Reviews (page 4 of 9)
Just not my thing
Cool riffs..
Holy crap it’s been a tough week for albums and it’s only Wednesday. This was supposed to be an enjoyable journey through some remarkable albums and instead it’s a fucking slog through some of the shittiest records ever made. I am fully aware that many of these records were hit records. Just like this one. But all that confirms is that there are a distinct group of music listeners who either have absolutely no fucking musical taste or this is truly the type of music that they “feel”. And that makes me afraid because both of this things can be true at the same time. There is also a reason why this particular album ends up in the $1.00 bin at your local record store. There were a ton of them sold and absolutely no one is holding onto this record. It has a sell by date that expired upon purchase. What is more shocking is that this band has 11,200,493 monthly listeners on Spotify. That is a shit ton of old people. There is Little Rock to be found on this record. Lite Jazz is the order of the day. Introduction tees up the entire record leading into the first of two listenable tracks - Does Anybody Really Knows What Time It Is. Great song, you can sing along but do you really care that absolutely no one really knows what time it is? I’m sure at some existential level this question is not really matter because time is a construct to explain being. But I sure was not going to discover that insight listening to that track. Beginnings is about beginnings. The second listenable track is Questions 67 and 68. Once you get past the cheesy intro, the song is catchy enough as long as you don’t focus on the lyrics with it’s anachronistic acid references and Beatles romance. The rest of the album is a chore with lengthy tracks of Muzak that slip into the background. Sure the commitment to playing this stuff is high and the technical aspects are superior as one song flows into the next. The lengthy Poem 58 features some pretty impressive playing but any good will those feature have on any record carry the LP only so far. I enjoyed the dissonance in Free Form Guitar. It actually was a much needed break in an otherwise thin section of the record. So, including the track I’m a Man there are 3 songs that should have been released with the rest of the record just noodling.
Underwhelming. A few good hits but I’m not really into the extra-conceptual stuff they are doing here.
Good jams
Too clean and the songs get a little long. Otherwise it’s a solid album, just not my taste. There’s some nostalgia because my mom played it a lot when I was a kid, didn’t love it then either.
I really hated this, but I had Brittney Spears yesterday so I’ll give them a bonus star for being an actual band.
This has soul, jazz, big band, funk and a couple dashes of psychedelic rock thrown in. I like what they morphed into a little better, but this keeps the line moving for sure.
Album 961 of 1089 Chicago - Chicago Transit Authority (1969) Rating : 4 / 5 This one comes in as a double album, and if it had stopped after sides 1 and 2, it might have pushed into true top-tier territory for me. Those early tracks are fantastic - clean, tight rock tunes driven by excellent horn work and Terry Kath sounding as strong as ever on guitar and vocals. They had a great blend of rock, jazz, and soul that really clicked. But things fall off a bit once you get into sides 3 and 4. The long, drawn-out experimentals — especially the overindulgent “Free Form Guitar” - just took me out of the groove they worked so hard to build. I get the artistic ambition behind it, but it didn’t add much to the experience for me. That said, the album as a whole is still great and absolutely worth recommending. When Chicago sticks to their strengths - that big, brassy sound and Kath’s powerhouse presence - they’re tough to beat. Even with its flaws, this debut shows exactly why the band became such a force.
Easy listening. Neutral.
Chicago is a band my husband has been trying to get me into for like 20 years... Still a pass
Shit, this album was a lot. There’s just a lot of shit going on here, horns everywhere, Terry Kath’s guitar…I mean I feel like I had to take a nap after cause it was so goddamn exhausting. I liked this more than I thought I would. But it’s about 20 minutes too long and that guitar shit in the middle was obnoxious. It was like he was trying to do some proto version of Eruption and it just didn’t work. Not sure if I’d return to it and if I’m not sure than I probably won’t. Still though, pretty good stuff.
It my thing
Well, this album was a chore to listen to. It started out nice, but very quickly it devolved into self indulgent performant masturbation. It insists upon itself.
classic but not my style really
Wasn’t expecting so much jazz to be part of this. It really made me enjoy this album a lot, as it broke my expectations of just another classic rock album. Pretty fire.
This album kicks ass. I'm surprised there's only 1 Chicago album on this list. I'm a big fan of horns in rock music and this album checks a lot of boxes for me. 5 stars all day.
It all just really comes down to when listening to a piece of music, does it do anything for you as an individual good or bad or somewhere in between. Everything on here is someone’s 1 star and someone’s 5 star. My view of Chicago like many is the soft rock, so this was a surprise. And a pleasant one. White boy jazz, blues, soul whatever influences are what they are, overindulgence yeah maybe but it’s mainly always got a destination, could have done without free form guitar, and mostly fits the tune ( here’s looking at you prog bands). The more the album went on the more I enjoyed, definitely looking at revisiting. High 3 on initial listen going to roundup to 4 cause wants me to listen again.
Not really my style, though still kinda fun. Good energy, lots of musicianship. Hard pass on the long-form jams, however.
Overall, gas. Personal vendetta against ending a DOUBLE album with a 15 minute song (it kinda rocked). Put it anywhere else
Rating: 6/10 Soulful, funky, proggy, and way too damn long.
I loved almost every bit of this record. The guitar in this record goes absolutely nuts. The horns complemented the overall sound extremely nicely. The high energy is carried throughout this record, and only dips at a couple of points. Favourite Track(s): Poem 58, Listen, Introduction, South California Blues Least Favourite Track(s): Free Form Guitar
My problem with Chicago is that despite the quality of musicianship, it often feels really soulless.
Parts were okay, but when I started to think that it would turn into jam session again and I'd get a bit annoyed again.
Enjoyed. Very jazzy. Too jazzy for some.
Great
They are more trippy and heavier than people think
it was fine. I'm just not a big fan of 10 minute songs
Tremenda obra maestra. Me sorprendió muchísimo que sea el primer disco de los Chicago. Esto es genialidad pura y me parece diametralmente opuesto al Chicago más tardío, el de los exitazos. Hasta parecen bandas distintas. Supongo que en algún momento fue necesario desviar el camino y se vale, pero lo que lograron aquí es oro puro.
White people music for sure. The guitar interlude was a real shot in the foot. All of it was mediocre.
This is really good. I recognized a few of these songs from my youth and Classic Rock radio. I’m more a fan of the earlier stuff than the Peter Cetera era. Poem 58 is a great song.
Like it 3/5
6/10… jazz rock / proto metal
I can tell that I am supposed to like this, but I just don't. This album has great moments rather than great songs.
I was a bit surprised that I enjoyed this Chicago album as much as I did
Hat mir gefallen, auch wenn es manchmal etwas zu jazzig oder psychedelisch war. Klingt ganz anders als die 80er Chicago.
I recall the moment I first heard the opening notes of this groundbreaking album in 1969. (I was a kid) It's as good as ever, and more relevant.
Better than I expected. I could see listening to this again.
