mid-sixties SF Bay Area act with enough talent to be at the top of the local battle of the bands heap and garner major label interest. They also had a secret songwriting weapon - a glance at the credits will show that their songs are credited to a certain Ron Elliott, who also wrote sixties classics like "Laugh, Laugh" and "Just A Little" for his own band, the legendary Beau Brummels.

The combination of Engle's above average vocals, competent players and Elliott's material was enough to give the band a peak moment when they recorded a pair of sides for the Warner Bros. imprint Loma Records in 1966. The single didn't produce the hoped for breakthrough hit, though, and by '67 they were back with the Bay Area indie Onyx Records.

No Matter What You Say collects 18 tracks from the band, including a number of previously unreleased Elliot compositions that are worth the price of admission themselves. Those who remember, or who are interested in the development of the San Francisco music scene in the mid-sixties, should pick it up.

Track List:

Hey, I'm Lost * Left Hand Girl * No Matter What You Say * Smile, Smile, Smile * I'm A Fool * I Call Her Name * She Is Love * You Believe * Smile, Smile, Smile * Going Home * I Like Her * Hey, I'm Lost * Puppetmaster * She Is Love * Tell Me Please * You Know All I Want * Hey, I'm Lost

© 2001 - Shaun Dale