CHICAGO

If you've followed the history of the band Chicago, very few would argue that their more ''accepted'' albums came in their earlier career when they were a rock band with heavy influence from jazz, particularly their first two records. As the years drudged on, Chicago began drifting into safer writing territories, poppier songs that aimed to hit the Billboard and condensed albums. That last stat is saying something from the only rock band in history to have their first three studio albums doubles.

Then CHICAGO VII comes along and something funny happens; not only does the first half indulge in jazz, but the jazz is more fusion than they have ever done. And it's mostly instrumental to boot it all. ''Aire'' adds to the plethora of memorable horn quotes from Chicago's catalogue, but the progsters would rejoice in the fact that the majority of the number is in 7/8 time. ''Italian From New York'' (written about guest Laudir de Oliviera who would later officially join the band) channels what Herbie Hancock was doing with bleeping synths and made a simple jazz track out of it. And the jazz aficionados can eat their hearts out to the Coltrane-influenced ''Devil's Sweet''.

The second chunk of the album (all of the second LP and some bits of the first) falls into safer, chart-happy avenues that Chicago had been reaching for since V. Either the weight of the jazz tracks makes me hate these pop-rock tracks even less, or it might be that there are actually some great pop songs here that rival the first two albums. ''Wishing You Were Here'' is not one of those pleasant surprises; that balmy, Caribbean overtone makes me sick, and the guesting of the Wilson brothers from the Beach Boys isn't helping. Somehow, Terry Kath took that same style of music in ''Byblos'' and made THAT track a little better; maybe it's just Terry Kath, I don't know.

There's still a lot of worth here. Pankow's ''(I've Been) Searching For So Long'' sounds on the surface like the lamest slow dance number since ''Colour My World''. I don't know what gravitates me towards this song, but I actually can enjoy this. It helps that it segues straight into a Santana inspired instrumental ''Monognucleosis''. ''Women Don't Want To Love Me'' has a great funk groove to keep the listener off their chairs.

The real winner of this record is trumpeter Lee Loughnane. Up until now, he's never had a songwriting credit for Chicago, and his ''Call On Me'' was a pretty interesting top 20 single. He even sings on the best poppier song, ''Song of the Evergreens''. It's Kath's writing again, so that explain why it's good, but that cascading to a climax effect (the band singing ''snow'' a bunch of times) usually works magnanimously.

This is really the forgotten great Chicago album, and I would rank this second overall in great Chicago albums only trailing the debut. Yes, there are a few schmaltzy pop tracks (thank you Cetera) that sort of create a buzzkill, but there are many other great pop tracks that more than balance them out. Furthermore, the opening romp of jazz pieces is essential listening for any jazz fan, and even prog fans might want to try to stick their nose in this one.

The first nine Chicago albums all have their moments, some more than others. Whilst the first two, 1969's debut 'Chicago Transit Authority' and follow-up 'Chicago II', arguably showcase the group at both their most dynamic and experimental, latter albums would feature a different approach, with such seminal pop nuggets as 'If You Leave Me Now', as found on 'Chicago X', and this album's stirring ballad 'Feelin' Stronger Every Day' adding yet another dimension to Chicago's sound. 'Chicago VI' would be the outfit's second single-album after 'Chicago V', and, as illustrated, mark another step away from the 1960's influenced sound of their earlier material. Commercially, Chicago would now go through the roof, becoming one of the most popular American rock acts of the century, attracting a huge new fanbase uninterested in guitar solos and experimental jazz suites and slowly homogenising their sound as the 1980's approached. Whatever your feelings on their gradual change, there is no denying that despite the steady and impressive tide of slick hit singles being produced, their albums were now much less impressive for those fans who enjoyed the groups more esoteric early material. 'Chicago VI' is undoubtedly the weakest of their first seven albums - follow-up 'Chicago VI' would see a brief return to the style of their debut dusted with an even stronger jazz influence than usual - making for an uncharacteristically dull listen. The rather beautiful strains of 'Feelin Stronger Every Day' apart, this is an album with little that is new, and little that is exciting. STEFAN TURNER, STOKE NEWINGTON, 2012