Other than "25 or 6 to 4," I'm not really a big Chicago fan. My parents really liked them, but I always thought of their music as pretty boring. And let’s be honest: Peter Cetera’s “Glory of Love” might be the worst song to hit number one in the eighties. What a sappy piece of crap, I don’t care if it was on the soundtrack for the Karate Kid II. Granted, this album coming earlier in Chicago’s career does give me hope. When I think about their discography, I believe it’s their songs in the eighties that I really don’t care for. I’m not excited for an hour of Chicago, but here goes nothing. This album was better than I expected, but overall it was just fine. Chicago Transit Authority started off really strong, with a great side one and a good side two, but from there, I felt like this album lost a lot of steam. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but the thing that made this album drop in quality the longer it went on is that the horns played less of a part in the sound. Why would you guys ditch the horns? That’s what you do well! You’re not good at guitar noodling, don’t do that! Put more horns, dammit! That’d be like Prince deciding that getting laid is overrated, and writing songs about balancing the federal budget instead. But I digress. “Introduction,” while it had cheesy lyrics, had an excellent bass line, and I loved the way the song developed over time. It definitely didn’t feel like it was over six minutes long. I’ve heard “Does Anyone Really Know What Time It Is" countless times, but this was my first time really listening to this song, and it honestly ruled. The horns were excellent, and that introduction is fantastic, especially the piano playing. I’m not big on Robert Lamm’s vocals, but I loved the little harmonies that were sprinkled throughout this song. It was jazzy in a way that felt accessible and really cool. “Beginnings” was another song that I was familiar with, but hadn’t really given much attention to when I’d heard it before. I loved how the pace of the song increased over time, especially with more percussive elements added in. The horns and bass line were great, and the vocals were good too, especially during the outro. “Questions 67 and 68” was really good as well, and I felt like it kept the sound that made the first part of the album so successful. The rest of side 2 of the album was just fine though, and unfortunately, it was the last stretch of the album that I really liked. There’s no way around it, but “Free Form Guitar” really stinks. Side 2 was already letting this album slip a bit, and man, this song did nothing to right the ship. It was just incredibly grating. It’s not jazzy, it’s not rock, it’s just incredibly cacophonous noise. Woof. The rest of side 3 wasn’t really noteworthy, but I did like how side 4 started with a song that felt really political and weighty in tone. There wasn’t really anything spectacular about the music, but I really enjoyed the lyrics on “Someday.” “Liberation” was a pretty weak ending to the album unfortunately. I wasn’t a big fan of this song musically, until close to the end, when there was more horn playing. I don’t know why those horns weren’t utilized more on this song, but whatever. Overall, this album is fine, but it was a letdown that it ended with a whimper when it started so strong. The best parts of this soar, but you could chuck the worst parts of it in the garbage and forget about them.
I'm not really sure how I feel about this album. I don't like or dislike it.
I respect the musicianship, but I do not like this.
Crazy album, I totally see the appeal, but I’m not any closer to understanding “Chicago”
i kinda can't believe how long it was... sorta went on forever. for the right kinda white guy i can totally see how this is like PEAK music but for me... im good. it was kinda funny to me how much of marc maron's jimmy pardo episode (i think 5th or 4th from the end) was basically just all about how pardo has seen chicago live like 120 times and the most recent time he saw them he was like... wait maybe they suck. anyways.. .3 stars ... i guess ?
Too much noodling and not enough focused songwriting. Excellent technical performers but the album (and almost every song) overstays its welcome and becomes tedious and boring.
I didn’t know Chicago had that in ‘em!
no idea what to expect here we gooo - ooh snazzy - brings you to another time, woo - everything was so cool and jazzy up until this point but i gotta admit not a fan of "Free Form Guitar" (so noisy and distorted- which i dont mind, but this sounds like a sound check gone wrong, first time i skipped a song halfway through in this challenge) all in all not really my vibe -
started out as a great vibe with the horn section. the only reason I got four stars and not five is for the track where the electric guitar sounded like a car. it should have been an intro to a song, not an extended track of its own.
Chicago is one of the all-time greats. I must admit, I have never heard THIS album before, but I really enjoyed it. Poem 58 leading into Free Form Guitar was pretty interesting. A part of me really loved Free Form Guitar and another part of me was like "what the hell is going on." But it was awesome all the way through regardless.
This was too busy for me. I admire the amount of work that went into this and the musical talent. I love and hate the brass section. I did skip Free Form Guitar after about 2 minutes so if it built to something great I will never know. I don’t know where to rate this because it wasn’t for me but the skill that this band has is undeniable so I have to go middle of the road. Also, if you play this record backwards you get a satanic message. Chicago kicks ass!
Really eclectic mix of sounds, I really enjoyed the explosivity of it along with the really simple melodies at its heart. Songs were a little long though, kind of a general problem of that era. I don't mind a long song but you have to have enough to say to fill the time, I don't need to hear 2-3 more choruses.
Cabaret levels of self indulgence that results in some of the most stale and forgettable music I’ve ever heard. Maybe they copied pop hits or maybe vice versa (I’m assuming a decent mix of both), but every chord progression here is familiar in a way that just makes me want to listen to something else. Free Form Guitar was when it started to sound cool to me, until it started sounding like he was failing notes in Guitar Hero. Liberation had me thinking I’ve made it finally, but it drags on and on with endless solos that, for all their skill, don’t ever sound interesting. Out of a score of 25, this gets a 6 to 4.
Banger
Classic eternal beautiful music.
Horns. Hits. Heavenly.
After listening to the last 4-5 albums on this list I almost forgot what good music sounds like.
Great debut album by one of the great bands of the 70s
Len Houmous was hanging out back stage at the West End in 2001. He’d been dating Denise Van Outen. She ended up being really poorly and couldn’t perform. Len strapped on those tights and put in one of the most confusingly brilliant performances in theatre history. It ended up she was poorly. She’d been sucking off Lee Mead backstage! Len did what he always did. Just gracefully moved on! 3.6 6/12 Poem 58
More Cetera, Less Chicago, please.
not bad, but not that good either. Something between jazz and pop
Only so much of this kitsch I could take.
There's a lot going on! Occasionally a bit too much. This must have sounded wild when it came out but now it feels like hot mess. If you take the guitar out it's the template for bland MOR. Probably sounded much, much better live and a bit looser. It's a shame Terry Kath didn't last long enough to find a band he fit with. All of Chicago's output seems very generously reviewed online
It's just ok
Bluesy and jammy. Plus a killer horns section. Better than expected. Minus a star for Free Form Guitar
A fine listen. Some good songs but kind of repetitive
Amazing playing by every musician. More experimental sounding than I would have expected from only being familiar with the radio hits. As a guitarist myself, I was pleasantly surprised by the guitar playing as well as how high and clear it was in the mix.
Too jazzy. Not my thing
I think it was ok
Love the percussion solos. Sometimes it's giving Frank Sinatra.
good one
too soft and fusion to me
If I ask someone for the time and they give me that nonsense I’m gonna bop em into last week
one star for does anybody really know what time it is? and one star for i’m a man. experimental guitar too experimental
Loved the groove and the percussion is amazing. Such a nice intro definitely my jam. Free-form guitar is the only skip ouch my ears. Would've been a 5 if not for that
Spotify is describing this band as Jazz-Inflected Prog-Rock That makes it a hard NO for me I knew the late 60's were a strange time, but the 1001 album challenge is really throwing up some artists who's music has not aged well over the last 50 years!
I wasn’t aware they were such good instrumentalists. But ok
This took me awhile to get through, but it’s awesome. Not sure what it would take to get to 5 stars.
This one's a bit all over the place, and sometimes that's a good thing, and sometimes not. There's some really creative stuff on here, but sometimes it just drags. Also, I have to assume the band is the most direct inspiration for the Blues Brothers.
Terry Kath era Chicago is the best. This album is chock full of great music, including some of their biggest hits ever. This is the era before the horns were largely sidelined and the record company decided Chicago needed a lead singer. This music is MUSCULAR. No gentle synth ballads here! This is music to trip out to. And there in is a weakness. While this double album gives you ample time to just kick back, mellow out, and float with the stream, it does have some of filler. BUT FREEFORM GUITAR IS NOT ONE OF THEM. This seven minute guitar solo odyssey is terrific! Terry Kath was a monster guitarist. Other jams, however, aren't exactly the highlight of the album. Chunks of the album sound rather dated with the 60's protest songs. Strengths: Solid musicianship, great VIBE, classic hits. Weaknesses: Some dated protest music. Could have been trimmed to a single album (especially the last three tracks) Favoriite songs: Beginnings, Listen. Rating: 3/5
Classic
Just terrible man. At least pick an album with their hits, even if the hits are shitty.
