Styx released their first album in late August/early September of 1972 on the Chicago based Wooden Nickel Records which was distributed by RCA Records. The label had been started the year before by Bill Traut and he had a controlling influence on the band's first album. Here's some from an interview with Dennis DeYoung: "Styx I, by the way, should have been Styx II with the “Movement for the Common Man” on it. The first album was a total manipulation by [Wooden Nickel Record Company President] Bill Trout. It had little to nothing to do with the band.

“Lady” was written for the first album but it was kept off the first album by Bill. Bill was the record company President and he made us record four songs that we had no interest in recording. We had very little control at that point. “Movement for the Common Man” was a three-minute version that was cut down by John Ryan. In our estimation, that song was going to begin the record and be three minutes long but John cut it down and put all of that weird stuff on it. The first album we really had no power at all and we did what we were told. “Movement” was recorded in its entirety. I don’t know where those tapes are but we did it.

In 1970, we felt no allegiance to any particular musical style. Throughout Styx’s career, I tried to, as the shadow producer of the band, to adhere to one simple principal: Put the best songs on the album. That really is the mantra I followed."

The album itself does have it's moments which are generally found in the band's original songs: Best Thing, Children of the Land and Mother Nature's Matinee. The covers of What Has Come Between Us? which actually sounds like it could've been written by Dennis and After You Leave Me are good as well. The instrumental break in Between Us sounds a lot like the instrumental break that would be reused in Southern Woman released on the band's fourth album Man of Miracles.