Somewhat incredibly the group's first single-disc release, 'Chicago V' had the difficult trick of following on from the mammoth four-disc set 'Chicago At Carnegie Hall' and the trio byzantine double-albums that preceded. So, it's no real surprise then to find that this 1972 album fails to live up to expectations. With the original line-up still in place 'Chicago V' is not, as some might suspect, the sound of a group in decline but instead the sound of a group heading slowly in a new direction. For the most, gone are the psychedelic Terry Kath guitar wig-outs that gave 'Chicago Transit Authority' and 'Chicago II' their impressive experimental edges, in comes simpler compositions, prettier melodies and the hit-making populist streak that would soon come - for better or worse - to characterize the group's career. However, that said, this is is still Chicago we're talking about. Yes, it's definitely less adventurous that its predecessors, yet there's still a strong selection of tunes on offer here, with such group classics as the soaring opener 'Hit By Varese', the two-part jazz-rock opus 'Dialogue' - a live favourite - and the breezy big band-themed ballad 'Saturday In The Park' standing out. One major point of interest: this is an album dominated by keyboardist-and-vocalist Robert Lamm who here pens eight out of the album's ten tracks. This, and the unusually short length does maybe hint towards an overall lack of available quality material, though whilst as a result of this 'Chicago V' may prove to be a minor work, this is still nevertheless a major group still more than capable of producing highly memorable music. Even Chicago's unessential albums have their gems, with 'Chicago V' a perfect example. STEFAN TURNER, STOKE NEWINGTON, 2012

The last of Chicago's original trio of double-albums(another wouldn't be issued until 1974's 'Chicago VII'), this takes another small step towards the more commercially-driven sound of the group's hugely-successful later years, again blending complex jazz instrumentals with psych-tinged rock and poppy melodies. However, although the mixture proves less successful third time round, 'Chicago III' still has its fair share of excellent moments. There is a definite progression here from the raw energy and fuzzy experimental edges found on 'Chicago Transit Authority' to a smoother, less abrasive overall style, yet Chicago's sound was always rooted in the basic principles of popular jazz and blues, one of the major factors making up the group's widespread appeal. 'Chicago III' still features the classic original seven-man line-up, yet this time powerful rock odes such as the bluesy opener 'Sing A Mean Tune Kid' seem more polished. That said, this is still a challenging album, with - just like it's predecessor - three multi-part suites('Travel Suite', 'An Hour In The Shower' and 'Elegy') filling up a large chunk of the album. Whilst ultimately these pieces don't quite manage to chart the same dynamic heights so skilfully attained on 'Chicago II', tracks such as the positively eclectic 'What Else Can I Say?, which melds jazzy pop ballad beginnings into acid-licked rock 'n' roll and back again within the space of a few short minutes, does find Chicago successfully mining the spirit of their excellent debut. The brassy 'I Don't Want Your Money' attempts the same trick with less conviction, yet thankfully both the delightfully bouncy, keyboard-kissed 'Mother' and the closing sections of James Pankow's 'Elegy' showcase the classic Chicago style still very much in check. For some, this album would mark the end of Chicago's truly great period, yet talk of their demise being at this point is premature. There would be no 'Chicago IV' of course, the group instead releasing the mammoth four-disc set 'Chicago At Carnegie Hall', and both that album and its subsequent follow-up 'Chicago V' would find the group in a very healthy state. 'Chicago III' does however provide a kind of closure to the outfit's more experimental phase, and for that the album should be seen as an important release. Undoubtedly the first three Chicago albums are the most indispensable - and in that order - yet their 1970's output still features much that is impressive from one of the quintessential American rock groups. Not quite a classic then, but 'Chicago III' is still the work of masters. STEFAN TURNER, STOKE NEWINGTON, 2012