I liked most of it. I recognized some of the tracks
Classic that gets even better with time.
Some pleasant songs
I loved some aspects of this. So free flowing, so jazzy. At times it sounded annoying, or even bad. But overall this was a way more fun and experimental experience than I was anticipating. Fave Tracks: Questions 67 and 68, Someday (August 29, 1968) 3.8/5
Overall pretty enjoyable. Like the horn section. Lots of upbeat anthems, jazzy funk too. Some songs dwindle on a bit too long, and oh god I can do without "Free Form Guitar". My faves are "Poem 58", and "I'm a man".
Banger of an album! Love the brass! They should have left off Free Form Guitar though. It goes on way too long and is no fun to listen to.
Groupe inconnu. Le premier morceau est intéressant, avec un bon groove, des chorus, une structure originale avec des changements de rythme. On retrouve ces éléments dans la plupart des autres morceaux, sauf dans "Free Form Guitar" assez stérile et inutile (j'ai sauté les 3/4 du morceau). L'album est par ailleurs un peu trop long à mon gout, avec des remplissages plus blues donc moins inspirés. C'est quand même une bonne découverte que j'écouterais de nouveau avec plaisir, mais qui ne rejoindra ma collection. =>3/5
Favorite Track: Questions 67 and 68
Never really listened to Chicago before. They're very jammy and they love their horns. Solid album, but a bit too long for my taste.
More type !! And fun shapes and key lines !! "Sit back and let us groove And let us work on you" - the groove-rock entered the ears, through the blood stream and manifested in some shimmy shimmy bopping while churning out the devil's agenda - rhymes with mud (no I'm not going to disrespect the word pub), ends with way. Some tracks quite experimental & not for me but I respect the mana. 'I'm a Man' makes me reflect that I've only heard one album by a woman so far, and this one is 10 men.
Музыка: 5/10 Разнообразие: 6/10 Тематика и вайб: 3/10 Цепляемость (отдельные песни зашли): 2/10 Реиграбельность (можно ли рандомно врубить на фон): 2/10 Итог: 3.6
I once bought a boxed set of mixed albums that included one by Chicago (but not this one). So I was aware that If You Leave Me Now was not necessarily typical of their output. I still was not quite expecting this. Having said that it was still very pleasant. So im giving it a 3
It took me a moment to get over the complete surprise of this. I was expecting some soft rock, but got, erm, I’m not sure. Sounded like the band on a Saturday Night from the Royal Palladium Variety Show hosted by Jimmy Tarbuck. I was half expecting Michael bloody Buble to start singing. Oh God, we haven’t had Michael Buble yet on this list. Have I jinxed it by mentioning him? If he pops up it’s my fault. Sorry. Back to the album. It had some ok moments where they got a bit of a bluesy flow going. But it wasn’t for me. An extra star awarded because it wasn’t Michael Buble.
Bleuugh. That's for the smooth stuff. As for that pointless guitar bashing effort, its unimaginative and doesnt add anything to this dull record.
Excuse me, I was unfamiliar with how hard you rock and how funky you are.
7/10
3+ Stars (9/15)
This was better than I expected.
Super cool!
Funk, blues, jazz and everything in between.
Nice mix of rock, jazz and even funk!
Just no
Hog butcher to the world. Extra star for Freeform Guitar, which is the perfect soundtrack for a sausage factory.
Didn’t realize Chicago was somewhat of a jam band. I did like this one, would probably skip some songs, but would listen again
The album that launched a thousand marching band directors! My view of Chicago has softened in my dotage - I no longer seek a window to jump out of when they come on. I even kinda liked “Does Anyone Even Know” for the first time listening to it on purpose instead of over a loudspeaker at a public pool. It still stands as a less-than-satisfying complicated answer to a simple question, which seems an apt synopsis of Chicago. Struck me that there are a lot of numbers in Chicago titles. I’m sure some an horn player has somewhere broken the code.
Man, I was not expecting the acid rock! This album came out in 1969 but is absolutely drenched in ‘70s vibes, and as such I can’t help but feel it played a leading role in ushering in some of the decade’s musical mores — the use of horns, obviously, but also the extended jams, the Hammond B3, and the barest hints of prog and multi-part tracks. Maybe it’s the title of the song “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?” that makes it feel like a coda on the tumultuous ‘60s — as does the haunting audio from the 1968 Democratic National Convention. Anyway. “Beginnings” is a terrific song that culminates in a stone jam with horns. “Listen” is a hard-driving guitar-horn rock song, while “Poem 58” brings the funk. Things get a little leggy late with all the lengthy guitar workouts, but if that’s your thing, this would be a fine album to throw on the platter on a sunny afternoon accompanied by some bong hits.
Dad music for dad people. If you took the Blood sweat and tears lp we heard already and made it blander and stretched it to a double debut LP (who does -that-?!?)*, this would be the result. *I know the Frankie Goes to Hollywood debut is also a 2xLp. Its also bloated.
Chicago was always a greatest hits band for me (AKA Chicago 9). And that's OK. Some bands make really great greatest hits albums. This was one of them. I don't think I ever sat down and listened to an entire Chicago album before (other than the aforementioned #9). This debut of their's is fun! Jam-band-ish. Bit of jazz-rock going on. Just a fun listen. The horn riffs on "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?" are just amazing. Such a great song. I don't know if this album in and of itself is particularly profound or remarkable in the grand scheme of things but as for marking the beginnings of Chicago, it makes sense to be on the list.
Instrumental top, musicas longas.
Naming a band after a city? Dumb. What's next a band named Boston?
Just felt like boring white people jazz trying to be interesting
Good but -1 for that one guitar song
I think this was good. I listened to this quite a few times but it is so long that I lost track of what I was listening to. The Free Form guitar song was the worst. The 67 and 68 song was my favorite, unironically. Low 4.
7.5/10 - I thought the first half was fantastic but the guitar only song was not my thing. I didn’t realize how old Chicago is and how much it sounded like jimi hendrix
Liked it a lot more than I thought I would
Smörigt, men cool låt ”Free form guitar”!
This album sounds like what would happen if James Brown, Jimi Hendrix, and Yes formed a supergroup. There's brass! There's long distorted guitar solos! There's a complicated maze of composition and playing! That description is probably either as great or as awful as it sounds to you. But honestly, it kind of won me over in the end. It's hard not to think that this is the sound of the city of Chicago. But maybe that's just the power of suggestion. The band were intended to be a democracy with no one member or instrument dominating. It's no easy feat but they largely manage by having a wide variety of styles from song to song. I'm usually pretty critical of double albums as debuts but Chicago definitely made good use of the space across four sides.
It starts off in this weird, free-jazz sort of style that I don't love, but it soon morphed -- while maintaining its jazz roots -- into something different. I don't think this is going to turn into any sort of regular rotation album, but it is intriguing. The mix of jazz, prog, blues, and even a little funk is quite interesting. There are too many albums in this project that are incredibly confusing as to why they were included, but the is not one of them. Although it may not be my favorite thing, it doesn't sound like other 60s rock, and I can hear the melding of sounds to create something new, and I can understand how it would have been groundbreaking and influential in its time. I'm dead sick of 60s rock albums, but if you *have* to listen to one, you can definitely do worse that this.
A lot of great music here, just not a great album.Some good songs, some great jams.This seems like they were probably a better live act than album act.And I know they released a lot of singles and were a big hit, but I just think they're probably better live
3/5
Jazz, Rock
Колись бачив комент, що це the whitest music ever. І щось в цьому дійсно є) Хороший такий feel good джаз-рок альбом, коли він не намагається демонструвати, що "дивіться ми теж дуже експерементальні та прогресів" та мучати гітару як на Free Form Guitar.
