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SGSpecial 
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 Topic: Chicago Transit Authority
Posted: July 04 2006 at 21:20 |
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I know this sounds ridiculous, but Chicago's first album, CTA, as well as Chicago, Chicago III, and Live at Carnegie Hall sounds somewhat proggy to me. Especially, b/c of the fusion sound. These albums contain lengthy suites with experimental and even some psychadelic sounds ("Free From Guitar"). Clearly Chicago's later albums, especially after V and the death of Terry Kath are anything but prog. The big question here is whether their earliest albums can be considered prog and could these be added? Thanks for your time.
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Zac M
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Posted: July 04 2006 at 21:24 |
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Can't be added, but you are 100% correct. The first four albums (and hints of later ones e.g. "A Hit by Varese") are totally Prog Rock, still if we add Chicago, we have to add the whole discography, which is about 80% pop/rock.
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"Art is not imitation, nor is it something manufactured according to the wishes of instinct or good taste. It is a process of expression."
-Merleau-Ponty
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SGSpecial
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Posted: July 04 2006 at 21:35 |
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Thanks for the help. I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one that considers their early albums prog. And I'm also glad to know that only whole discographies can be added.
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Easy Livin
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Posted: July 05 2006 at 03:02 |
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I reckon they would fall into the prog-related category without too much difficulty.
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Moogtron III
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Posted: July 05 2006 at 18:33 |
They're still on my albums-to-check-out-list, the early Chicago albums. The AMG site says the 2nd one is the best. I don't really dare to buy them, knowing some of their later stuff. Are those albums really that good? They certainly get good reviews!
Edited by Moogtron III - July 05 2006 at 18:34
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pepo
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Posted: July 05 2006 at 18:40 |
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Chicago 2 (the double lp one. Silver cover) is a masterpiece. It has the hits 25 or 6 to 4 and make me smile (which are excellent although not exactly prog). The last half hour is like a classical music piece with jazz parts and lots of soloing. By far the best chicago album. Chicago 7 is also good but it tends to be more funky/latin.
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Bilek
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Posted: September 13 2006 at 06:44 |
 pepo wrote:
Chicago 2 (the double lp one. Silver cover) is a masterpiece. It has the hits 25 or 6 to 4 and make me smile (which are excellent although not exactly prog). The last half hour is like a classical music piece with jazz parts and lots of soloing. By far the best chicago album. Chicago 7 is also good but it tends to be more funky/latin. |
strangely, the album you mentioned was dubbed just "Chicago" in the beginning! (the first one being Chicago Trasit Authority) it was subsequently dubbed "II" by fans.
25 or 6 to One is somewhat poppy, but make me smile is a different story:
if you listen the album in its context, you will notice the same theme recurs some ten minutes later... That's because it's part of an excellent suite, namely, Ballet for a Girl in Buchanon. I'm not sure if any edition retains this naming, because I have the mp3 only... The suite is one of the few examples of Chicago's excellent talent in multi-part suites, which they soon abandoned anyway. (check out "Travel Suite" and "An hour in the Shower" from the next album, also "Better end soon" in this one. at least this is indicated and numbered into sections...)
even for the first three albums they certainly deserve a place here, and as Bob rightfully stated, they go well with prog-related... (I mean, who could be more "related" to prog ?!?!?)
the reviews will do the rest of the work: any serious listener is aware that first 3 albums are excellent Jazz-Rock/Fusion works...
 for Chicago
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Listen to Turkish psych/prog; you won't regret:
Baris Manco,Erkin Koray,Cem Karaca,Mogollar,3 Hürel,Selda,Edip Akbayram,Fikret Kizilok,Ersen (and Dadaslar) (but stick with the '70's, and 'early 80's!)
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Bilek
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Posted: September 13 2006 at 06:46 |
Moogtron III wrote:
They're still on my albums-to-check-out-list, the early Chicago albums. The AMG site says the 2nd one is the best. I don't really dare to buy them, knowing some of their later stuff. Are those albums really that good? They certainly get good reviews! |
if you like Zappa's Hot Rats, Waka Jawaka or Grand Wazoo, go for it my friend! The one thing that characterizes their music is the horn section. first three are all excellent, but my fave is 2.
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Listen to Turkish psych/prog; you won't regret:
Baris Manco,Erkin Koray,Cem Karaca,Mogollar,3 Hürel,Selda,Edip Akbayram,Fikret Kizilok,Ersen (and Dadaslar) (but stick with the '70's, and 'early 80's!)
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bhikkhu
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Posted: September 13 2006 at 08:45 |
Moogtron III wrote:
They're still on my albums-to-check-out-list, the early Chicago albums. The AMG site says the 2nd one is the best. I don't really dare to buy them, knowing some of their later stuff. Are those albums really that good? They certainly get good reviews! |
Oh yes, those early albums are well worth it. They really went downhill later. It was one of those cases where it made you sick, because you knew how good the band could be.
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Sean Trane
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Posted: September 13 2006 at 08:53 |
Moogtron III wrote:
They're still on my albums-to-check-out-list, the early Chicago albums. The AMG site says the 2nd one is the best. I don't really dare to buy them, knowing some of their later stuff. Are those albums really that good? They certainly get good reviews! |
Marcel,
Since you do not live too far from Wallonie, you can subscribe to La Mediatheque De Belgique and order then for renting. But I think you might have to go to Moekroen for that. >> very wide choice including some mega-surprising prog groups. ~ €1.65/week
Or you can try the Flemish equivalent: much cheaper, but not quite the same choice >> but you should find the early Chicago.