Considered by many to be the absolute highlight of Chicago's career, 'Chicago II' was, like its predecessor, a lengthy double-sided release that again mixed elements of jazz, pop, rock 'n' roll and psychedelia to impressive effect. Although the double-album format has, of course, seen mixed results over the years - some albums proved overblown and indulgent; others featured a dearth of quality material filling up the gaps - Chicago's were anything but, always a group with more than enough quality material to make the concept work. Both their 1969 debut 'Chicago Transit Authority' and this follow-up feature well over an hour of material with rarely a dull moment to be had, both albums showcasing Chicago at their most experimental. 'Chicago II' may well start in fairly mainstream territory with the upbeat 'Movin' In', yet the album is most notable for the three multi-part song suites - James Pankow's eight-minute 'Ballet For A Girl In Buchanon', the rather beautiful 'Memories Of Love' by Terry Kath and non-member Peter Matz and the strange, neo-classical strains of 'It Better End Soon' courtesy of Robert Lamm and Walter Parazaider - that take up almost half the running time. More interesting, however, is the addition of '25 On 6 To 4', a charging jazz-rock anthem that quickly became a fan favourite. Quoted by some as being 'deliberately mysterious', '25 On 6 To 4'describes in hazy fashion the effects of what seems to be a particularly memorable LSD trip, though the actual meaning of the lyrics has been the subject of great debate over the years. Whatever the view, '25 On 6 To 4' is an armour-plated Chicago classic and one of the group's rockiest songs, the placing of the song alongside the elegiac and delicate 'Memories Of Love' showcasing just what an eclectic album 'Chicago II' is. Whether it's a superior album to its predecessor is actually a moot point; both albums represent the very best of early Chicago. A technically-assured, complex and delightfully experimental blend of styles, this is progressive music in the truest sense of the word. A fantastic group, Chicago really were one of the finest of all American rock 'n' roll groups, this album a prime example. STEFAN TURNER, ANGEL, 2012

So, this is where it all began. Issued under the unwieldy 'Chicago Transit Authority' moniker, Chicago's original release proved to be one of the first rock 'n' roll double-album debuts, marking a brave leap of faith both for the group and their label. It would, however, be a gamble that soon paid off. Although today the group are mainly known for issuing string of hit singles that includes such radio staples as 'If You Leave Me Now' and 'Feelin' Stronger Every Day', Chicago actually started out as a very different beast. Blending elements of jazz, blues and psychedelia and featuring a powerful brass section, the original seven-strong outfit's 1969 debut is in fact a surprisingly experimental album that covers a whole spectrum of sound and styles, an album that is as much a product of the 1960's as the likes of either Jefferson Airplane or Frank Zappa. Later albums would find Chicago softening their sound as their success grew, entering the realms of MOR pop as the decade neared its conclusion, yet during their initial burst of activity this was a group who constantly pushed and probed the musical envelope, creating music that was both accessible yet highly progressive. Both 'Chicago Transit Authority' and follow-up 'Chicago II' would be double-albums, showcasing the group's phenomenal song-writing and compositional abilities, whilst a trip to Carnegie Hall would see Chicago become one of the very first rock groups to take the stage at the hallowed venue, the results subsequently issued on the impressive quadruple live album 'Chicago At Carnegie Hall'. In the first five years of activity Chicago managed to produce an enormous volume of work, though of all their early albums it is their debut which finds them at their most inquisitive, 'Chicago Transit Authority' hosting an exuberant journey through four sides of what can be best described as electric brass-rock. The album features such group classics as the ballroom-spiced jazz-rock number 'Introduction', the joyous jazz-pop single 'Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is' and the lysergic psych-rock of both 'Freeform Guitar' and 'Southern California Purples', yet also finds time for jazzy instrumental numbers('Prologue'), fast-paced acid rock('Poem 58') and epic prog fusion workouts('Liberation'). A genuine melting-pot of ideas and styles, 'Chicago Transit Authority' ranks as Chicago's most individual release, laying the foundations of a fabulously-successful career. Whilst the 1980's would find a very different sounding Chicago in operation, virtually all the group's 1970's albums are worth exploring. However, this is Chicago at the rawest and toughest, blending the swagger of Led Zeppelin with the refined fusion pallette of Miles Davis and the funk-strut of Isaac Hayes. Its a fine album, a genuine classic and an example of just how good Chicago were in their heyday. STEFAN TURNER, ANGEL, 2012

Well first off a big thankyou to Tom Ozric (who has introduced me to many bands and albums over the years) for insisting I get this one. To be honest I was content with CHICAGO's debut and their Live In Japan double album. I had felt "Chicago II" was just too inconsistant to give 4 stars to so why go on with their other studio albums which are rated far lower than it ? That's where Tom came in and after his sales pitch (haha) I bit and i'm glad I did.