Все-таки послухав цей альбом, були несподівани місця - як-то фрі гітар соло або якісь референси до бітлз, були доволі цікаві в музичному плані моменті, але альбом сильно затягнутий і я втомився від нього.
This isn’t the same band that wrote the dreary AOR ‘if you leave me know’ … well it is but it’s their debut album and it sounds nothing like the middling soft rock I know them for! We’ve got a fantastic cover of the Spencer Davis group’s ’I’m a man’ we’ve got cowbells aplenty, we’ve got drum solos, we’ve got about 5 mins of guitar feedback that sounds like the end of a nirvana gig, we’ve got ‘humble pie’ vibes… fuck me this was ace!
I’m trying to give every album a chance here, but man, I just hated this. There’s a certain kind of white guy blues that I just can’t handle and this is the epitome of that. Standout track(s): None
Hell yeah. How did this album stay off my radar for so fucking long?
Fun album. Horns are great. More hard rock then I remembered. Lots of riffs and big solos.
Very good album. Lots of variety with an orchestra. Sick drum and guitar solos. Both are very good. Loved the fills from the drummer.
Always love a good Chicago album. No one had a full suite of instruments like they did
Thoughts before listening: Outside of the hits, I've never felt the need to listen to Chicago. That being said, I know that their early stuff is generally considered to be better than the later pop rock radio songs. I'm excited to hear this. Review: You know what? I really didn't like this at first. It just sounded like cheesy jazz fusion and was too poppy for me. However, this really won me over with the more rocking second half. "Poem 58", "I'm a Man", and "South California Purples" are the songs that hooked me in. Overall I'm going to give this 3-stars.
This was a great album. Can't go wrong with Chicago, and this is no exception.
Not a big fan, but it is fun. I like all the horns, but it's not something that i think is particularly cool sounding.
This album is insane. It’s all over the place and is so far removed from the soft rock monolith that the band would become. I can’t decide if I like it. The songs feel like sketches or demos, but there’s definitely some interesting stuff to be found here. This really is a strange curio of an album.
Yeh, fine. Certainly never playing it again!
This is a bit of an odd one. There’s a solid album of pleasant enough jazzy soft rock here, but for some reason they decided to pad it out to a double by including some tracks recorded at and inspired by the infamous 1968 Democratic convention in Chicago and an utterly bonkers improvised experimental guitar freak out that wouldn’t be out of place on a Hendrix album. File under “What were they thinking?”
Relatively nice jazz/rock album, a tad bit too long (as much as I love jam, they could probably have cut some here), but honest and entertaining. They are flirting with yacht rock but thankfully avoid to be that boring.
Gaat een beetje alle kanten op. Er bestaat volgens mij geen perfect Chicago-album. "Does Anybody Know ..." is wel echt een favoriet. Daartegenover staat dan weer het gepriegel van "Free Form Guitar". Als je de tijd neemt, kun je waarschijnlijk een fantastische Chicago-mixtape maken.
While I like Chicago, it is a great city, I've never been a fan of the band. I tried to keep an open mind and hoped this album would grow on me as I listened more. It did not and I came very close to tapping out around Poem 58/Free Form Guitar. I just don't like this type of music very much, but I will admit, there are one or two decent songs here. Overall, this has to be some of the most Boomer music ever. You ask how much more Boomer could this music be? And the answer is none. None more Boomer.
I liked parts of this but overall it didn’t draw me in at all. Just reminds me of boomer Parquet Courts, but like the worst of them, not really the parts I like.
Chicago is fine at mixing some larger instrumentation with impressive guitar work, but overall lacks standout and catchy songwriting chops on this record
Ascoltato a più mandate, nulla che rimane...
Retail ruined a few of the more popular songs on this album for me but the deep cuts are really rockin. Good musicianship all around Best songs: Poem 58 I'm a Man
“Free Form Guitar” gets five stars, rest is an aerobics video, apart from “I’m A Man” and “Liberation”, when the guitarist melts hippies.
Not what I expected, being only vaguely-aware of their yacht rock radio songs. Funky, bluesy and psychedelic, like a much-better Small Faces. Lots of this is indulgent jamming, but the good parts are excellent
Too long! Otherwise ok.
Seguinte, é um bom disco com boas performances, mas ele é simplesmente demais. Exacerbado, exagerado, tudo 1000 volts o tempo todo, fincado no 11, virado de pó. Falta aqui nuance, falta sutileza, sinto falta desses elementos que pra mim, são cruciais em um álbum. O silêncio é um instrumento importante também nas composições musicais, e a última coisa que temos com a estréia de Chicago é o silêncio. Que álbum noioso! Barulhento, frenético, desenfreado. Claro que em alguns momentos, toda essa loucura pode agradar. Alguns solos de guitarra gritantes aqui são de fato excitantes. As performances vocais podem por vezes surpreender. A orquestra te leva pra um modo de ‘sleaze’ pouco observado, mas sempre muito apreciado. Mas o excesso hedonístico desse disco sempre volta, e às vezes volta em peso. A culminância disso se encontra na faixa Free Form Guitar, composta de sete minutos de barulhos indescritíveis emanando de uma guitarra elétrica, e isso bem no meio do álbum! Basicamente inaudível. A extravagância abrange também a duração do disco e das faixas nele contidas. Tudo longo demais. Mas não consigo odiar muito este álbum. É inegável que existe um charme na loucura, algo a se admirar em um grupo que não têm vergonha nenhuma de já meter o pé na tábua logo no disco de estréia. Ouvi-lo foi mentalmente exaustivo, não vou mentir, mas gostaria sim de ter essa experiência toda novamente um outro dia. Poucos discos conseguem ser tão abrasivos quanto esse.
This was a Liberation. Just Listen and you’ll see.
60's prog with jazzy horns. I like it, especially Questions 67 and 68. I don't know what the title means, but it's probably my favorite Chicago song now after 25 or 6 to 4. Chicago was, at worst, fun and interesting during the Kath years.
A few great songs from a great band. Overall a good album, but they got better.
Demasiados solos
I love early Chicago. Also love later Chicago, actually, but boy this album just hits the spot.
Really enjoyed this album. I know “Chicago” and I generally don’t enjoy their music, but this debut? In 1969? Solid. Fantastic rhythm section. Added to rotation for when the mood hits me. Jazz-Rock is a great listen at times and this is a top choice.
Mange bra elementer. Noen låter blir litt for lange. Og jeg fatter ikke helt hvorfor det er 6 min 49 sek med F1-bil inni der.
I own this album on vinyl, so that means it's one of my favorites and at least very near a perfect album to me. But, the thing about Chicago is that you are either getting an in-your-face classic rock jam (like "25 or 6 to 4") or you are getting the hokiest soft rock (like "Saturday in the Park"), and they both exist simultaneously on each album. This debut album is really no exception, but I do think the cheesy songs are all pretty good...they at least contain some nice guitar work and musicianship. The songs that really show off guitar playing like "Poem 58" are just so good, though. It is no surprise that this album really helped the band take off. It's kind of the best of both aforementioned worlds. Yes, I get that we don't need the wank fest that is "Free Form Guitar" but this also didn't need to be a double album with live tracks. A producer probably could have made this a masterpiece, but instead it's a bit bloated and we'll have to settle for just really good classic rock. Thankfully, when listening on vinyl, "Free Form Guitar" is the final track on one of the discs, so very easy to skip.