Up to the fourth album >> quadruple Live At Carnegie Hall, Chicago was excellent
From Chicago V to Chicago VIII, they still have some excellent moments, but there is some mega-weak stuff on them albums too >>> I will probably make a compilation of their best tracks from those albums. 
Forget anything later than VIII. 
Edited by Sean Trane - September 13 2006 at 08:56
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let's just stay above the moral melee
prefer the sink to the gutter
keep our sand-castle virtues
content to be a doer
as well as a thinker,
prefer lifting our pen
rather than un-sheath our sword
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bsurmano
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Posted: September 13 2006 at 15:42 |
Easy Livin wrote:
I reckon they would fall into the prog-related category without too much difficulty. |
That's right.
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'Sundown,yellow moon, I replay the past
I know every scene by heart, they all went by so fast.....
Either I'm too sensitive or else I'm gettin' soft.'
Bob Dylan
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Sean Trane
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Posted: September 14 2006 at 03:11 |
bsurmano wrote:
Easy Livin wrote:
I reckon they would fall into the prog-related category without too much difficulty. |
That's right. |
yup 
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let's just stay above the moral melee
prefer the sink to the gutter
keep our sand-castle virtues
content to be a doer
as well as a thinker,
prefer lifting our pen
rather than un-sheath our sword
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chopper
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Posted: September 14 2006 at 15:45 |
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I'll recommend they're added to the list of bands to be debated.
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Dick Heath
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Posted: September 24 2006 at 09:35 |
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Some recovery from the intermediate albums with Chicago VII (Carnegie Hall - a rather self-indulgent set- 5 and 6 - the latter two aimed squarely at the pop market). Then the very lean times - thought the two variants of Street Player worked. And the recent DVD Chicago & Earth Wind & Fire At The Greek, works for the large minority of the film.
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Arsillus
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Posted: September 25 2006 at 00:21 |
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Chicago is great, mostly just the first 5 albums. If they released more stuff in that vein I could see a probability of them being included on PA, but after "V," they just went to boring poppy ballad stuff. That material far outweighs what was done 1969-1972. So I think they shouldn't be included- too much of a stretch.
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fenderjazzbass
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Posted: October 19 2006 at 14:07 |
The recent Rhino reissue of Chigago (II) retains the Ballet for a Girl in Buchanon naming, although each piece is tracked separately. The sentimental "Color my World" (played at every school dance and wedding for a decade) is actually part of this longer suite.
THe album version of 25 or 6 to 4 inlcudes additional guitar solos which I had never heard after all these years of classic rock radio. Lots of good guitar moments.
This is a very good album, and a good value, as they squeezed what was originally a double album and a couple bonus tracks (radio edits) onto a single disc. (You dont have to shell out $22 for a double album a la the Lamb Lies Down on Broadway) Good liner notes too.
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Bilek
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Posted: October 20 2006 at 02:23 |
^^ Welcome to the forum, fenderjazzbass... I'm looking forward to your contributions to other topics, too!
As I said above, I am a fan of Chicago II myself. I thought my copy (in an mp3) was a special edition with lots of bonus tracks! Then I found out it was a double, indeed. To be honest, it's rather short for a double album. But the CD issue is really a good bargain.
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Listen to Turkish psych/prog; you won't regret:
Baris Manco,Erkin Koray,Cem Karaca,Mogollar,3 Hürel,Selda,Edip Akbayram,Fikret Kizilok,Ersen (and Dadaslar) (but stick with the '70's, and 'early 80's!)
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mystic fred
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Posted: October 20 2006 at 02:38 |
I've been a fan of Chicago since about "i'm a man" hit the charts back in 1969/70. i have many of their early albums, which i would call heavy pop (though do include some interesting pieces, such as "free form guitar") and some later ones which are unashamedly in the pop ballad mould. "Color my World" is a great song, extremely simple but very powerful stuff!
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T.Rox
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Posted: October 22 2006 at 10:29 |
Zac M wrote:
Can't be added, but you are 100% correct. The first four albums (and hints of later ones e.g. "A Hit by Varese") are totally Prog Rock, still if we add Chicago, we have to add the whole discography, which is about 80% pop/rock. |
The 80/20 rule! It would seem that Deep Purple got in on the 90/10 rule ... maybe even 10% of the DP discography being considered proggy is a bit generous 
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"Without prog, life would be a mistake."
...with apologies to Friedrich Nietzsche
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S Lang
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Posted: October 27 2006 at 06:17 |
T.Rox wrote:
Zac M wrote:
Can't be added, but you are 100% correct. The first four albums (and hints of later ones e.g. "A Hit by Varese") are totally Prog Rock, still if we add Chicago, we have to add the whole discography, which is about 80% pop/rock. |
The 80/20 rule! It would seem that Deep Purple got in on the 90/10 rule ... maybe even 10% of the DP discography being considered proggy is a bit generous |
Well, I don't know the background of why Zac states that they can't be added, but for a pointer, let me just say that Deep Purple are still active and greater than ever in their professional delivery of - sometimes old tunes. (Thanks to Steve Morse, one of the most incredible and solid guitar players of all times.) I really don't appreciate your comparison to DP and to quote an old Hungarian proverb, it comes across as "beating the stinging nettle with someone else'prick..."
Regardless of 90/10, 80/20 which is a regrettable measure in the first place, Chicago would still be accepted by me, albeit it's been more than 20 years that I've heard a single sound from them. Frankly, I care little about Chicago these day, while I go to Deep Purple performances..., because they still perform....
Sorry T Rox, I don't mean to be too heavy on you, but you touched a nerve with your reference to DP. 
Edited by S Lang - October 27 2006 at 06:19
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