I'm also glad Chicpah compared this to what happened with SANTANA because for me it's an interesting comparison. SANTANA like CHICAGO went into the studio to make a Jazz / Rock record and in both cases not everyone in the band was okay with the change. Why would you be when you were so successful up to that point. Well Carlos went ahead with it and to everyone in the band's credit they made in my opinion their best album. THEN those not in favour left. For me that was impressive. With CHICAGO if you read the liner notes Lamm states that part way through the recording sessions they just felt that if they made an all-Jazz album too many people would be alienated. I'm sure he mean't band members as well as fans there. As he mentions band members started to bring to the table songs with lyrics and more Pop flavoured material. So a compromise was made and we get a mixture of Jazz/Rock and poppier tunes.

The first three tracks are a tribute to Cannonball Adderley and his brother Nat. "Prelude To Aire" opens with percussion as flute joins in. Man I can't help but think of SANTANA here. Then the shock...mellotron ! I had to go on Planet Mellotron to confirm this and yes that is mellotron on a CHICAGO record. It will show up also on the song "Byblos". This is in part why I love this double album, it's different than your typical CHICAGO record as they seem to try different things. "Aire" is more of that percussion but with horns this time and flute along with prominant bass. A change before 2 1/2 minutes as guitar and drums take over. Horns are back later. "Devil's Sweet" has sounds coming and going along with relaxed horns. Drums and atmosphere after 3 minutes then it turns heavy with electric piano before 4 minutes. Guitar after 5 minutes and it becomes intense before 7 minutes followed by a calm then a drum solo.

"Italian From Newyork" has some weird electronics and percussion as it slowly builds. Check out the guitar after 2 minutes ! It continues to the end. "Hanky Panky" is a jazzy little number while "Life Saver" is funky to start before becoming catchy with vocals as our Jazz / Rock experiment ends. "Happyman" is led by acoustic guitar and a beat as the vocals arrive just before a minute. It turns fuller but contrasts will continue.

"(I've Been) Searchin' So Long" is a top four. Sure it's ballad- like but i've always liked it. Atmosphere, strings and vocals lead early. Love when it picks up 3 minutes in. The vocals and guitar really impress. "Mononucleosis" is catchy with intricate sounds. Horns too as vocals follow. Too much fun. "Song Of The Evergreens" is another top four. This sounds so good when it picks up after 2 minutes. Nice guitar solo too to end it. "Byblos" has percussion and intricate guitar. Vocals come in and this song is somewhat moving for some reason. Oh yeah I forgot it has mellotron (silly me). Backing vocals too but somehow this works.

"Wishing You Were Here" is a top four too. Love this song and always have. It's so different from how they usually sound and we also get three BEACH BOYS adding backing vocals in Al Jardine, Dennis Wilson and Carl Wilson. "Call On Me" is my final top four. This charted the highest of all the singles released from this recording. This is catchy with horns and vocals. Such a feel good tune. "Woman Don't Want To Love Me" is interesting with that funky groove with vocals and horns. The only song that really does little for me is the closer "Skinny Boy" which sounds like a Mo-Town Song. Funny but as i sat down to write this review the info on the site here says the Pointer Singers sing backup. Not surprised.

So yes a pleasant surprise and one I will enjoy for it's good songs and variety.

The songs on this double live album are culled from CHICAGO's three concerts held in Osaka, Japan in 1972.This tour was in support of the "Chicago V" album. It wasn't released until 1975 but only in Japan until the re-release world-wide in 1996. Thanks Bob ! It's listening to a recording like this that makes my appreciation for this band sky-rocket. I mean they had three amazing singers who sounded quite different from one another, and instrumentally these guys were "lights out". I felt a lot of different emotions as I journeyed through this two disc affair.

Disc one begins with "Dialogue (Part One & Two)" which is a good upbeat song as Kath and Cetera trade off vocally. Nice bass before 3 minutes. "A Hit By Varese" has an urgent vibe to it with organ. Vocals and horns join in too. I like this. It settles before 2 minutes as the horns come and go. Trippy section and I love it. Vocals are back before 4 minutes. "Lowdown" is a catchy mid-paced tune with vocals. Some nasty guitar after 1 1/2 minutes as the bass throbs. Horns come in blasting. Vocals are back before 3 minutes. "State Of The Union" has a nice heavy sound as the horns and vocals join in. They then jam without vocals until 4 1/2 minutes in. Then they do another prolonged jam but with some ripping guitar this time. Nice. "Saturday In The Park" is such a good summer-time track. Can you dig it ? "Make Me Smile" opens with the horns blasting. How good is this ? Woo hoo ! "So Much To Say, So Much To Give" is surprisingly dark and heavy as the vocals join in. These next few tracks are short and blend into one another.