Strong start
Another one I enjoyed a lot more than I expected. The length of the album is what kept it from getting a higher rating
Some tracks are pretty solid. And then there are the ones where they could, but never asked if they should
way before they became a soft rock, easy listening radio staple, chicago was actually a pretty progressive band with a hard edge. nothing exhibits this more than this album. i always have loved the juxtaposition of the smooth horn section with terry kath's scorching guitar. there are some all timer chicago tracks on here, although i think ultimately, the track listing is a bit hit or miss (do we need 7 minutes of guitar noise? probably not. it was 1969, so i guess it was de rigueur). but man, the first two sides of this album are killer.
Mycket blås och faktiskt ganska så bra.
Fantastic. Just fantastic.
Different to what I expected from Chicago as I just remember the soft rock 80s songs. Lots of horns and a crazy 7 min guitar solo track stand out for me
Chicago brings the heat on their debut! I’ve always been aware of Chicago, but I never dove deep. This album has some flaws, some songs go on too long for instance. Like was that minute long tambourine solo at the end of Beginnings really necessary? I think not. But overall this album slams. And I did not expect a 5+ minute experimental noise guitar solo on Free Form Guitar, that was wild and way ahead of its time. Plus there are plenty of horns, and I love horns.
If your only touch points for Chicago are "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?" and "25 or 6 to 4" it's easy to write them off as 'adult contemporary' fodder. Maybe it's because I'm halfway through my 30's, but it feels unfair to write the jazz-rock combo any longer. Light and breezy songs that feel like time spent in a field in a city park. While Chicago does occasionally sound lame, they make up for it with technical proficiency and willingness to go 'out there' in terms of noisy jams (think Velvet Underground). All this to say Chicago's debut has more depth and nuance than I thought it would.
# Playlist Track - Listen # Notes - The solo sessions in "Free Form Guitar" and "I'm a Man" are -2 stars. Easy. - The entire live thing is super boring, actually. - That's not to say that Chicago is a bad band, but boy, did they put out a bad album.
I've always known Chicago was a rock band before the 80's-90's pop music phase. And while I knew a few of the classic rock singles from the before times, I did not know they were This much of a rock band. Ripping guitars, great rock band, with added horns. Super cool. Like most folks, I scratch my head at adding Free Form Guitar to the middle of this. I could see it at a live show or on a live album, maybe. But here it's just pretentious, show-offy nonsense. Kath is a great guitarist, but this is self-indulgent. I'm likely to listen to this album again. Not on repeat, mind you. But I do think it's worth listening to.
Pretty nice jazz rock, however the album is very long, and I do not like the track `Free Form Guitar`
A masterful blend of rock, jazzy, and pop make this an album anyone can enjoy thoroughly. Some of the best performances and musicianship I've heard on an album as well. Easy to get into with the radio hits, and easy to stay for the longer and more experimental tracks. A near-flawless album
A wild ride - jazz, funk, rock, soul, all perfectly executed. Another interesting transitional record, as we leave the hippies behind there's something more exciting in the future. (Turns out the hippies traded in their LSD for cocaine, but I digress). The double album is a little self-indulgent, but Chicago have that rotating lead vocalist and that variety of genres, so it remains interesting throughout. Amazing debut. Best horn section in modern pop music with the possible exception of Earth, Wind, and Fire. And I'm not giving that crown to EWF after this for sure.
01) Introduction - 6,0 02) Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is? - 6,5 03) Beginnings - 7 0 04) Questuins 67 and 68 - 6,5 05) Listen - 6,0 06) Poem 58 - 6,0 07) Free Form Guitar 5,0 08) South California Purples - 6,5 09) I'm a Man - 7,0 10) Prologue, August 29, 1968 - / 11) Someday (August 29, 1968) - 5,5 12) Liberation - 5,0 TOTAL: 6,09 (61/100)
should be 4.5
Great instrumental album with brass and guitars. Favorite track: Beginnings other picks: does anybody know, listen, i'm a man, poem 58
The debut album hints at the amazing run Chicago ended up experiencing.
This album has potential to be a five-star album, but it just seems to be missing something. Maybe it's a catchy chorus. Or, a standout hit. Or, a vocal solo. It has all the ingredients of an incredible album, but we'll settle for mediocre due to execution of such ingredients. Favorite Track: "(Someday) August 28th, 1968".
Jazz/rock with bombastic horns, catchy songs with a unique spin. The album is a little too long with some of the 7 minute songs not necessary, but really cool overall
I absolutely love this album! It hasn’t been far from my stereo since the day it was released.
Free form guitar was painful. The rest of it was pretty boring. Even I'm a man went on too long. Not for me. 2/10
My only major connection to this band is I remember this time my sister and my cousin were fighting over one of their songs being used in movie they wrote while holding an inflatable hammer :) I had in my mind they would have a major 80's vibe but instead it was much jazzier then I expected. Not bad, but at times it was just more like guys hanging out having fun then an album.
I'm enjoying this and it deserves a few listens. It's very "jammy" but has some great energy. The horns are awesome. The guitar is outstanding except for Free Form Guitar. Maybe that song was edgy and innovative for 1969 but that wankery don't play today.
I've never listened to Chicago's debut before, so this was a fun one to get today! Some classic hits on here, and I really dig the jazz/brass/rock fusion they're working with. It was long, and a lot of the songs were long and very jam bandy feeling, and it feels like maybe this could've been edited down to a single album. But they were doing their thing and seemed to really have fun jamming out. A single album probably wouldn't have captured that.
Part groovy, part noisy.
Interesting listen though prog rock is not a genre I normally veer towards.
Good but not much thing
This is hard on me-- could never get behind the sound. Trying to give it a chance, but it seems too banal lyrically. Jazz stylings that seem marching band-inspired. Pointless drum attachments. Yacht rocky until they let Kath go wild, which when he does let's them wildly misunderstand. A 2 except for Kath.
Some of this is just noise. Some of it is interminable solos. Some of it is recognisable and inspired. Just not enough for me.
Aside from the indulgences (Free Form Guitar, drum solo in I'm A Man, the 14-minute Liberation), not sure how you can listen to this without being knocked out by the amazing arrangements on this album. Combine that with some stellar tracks — the opening three are just great — this is a hell of a debut record. What genre is this? Rock? R&B? Jazz? Marching band? It's really good stuff, and I am a fan of the call/response vibe of the backing vocals. Between that and the rollicking horns, this is unmistakenly American music, and impressive at that. But, note to anyone producing a record, if your guitarist says they've got a great idea for a song called "Free Form Guitar," that's a hard no.
Since moving, I've had a hard time finding quiet time to listen to regular-length albums, never mind doubles. So I can't say I gave this all of my attention or that I ever made it to the end. Still, I was surprised at how much of this I already knew. And what I didn't know I liked. Man, these cats could play. Yes, there's a bit too much. Yes, it's a bit dated. They're aren't great as a political band. But damn, Terry Kath is a killer guitarist and who knew Peter Cetera was such a damn fine bassist? P.S. I've always liked these guys better than Blood, Sweat and Tears, even though the critics seemed to adore the other guys.
Whereas the Moody Blues hit right with rockish instrumentals, this doesn’t.
Plot twist: Chicago knew this would be on 1001 list so they put Freeform Guitar so everyone is forced listening to it in full length. Other than that (and the record being too jazzy at times) they had freakin good musicians. From lead singer (anyone else thought its Jimmy Hendrix?) to brass, base, drums. All extraordinary.
perfect timing!! I'm literally going to Chicago tomorrow! anyway this was okay. I mean, I get the gimmick that they can make their instruments sound like traffic and then name the album "transit authority." I don't think that's something that I'm just dying to hear again there were some solid hits early in the album, but those are well known. everything else was really on the line between prog (which I despise) and jazz (which I don't have strong feelings about). I'm not going to listen to the full album again, but I put a few of the popular songs on some like 60s and rock playlists
Yeah can I please get a massive ego with a side of cool music
I liked "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?" and "Free Form Guitar"
Great album. Very ambitious and bold for a debut album. Some things didn't work at certain points, which can make the experience a bit sluggish, but I think that's just a consequence of the era when most bands were experimenting too much. It has good songs, and it's a great debut from a great band. 4 stars is fair.
Wow, not in a great way.
No idea what's going on here, but its incredible. Audio quality is stunning, mixing too. Bangers
Good jazzy rock
Love love love the horns on this album. Beginnings is an incredible song. I remember hearing the full extended instrumental outro blasted in the house speakers while eating at Moe's one time, which was awesome. This album is an amazing blend of brassy jazz and soulful rock that I need many more listens of to really digest it. But I will enjoy listening to this for a long time.
Good
A jam
Awesomeawesomeawesome I LOVE old early wonderful funky sassy badass Chicago! pete cetera’s 80s cheesefest almost ruined them but man do I love their old stuff, the real deal - I have days where I ‘need’ to listen to them. So so good
When they came along there sound was so unique. Other than Blood Sweat & Tears there wasn’t anyone else fusing funk, psychedelia, rock, and soul. Their energy and horn arrangements are infectious. Pretty fun to rock along to.
They had me at "Does Anybody Really Know". That one takes me back. But not to an exact memory, more of a deja vu feeling. I love the horns throughout. Adds verve.
Can't deny the power of this one. Before they started two decades of numbered albums they came up with this sublime concoction. Beginnings - I mean seriously. How can you not get up for that? The instrumentation. The grooves. It's a great time. Still don't love Peter Cetera's voice which is mostly PTSD from their 80s output. Thankfully he is not the primary lead here - but got a give some props - can't deny his bass prowess. Damn son. A surprise all around.
One of the first albums I ever received as a gift. Loved it.
Perfect album! 'Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?' and 'Questions 67 And 68' are very nice. Free Form Guitar is perfect.
A neat addition to the list. Love Chicago's instrumentals.
me gustó aunque realmente no le di la atención necesaria
Great
This was everywhere in the 70’s. I always thought they were very overrated and this listen didn’t do anything to change that opinion. Most of the tracks play too long. I like some of the guitar jams on “I’m a Man” and “Poem 58”, but both play too long.
I had really high hopes for this one. Then I realized it contained a number of songs that I hated as a kid. Ones that I would immediately dial-change in hopes of hearing something even remotely better. I didn’t like it then. And I don’t like it now. It might even suck more than Steely Dan. Long winded and bloviated boring crap.
Perhaps if I was a happier person I’d enjoy listening to music like this. ALAS
This caused my weiner to go quite flaccid. I don’t know what it is but I just really don’t like most of this. Props for being solid musicians I guess.
I thought I was going to like this album. I did not like this album. Things that came to mind while listening: overstuffed, masturbatory BS, Steely Dan adjacent… I wasn’t planning on dipping into 1* land cuz that’s typically reserved for the aforementioned SD and Joni Mitchell…but honestly I disliked this about as much as those overrated artists. 1.5/5
I'm not so sure about the guitar noises at the halfway point, but the rest of this was quite nice to listen to. Definitely better than the rather syrupy light rock hits that Chicago are more well known for.
If you only know Chicago from "If You Leave Me Now" you'll be in for a surprise. Straight from the first track, this album is loaded with original musical ideas, impeccable musicianship (seriously some of the very best of the era) and serious grooves. Terry Kath was one of Hendrix's favourite guitarists and it's easy to see why. Only real negative is Free Form Guitar. Basically 6 minutes of guitar amp feedback just dumped in the middle of the album. Otherwise the highlights are Introduction, Poem 58 and their cover of I'm A Man. I'll give it a 4, though I do think it's possibly an album you appreciate more if you play an instrument.
Couple of good tracks, but a couple of weird ones too.
Funky, hard riffs and a lot of solos. All round good listening, sort of thing that is fun to throw on and forget it's own until it reminds you that it's awesome with a sick lil break down or a sick lick.
I enjoyed the production of the album, some songs were too long.
Rating: 1.8 This album started with so much potential, and then the Metal Machine Music song hit, and then the 14 minute “drag my balls across the guitar and see what comes out” song hit, and then I just started disassociating and wondering why I’m even doing this.
Amazing horns!! I just loved their sound
4/10
kinda sucked a bit too long
Good tunes
Zu amusisch. 2,5
2.8/there's a lot going on here
Very entertaining album - covers a lot of ground, but I suspect it's more appealing to musicians, especially young male musicians, than it is to lay people.
I'm not entirely sure why, but I've always thought that all of the place-named-based one-name bands (Boston, Europe, Kansas, Asia, etc., even Journey) were all largely an 80s phenomenon and largely the same sound. Apparently Chicago is *not* of this ilk, perhaps in part because they started off with three names (CTA), but more likely because they were earlier and my weird stereotype isn't even accurate. Regardless, I was happy to realize that I've heard their biggest hit before (and many times), "Does anybody really know what time it is?", which I always enjoy listening to, as well as their not-as-big singles "Questions 67 & 68" and their cover of "I'm a man". The rest of this album doesn't quite live up to their biggest single (although I really enjoyed "Someday (August 29, 1968)", and "Free form guitar" is just a hot mess), but it's also a fun album to have in the background as you go through what increasingly feels like a Broadway musical of a gritty urban environment with a lot of soul (and horns).
I never got into Chicago, but the guitar on this album is amazing and new to me. Giving it a 4 for the free-form guitar solo and the last track, Liberation. Amazing!
Really liked it!
i skipped this one initially and put off listening to it for aaaages because i just couldn't be arsed but like.... i'm sort of pleasantly surprised actually?? this is actually fun to listen to and also not what i expected a chicago album to sound like based on the ONE chicago song i knew before (the obvious one), although listening to this made me realise i do actually know other chicago songs as well. a solid 3.5!
Gets better the longer it goes and the more they cut loose.
I get it but it’s not for me. Also too long.
Stopped the last track to come and write this and for some respite from the awful noodling. Dreading going back.
Boomers really took one look at this and thought this was the shit.
Solid Chicago. 3/5
Kind of weird that a band formed in Chicago would just call themselves Chicago. It's like if I formed a band called... I'm not telling you were I live! Anyway, this album's cool! I love this! This kind of reminds me of that Blood, Sweat, and Tears album I got earlier this year. I think I liked that album more, but this album's got a lot of the same things that I loved, mainly the horns. More rock bands should just have horns in their music! Admittedly, I didn't love everything about this album. It's a bit too long for my liking, and the song "Free Form Guitar" wasn't very enjoyable for me. But those are really my biggest gripes with the album. Everything else ranges from decent to great. The sound, as mentioned earlier, is filled with horns and I love it. It blends those instruments with rock well. The writing isn't bad. It's not magnificent or anything, but I enjoy it for what it is. The singing is good. I can't believe this was released in 1969! Of course, this isn't my favorite album of that year. Kind of hard to beat masterpieces like Abbey Road and In The Court of the Crimson King, but I digress. Chicago's pretty cool. 4/5.
Ei muulloin kuin 60-luvulla olisi päästetty tuollaisia monen minuutin mittaisia sähkökitarantestailtu-interludeja levylle asti… annettakoon se siis anteeksi. Pitkin hampain. Koska on aivan liian pitkä levy. Ehkä kahessa ekassa biisissä jaksaa kuulijakin kiinnostua ideasta, sit homma leviää.