"Anxiety's Moment" is mostly piano, horns, chunky bass and drums and it blends into "West Virginia Fantasies" another short instrumental. Amazing sound here. "Colour My World" makes it difficult swallow. Gulp. "To Be Free" kicks in right away and hard. Just a killer instrumental that blends into "Now More Than Ever" and i'm smiling wide here. Nice drum work too. "Beginnings" is an emotional track. "Time passes much too quickly when we're together laughing". I miss that. "Mississippi Delta City Blues" ends disc one. It's an alright tune but that's all'

Disc two starts with "Song For Richard And His Friends" which is a political rant against Nixon and his cronies(haha). It turns experimental 1 1/2 minutes in with guitar feedback and craziness. A melody arrives before 4 minutes. The intro is reprised to end it. "Does Anyone Know What Time It Is ? (Free Form Intro)" is a very cool display of piano which is avant at times from Lamm. Drums do come in at 4 1/2 minutes then bass and more. It ends with piano only. "Does Anyone Really Know What Time It Is ?" kicks in right away and it's such a feel good tune. "Questions 67 And 68" is one the crowd recognizes right away. Some killer guitar.

"25 Or 6 To 4" is probably my favourite CHICAGO song. It kicks ass and is about an acid trip. Just an amazing instrumental display half way through. The crowd goes nuts when it's over asking for an encore. They get it with "I'm A Man" and "Free". Love the bass and percussion to open "I'm A Man" and later before 3 1/2 minutes. Check out the drum solo before 7 minutes right to the end of the song. So impressive.

In my opinion this is the best live document you can buy for this band. A must for fans.

The fateful tale of Chicago's trek through the glorious 70s was a classic riches to rags story. They'd come bursting in as one of the most promising, adventurous American bands of the era by bravely melding rock & roll with a big band jazz mentality better than any ensemble ever had before and their music appealed to an amazingly wide spectrum of the population of the world. After a few years of a lot of blood, sweat and tears (wry irony intended) they arrived at the top of the heap. Slowly but surely, however, their escalating addiction to hit singles and the steady cash flow they brought with them eroded their rebellious, risk-taking attitude to the point where they no longer challenged themselves or their audiences. With the exception of their brilliant VII LP released in '74 they consistently played it so safe it got to the point where, by the end of the decade, they'd lost their fan base, their reputation as innovators and their reason to exist. Losing the fiery Terry Kath along the way was a tragedy but rather than honoring his legacy by using his death as a spark to reignite their original flame of creativity they responded by becoming even more conservative. As the 80s began some (but not all) of the aging 70s groups facing the end of their viability and the onslaught of the New Wave and Punk movements simply called it quits and wisely left the "biz" for good. Considering what a waste of time XIV turned out to be, perhaps Chicago should've done the same.

Their opening the record with the only decent tune they had at their disposal, Robert Lamm's "Manipulation," is the only thing positive I have to say about this album. It owns an energetic track that's built upon a forceful guitar riff played by session cat Chris Pinnick (the blasé Donnie Dacus had been jettisoned) and the number was decent enough to inspire a ray of hope in me that a reinvigorated Chicago might emerge. The horn section and Danny Seraphine's drums punch the accents with gusto and Pinnick shreds his fretboard with passion. Alas, the fun bus runs out of gas as soon as the song ends and is promptly looted and set ablaze before being abandoned on the side of the highway. The vague sense of optimism that first cut cultivated dies the second "Upon Arrival" reaches your ear drums. Lamm and bassist Peter Cetera penned this sappy-as-a-grove-of-Maple-trees ballad that's utterly devoid of anything even approaching passable status. They follow that odorous turd with Cetera's ridiculously mushy "Song for You," a 12-string acoustic guitar-dominated, gather-by-the-campfire love song that sours your stomach and demonstrates beyond a doubt that these guys had been neutered and were now as inert as elderly bulldogs. They'd brought in renowned producer Tom Dowd to oversee this album but he must've had second thoughts as soon as he heard the tunes they'd brought to him because they had so little potential. Peter's vapid "Where Did the Lovin' Go" lopes along like a high school orchestra's first rehearsal with absolutely no feel or emotion to be found. My reaction to Seraphine's "Birthday Boy" was one of disbelief that they'd string four slow, laborious numbers in a row. Holy moley, they'd flushed every semblance of their once-mighty mojo down the toilet! This song is a dirge-like turkey that shines a glaring light on the group's dearth of basic common sense and self-respect. They repeat the line "Good days are coming" but Chicago desperately needed them in the present tense at this juncture, not in the future.