I think it's worth remembering every now and then that Chicago (The Band) were, at one point, not just a soft rock cheese machine. Certainly, I've long been aware of that. I've played 'Rock Band 3'; I know all about "25 Or 6 To 4". Besides that, yeah, I've known about their debut for a while now. It's one album that I honestly did wanna give a shot way, way, **way** back when... But for one reason or another, I just never got around to it. Maybe its runtime scared me off, or... I'unno, me being me, I just got distracted and forgot about it. But either way, I think it's about time I went and gave Chicago (The Band) their due. 'Coz while I don't even **hate** their soft rock stuff (I got a space for "You're The Inspiration", after years of knowing them as one of Todd In The Shadows's mortal enemies... I should probably take a gander at what they **used** to be capable of, before Peter Cetera really mucked things up. And believe me: I'm gandering alright. I am damn admiring and appreciating this album. Goodness me, if you played me any cut from this album out of context (**especially** "Free Form Guitar"), I never would have guessed. This is the same band who went on to make all this MOR music? This is some **good shit**. Jazzy as hell! A whole lotta prog tones and stylings! Listen to those **horns**! The "I Am The Walrus" quote on "South California Purples"! Is it a bit **long**, at 76 minutes? Yes, but, oh... Oh. **Ooooh**, this shit **rules**. This shit rules **so hard**. It's over the top and I **love it**. And especially — especially! The guitar. Goodness me, Terry Kath's guitar work. Love or hate his show-off track "Free Form Guitar" (and let me say: the **TONE** on it), the man can absolutely play. I'm not surprised that Jimi Hendrix was as much of a fan as he was. I mean, I don't know if I'd say Kath was a better guitar player than Hendrix was, like Hendrix himself claimed, but goodness. I'm sure as hell impressed. And it just makes how he died even dumber! Like, I don't wanna kick a dead man for the way he died... But goodness me, Kath. You could have gone on to do so much more. But, like in all cases of death like this, it just makes it all the more worthwhile to appreciate what they were able to give the world. And this is sure as hell a gift. It's a tight as hell band working in complete, full sync, and I could not be any happier with the final result. And, like, damn — you really took a band like **this** and had 'em make soft rock cheese? Just incredible, goodness me. I'unno if this album would convince a Chicago (The Band) hater to change their mind, but as far as I'm concerned, for this kind of material at least... Yeah, I'm on board, right on back to that same ol' place: sweet home Chicago (The Place).
Terry Kath era Chicago is a damn treat for anyone experiencing it for the first time. Solid 5 Stars.
I’m at a 10. I’m just exhausted. What can you really say after listening to something like that? You want me to wax poetic about how blessed these guys were to have extremely proficient people at every position of the band in terms of their instruments & their voices before deaths shook their vision? You want me to praise every aspect of the production up & down, both in the mixing, structure, pacing & progression of the whole thing? You want me to say that “Free Form Guitar” is some “Tago Mago” by Can-esque insanity that’s super cool even though it barely fits on the album? Trust me, I want to. I want to write paragraphs up and down about this thing, but I’m just exhausted. I have not heard a band that in-sync on a debut project ever. I have not moved my head around that much to some ridiculous percussion work since… I dunno, maybe we got “Nevermind” by Nirvana? I have not lamented someone’s own stupidity this much in terms of Terry Kath killing himself like a complete moron, and I’ve literally never heard of or *heard* the guy until listening to this album. Jimi Hendrix apparently once said that Kath was even better than he was, and I’m almost inclined to believe it. I understand that the overly bombastic, flashy style of this album is not everyone’s cup of tea. Hell, it’s only got a 3.18 on the site for that reason. I, however, could not give less of a shit. This is the sort of album that is perfectly down my alley, and I loved every single one of the 76 minutes here. That does include “Free Form Guitar”, for the record. I’m literally just too spent from the revelation that this has been here the entire fucking time, and yet I only knew these guys from their 80s Peter Cetera-led soft rock ballad era, which I already have a guilty pleasure soft spot for. I have literally never heard any other Chicago besides that era. The fact that THIS was here, the entire time, and I just never ever bothered to listen… god, it’s like a guy selling Bitcoin a decade ago for pennies, you know? I’m just stunned. I’m literally too stunned to write anything further. Someone else can put it all together; they’ll capture the words that are floating around my brain and express them, because right now, I truly can’t. It’s a 10. It might be higher. Regardless, it’s one of the very best albums I’ve gotten to discover from this whole thing.
Peter Cetera used to be cool
I actually really like the garbage noise guitar instrumental in this... everything else is mediocre
3/5.
Loved listening to this album! Im a sucker for any kind of music with jazzy undertones, and Chicago brought that and more in transit authority. Some incredibly moving solos, some catchy tunes, fun lyrics, what more can you ask for from an album?
The music and content itself was decent but it just went on for way too goshdarn long. Started pretty strong though.
The single most expensive new Fender guitar available on the Long and McQuade website is the Terry Kath signature Telecaster. I can’t put my finger on why that’s so funny, but it is. I actually liked this more than I expected. The main base is pretty corny and bland but it goes off in some pretty wacky directions at times. Didn’t like it enough to become a Chicago fan or to seep out more. But liked it more than I expected.
This album started off sooooo strong!! I was loving every bit of each songs from the amazing instrumentals to the singing. There was an interesting choice made around the middle of the album with the "Guitar Solo", so it's almost a perfect album for me.
Jazz rock blows
Does anybody really know what time it is? Does anybody really care? 🤔⌚
This is too much. Not for me sadly.
This Authority ain't getting me to Pittsburgh any faster bro
I thought I would like this more than I did. I like the hits of Chicago. This was long and kind of bland, with nothing that stuck out as catchy as any of their hits.
I don't have the attention span for this interminable, self-indulgent noodling. There were many fun and funky moments I would've enjoyed had they been edited down, but ultimately I couldn't wait for this to be over. High point was I'm a Man. 2.5
Not for me
There's a fun improvisational tone to this record and I quite enjoy the horns.
'Free Form Guitar'. Just why? I mean, sure, muck about and see what sounds you can make for fun. But nobody else needs to hear it. It's not cool or clever. Don't put it on the damn record. And it’s not the only time they get in the way of their own album being better than it ended up being. Some excellent moments get lost in thick layers of prog nonsense and they absolutely could’ve cut this down into a really tight, really solid single LP. I’ll give it some more listens because there’s some great stuff hidden in there but I know which parts to skip now…
Halfway through this incredibly pleasant and accessible album, there's just a noise track. Gets an extra star from me for that. Makes for an interesting reframing of their sound track 8 onwards.
‘I’m a man is the clear stand’ out
Started off feeling kind of chill and then just got annoying from the midpoint 🫠. Not my jam! Album rating: ⭐⭐
It was vibey as hell
This is… obnoxious. I tried, I really did and squinted at it like maybe I was missing some deeper meaning. But nope: The only word that fits is pretentious. Yes, it’s well produced. And yes, it’s probably technically “well executed.” But none of that helps when the whole thing sounds like someone tried to make soul music, albeit with less soul. And then there’s the phallic Free Form Guitar - a track so aggressively annoying, it physically hurts to listen to. if you’re releasing a debut album that clocks in at around 80 minutes, you should definitely have a lot to say. These guys didn’t. Unless “we’re horny, we own pedals and we brought a brass section” counts as a message. You kind of have to admire their confidence though.
legit the most 3/5 thing ever
Indoor know what to think of this. They are good musicians that’s true. But what they play does not give me anything. Funk rock made by white people.
Classic 60s guitar wankery
Wow Introduction really was quite the introduction. That went hard. This is not the Chicago that I have ever known. This is like really good psych rock. It feels kinda proggy and the instrumentation is so good. I'm way stoked on this record.