One of the many problems with XIV stems from glamour boy Cetera having become the predominant songwriter. He was talented in many areas but not in the role of composer. His "Hold On" is an anemic "rocker" (I employ that term loosely here) that frankly made me embarrassed for the band. It makes them appear about as cool as middle-aged geezers wearing "hip" threads to attract the ladies but not having a clue as to how foolish they look. Next is Peter's "Overnight Café." I knew it was bound to happen and here it is. Chicago tried to be trendy by incorporating a New Wave vibe into their sound and it's a shameful disaster. It's yet another hefty file in the dossier of evidence proving that their well of creativity had run bone dry and they were accepting any material available from the members without discretion in order to fill up two sides of vinyl. Robert, Peter and Danny teamed up to concoct "Thunder and Lightning" and, this far into the swamp, I was at least grateful for an upbeat groove and a few jazzy inflections interspersed in the arrangement but the tune is still too weak to make a lasting impression or make much difference. Lamm's "I'd Rather Be Rich" is so lousy that I wouldn't be surprised to learn he'd tossed scraps of paper in a jar with chords written on them and put the piece together by pulling them out at random. It has no backbone or focus; it just lays there like a lump of dead notes. Trombonist James Pankow, formerly a river of interesting ideas and concepts, contributes the closer, "The American Dream." This political protest ditty lacks conviction or purpose and comes off as a bunch of high-rollers sitting around, complaining about how unfair life is. It's pathetic and demeaning.

I find the cover to be highly appropriate. Sometimes at a crime scene the victim's face is so disfigured or mutilated that the corpse can only be identified through fingerprint analysis. That's the case here. XIV is so dismal that it bears no resemblance whatsoever to being a product from the vibrant group that shook up the music scene when they broke out of the Midwest in '69. Whereas their earlier LPs had shot up into the upper regions of the charts like rockets this one struggled to reach #71 and then disappeared into oblivion. It was not only their last record with their long-time label but the story goes that Columbia actually paid them to leave! Ouch! While I still consider the pretentious "Hot Streets" to be the nadir of their career, this one seriously rivals it. The only good news I can convey about Chicago's state of the union in the summer of 1980 is that they were soon to do something smart and beneficial by hiring the multi-talented Bill Champlin to finally fill the gaping hole left by Terry Kath's passing. They'd never again be the influential force in progressive jazz/rock they once were but at least they'd start making R&B-flavored pop music that was listenable. XIV isn't. Half a star.

As regards the history of this group, it's time now to share a shred of good news. Chicago XIII is better than Chicago XII (otherwise known as "Hot Streets"). I must issue a note of caution, however. In this case the word "better" must be buffeted with an enormous amount of perspective being applied. It's the equivalent of announcing in April 1912 that, unfortunately, the Titanic is still nestled at the bottom of the Atlantic but they did manage to recover some bodies. For those of us who'd hoped that the ocean liner Chicago, contrary to rumor, had merely sprung a serious leak on their long journey this was hardly consolation but at this juncture we'd gladly take any positive information we could get. Their once-glorious ship had been taking on water ever since album VII but the untimely death of guitarist Terry Kath had proved to be their dark iceberg. They'd been given the opportunity to make crucial repairs and shock the world by emerging from that tragedy with a renewed jazz/rock fusion-fed spirit of adventure yet they'd failed to do so. All they did was save themselves by hopping into the convenient boats of commerciality and watch from afar as what was left of their prog legacy sank below the waves.