When I was in 6th or 7th grade, my Mom would listen to Chicago when I was in the car with her. She had one of the Greatest Hits, and it might not have been one of the main albums she listened to, but it was definitely in the rotation between ABBA, Queen and Journey. So naturally, I hated it. Maybe it was the horns? Maybe it was my mom saying "Jake, is this good guitar? These guys are really good." And me being "No Mom. Nothing you like is cool." Anyway, here we are 20 years later and she dropped by my house this morning to pick up my daughter for a few hours today and she says "Is this Chicago? I LOVE Chicago." And honestly, I'm really confused. This doesn't seem like anything that she would like. It's pretty heavy. It has tons of crazy cool psych and experimental elements, and frankly, I really like this shit. So I'm confused. The truth is, this is really cool music. It's so full. The percussion is so dialed, and unique and experimental. The bass is all over the place, he's walking up and down that thing. The guitars are incredible. And then to add jazz horns to it?? And pull it off?? This is sick. Sometimes it feels like a pop song, other times its blues, then it jumps to a Miles Davis inspired 14 minute journeys. Then its free form guitar sounds?? Honestly, I just want to get stoned and listen to this shit. Even the more pop songs like Beginnings or I'm a Man have really cool movements and sections that take the song into weird directions. I'm kind of blown away by this. I don't know what later Chicago is really like. I don't know if they mellowed out for the Greatest Hits or sold their souls for money. I really don't know. I obviously haven't spent a lot of time with this band, but this record on its own is incredible.
It wasn’t bad. Just ok.
9.7/10.
A bit long, but there are some really cool songs and ideas on this album. Don't think they should have went for the double album directly, else it would be 5 star.
This is a great album instrumentally that is unfortunately somewhat let down by the vocals. Still, it is a fairly enjoyable listen. Favorite tracks: "Listen," "Liberation"
This album was another with undeniably talented musicians and sonically was good but it just dragged a bit for me. The brass was a bit fatiguing to listen to and tracks like “Free Form Guitar” “Liberation” just took up too much time. That being said the high points on this album were “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is”, “Questions 67 and 68” and “Someday”, and they were great songs. I’d give this one a 2.5 probably.
Absolutely excellent debut album. So rhythmic lively and loud. Funky, fresh, and jazzy. Its hard to believe that this band would regroup in the late 70's and go chase a bag with love ballads. This album is a serious contender of most interesting rock album. Blends a few genres like southern rock and r&b, gets experimental and psychedelic in Free Form Guitar. Pop rock in songs like Beginnings? From the jump Chicago was diverse? Wow.
I can't explain why but I really like the album. There's no particular outstanding track, it just works... 4.5 for me 4 for Deb
Solid, though I feel that it loses a lot of presence on the tail end. The two pure instrumental tracks are unnecessary.
Until I read the Wikipedia entry I didn't connect this band to the band I know as Chicago. They sond very different and their later sound really shows how a band can evolve. There is nothing wrong with this album at all but it isn't something I would choose amongst other great music.
I was groovin at 1st, but the longer it went on, the more I grew to hate it. Free Form Guitar is the straw that broke the camels back with an explosion of fake, wannabe psychedelic guitar nonsense.
I had mixed opinions honestly. Right off the bat, I really enjoyed that this album incorporated a lot of psychedelic rock and a large number of instruments. It did give the album a live sound which adds a lot of charm. I just felt like this album was a test of patience. A lot of times either a song wouldn’t interest me at the beginning but then near the end or like 5mins in, the song will do something really wild or creative. But the problem as a whole is that it kept losing my interest or songs were just way too long and didnt do enough to keep me invested. I didn’t hate this album, didn’t love it. Perfectly forgettable album but not cause it’s bad but because it doesn’t do enough or take enough chances.
Fine
I very much did not enjoy this.
Amazing album
Top tier jazz rock. Totally my style. I can put this on repeat easily. 5
Too long.
The last Chicago album worth listening to. Interesting musically, and a bit of excitement! Then there is the guitar solo. Amazing that anyone can get those sounds out of a guitar. Even more amazing that anyone would want to listen to it.
Every now and then a group of musicians will come together and make some cool music. This is one of those times.
WHAT. IS. THIS? Is it jazz? Is it rock? Is it a bus route? No one knows! What it most definitely is... is a lot. This debut from Chicago (back when they still had a full name and presumably dreams of restraint) hits like a brass section got drunk and kicked down the studio door yelling “WE’RE IN CHARGE NOW.” There's a guitar solo? Swamped. There's a melody? Drowned. There's vocals? Somewhere under the trombone avalanche. At times it’s thrilling—like watching a marching band invade a rock concert. But often, it's just like watching. And the tracks go on! “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?” Me, I do. It’s too long. “Free Form Guitar” sounds like someone attacking a jet engine with a cheese grater while high on wood varnish. The rhythm section's tight, and when they lock in (Beginnings, Questions 67 and 68) it’s like a funk-rock Voltron. But you have to dig through several metric tons of horn-based exuberance and improvisational indulgence to get there. It’s loud, it’s brash, it’s occasionally brilliant, but mainly it’s what happens when no one tells the seven-piece band, “Hey fellas… maybe not all at once.”
In between throwing everything including the kitchen sink at it, this wasn’t bad. Maybe one less extended posturing guitar solo
For the most part? Decent. Good, even. Tasty. But my god, some of the songs on here (notably free form guitar) make you feel like your headphones are malfunctioning and there's just static crackling into your ears. I realize some call it 'experimental', but there's a point where experimental just becomes an experiment in 'how grating can I make this guitar sound'?
Self indulgence layered between skillful playing and jazzy arrangements and progressions. The jams were excellent and gave a soundscape that reminded me at the same time of old timey tv and high action movies. How free form guitar made it on here is a mystery. To be honest, this kind of noise is harnessed and directed much better in the noise solos of Jimi Hendrix so listen to that if you want to give that sound another chance.
Fun. Another album I can rate by the number of horns. Big and dynamic with great playing and cool arrangements. You can kind of tell this is the same band that churned out pop hits from the late 70s and beyond. A bit uneven and might be better taking in as chunks rather than a whole. The same could probably be said for it's sequel. 3.5 horns out of 5
This was well done but so elaborate that it was hard to focus on. Who greenlit that awful guitar track??
Rockin
This album has some genuinely great tracks, no doubt about it. You can hear the talent and the start of what made early Chicago so good. However, then there's "Free Form Guitar." Honestly, that track is just painful to listen to. I had to skip it after about a minute; it's a real head-scratcher. It's one of those moments that makes you wonder what they were thinking. Overall, it's a mixed bag. Some fantastic songs, but also some real duds like the one mentioned. It's not an album I'd reach for regularly. If you're just looking for the good stuff from this era, their "Greatest Hits" collection is probably a much better bet. While I appreciate Chicago's early sound, this particular album doesn't quite hit the mark for me. Three stars feels generous, two and a half more realistic.
I’m having trouble articulating exactly why, but this didn’t work for me. Maybe it’s the bloat, maybe the arrangements are too busy, maybe the melodies are underwhelming. I should probably give this album at least one more shot, but I simply do not want to.
Imagine having the chutzpah to make your debut album a double album, imagine making it be so soft rock it's practically malleable wet clay, imagine having a 7 minute guitar solo as song for no reason... That's the Chicago way!
Enjoyed it more than I thought
Rock meets big band and it works. Excellent...
Intro to album is so incredible. Awesome album. The expiramental guitar stuff is weird.
Pretty great prog/pop/funk rock. Innovative af and great horns and guitar. Musically its a 3 for me but legacy-wise it gets a 4.
The instrumentals are so incredible that the vocals are a massive letdown in comparison and really ruin the sound. The big band jazz sound needs something grittier on top. Lyrics are also atrocious and trite. would happily listen to vocal-less tracks on repeat though. Especially love the keys
Horn music
The songs which featured the horn section were my highlights. The big indulgent guitar tracks weren't for me. Skipped through Free Form Guitar after a couple of minutes. It's getting a point off for that one