The miniscule improvement I speak of is in the overall fidelity of the recordings. The band had brought in experienced producer Phil Ramone (replacing the out-of-touch James Guercio) for the previous album but he must've been handcuffed by certain elements in the membership because it sounded completely flat and lifeless. For XIII he was able to give the tracks a slick, inviting sheen that at least makes listening to the material less of a chore and for that I'm thankful because the tunes, for the most part, are low grade. In an attempt to inspire everybody to get fully involved in the endeavor they allowed each man to contribute a minimum of one number but that ploy rarely results in a cohesive collection of songs and it didn't in this case, either. The album has all the earmarks of a group of individuals that have no clue as to what they're supposed to do next.

Chicago's final LP of the 70s opens with drummer Danny Seraphine's "Street Player," a nine-minute foray into the land of a thousand dances. It's glossy west coast R&B from the word go but, in its favor, it does have some redeeming qualities. Their heralded horn section is crisp and punchy and the tune projects a friendly Boz Scaggs atmosphere insofar that it flirts with stepping over into disco territory but never completely surrenders its soul to its mind-numbing lure. Bringing in Maynard Ferguson to deliver a hot trumpet solo was a very good idea as well as having the gifted Airto Moreira assist in the percussion department. The breakdown section in the second half, punctuated by a spirited flurry of horns, is entertaining yet the number's blatant attempt to draw in the Saturday Night Fever crowd is nonetheless unnerving. The rolling pop rock motif of bassist Peter Cetera's "Mama Take" isn't degrading in itself but the song is just too weak to be memorable and nothing occurs dynamically to distinguish the presentation. Once again they're guilty of playing it way too safe. Kath's replacement, Donnie Dacus, wrote "Must Have Been Crazy" and it, more than any other cut, highlights the identity crisis the group was caught up in. It's a cookie-cutter copy of what a host of other boring rock groups of that era were putting out and it most definitely doesn't sound like Chicago at all (which could be a good or bad characteristic when you think about it). Walter Parazaider and Lee Loughnane cooked up "Window Dreamin'," a mild rocker with a highly predictable arrangement. The white boy funkster approach never worked too well for them in the past but evidently they were determined to keep trying even if it evoked nausea in the listener. This is poor with a capital P.

Keyboardist Robert Lamm's role as principal songwriter had dwindled to next to nada over the years but, to his credit, he delivers one of the few bright spots on XIII in the form of his "Paradise Alley." While it does have a questionable Caucasian funk foundation he included enough of a jazzy edge to make it worthwhile. The tight horns add spice and, by playing around a bit with the time signature, they manage to create something relatively decent. Seraphine's "Aloha Mama" owns a New Orleans flavor that is slightly refreshing yet one can't help but feel that they had a golden opportunity here to spring loose with some stimulating jazz excursions. Sadly they didn't, seemingly content to tread complacently in their tepid comfort zone. A discouraging disco throb resonates throughout Lamm's contemporary rocker, "Reruns," dating it horribly. Once again the anemic composing dooms the track as the tune goes nowhere and does nothing on the way. Cetera's "Loser With a Broken Heart" is a dreadful ballad delivered without a trace of the horn section to be found (perhaps they were smart enough to call in sick that day and steer clear of this turkey). It comes off like an unfinished demo and Ramone should've had the balls to step in and stop this turd from ever going public. Conga man Laudir De Oliveira at least offers a breath of oxygen at this point via the jazzy feel his "Life is What it Is" has but it's extremely lightweight and hasn't a chance in hell of saving the album from itself and its trying-too-hard-to-be-trendy vibe. James Pankow's "Run Away" sports an aggressive beginning but soon the number takes a familiar path and all that potential excitement goes swirling down the drain. It's mediocre pop that's so lacking in anything interesting as to render itself woefully irrelevant. It brings to mind the motto of the crusaders in "Monty Python and the Holy Grail." Run away, indeed.

To say Chicago was drifting aimlessly at sea without a rudder as the 70s came to a close is a gross understatement. The record fell short of breaking into the top 20 on the album charts and spawned nary a hit single so within the ranks panic was on the verge of erupting. AM radio fare had become their bread and butter during the decade and now even that profitable aspect of their art was fading fast. Like many groups, they started to point fingers at everyone except themselves and hirings and firings were soon to be in store. I find the pretentious cover art significant. The band had all the outward appearances of being a sturdy skyscraper but the building was almost vacant, built on shifting sand and could topple at any moment. Chicago XIII isn't as putrid as XII but, in retrospect, what does it matter? 1.2 stars.