Reviews (page 5 of 9)
[3/5] jazzy bluesy rock. melodies feel like an advertisement. confusing guitar track in the middle. 2.5. track notes: 1. big jazzy intro 2. boing boing piano. sounds like flaunting wares on the shopping channel 3. again giving "big reveal". in the beninging 4. predicting brainrot 5. little bit of a change up. i'm listening but not sure if i want to 6. menacing switchup into sneaky sly beat 7. wtaf is this 8. bog standard dumping but bluesy 9. wolf in the back? 10. splitting the intro into a separate track is good, they knew it was gonna be skipped 11. big piano x vegas energy 12. guitar sounding like my hot wheels. cinematic closer
The musicianship and creativity are admirable here, as the band blurs lines between jazz rock, prog, and pop - moments of straightforward, kinda cheesy sounding songs and shreddy syncopated instrumental breaks. They’re not quite blended seamlessly, almost every song has moments I like and moments I dislike. It’s sprawling and a fairly impressive display. I enjoyed giving my attention to it, but also don’t really expect to be coming back to it often…idk, I’m kinda right at a 3.5 here - think I’ll give it a 3 for now and we’ll see if it can go up if I give it a few more spins.
beautifully loud, i loved the layered vocals on some of the tracks
interesting album ngl, it's like.. a diary if that makes sense, in the form of an album. seems like i was intruding someone's auditory archives or something. some were okay, some were fun, some were questionable.
Don’t really have anything to comment. Fine album
I liked bits of it, but I also skipped the song Free Form Guitar because it noodles too much.
This was pretty early in their career so it's hard to fault this record for being a little meandering and unfocused to me. It's either rock that wants to be jazz or vice versa.
#402/1001. This was a positive surprise. Very funky and groovy. Then it turned out to be too long. But I had a totally different aural image what Chicago sounds like.
I know Chicago and currently have 11 songs liked by them on Spotify. These are mostly their late 60s to mid 70s radio hits. I have 3 songs liked by them on this album - "Does Anyone Really Know What Time It Is?", "Beginnings", and "Questions 67 and 68" - which are the the ones I remember from the radio when I was a little kid. Hoping to discover some new to me stuff by doing a deeper dive. Thoughts while listening 3 times ... Oh wow - this is a double album. That's pretty ballsy for a first release. May not be the best idea since most double albums have too much filler - but let's see. "Introduction" actually seems like a less impressive introduction to them. It's cool that "Beginnings" was their 2nd single. This is a nearly 8 minute song! With lots of horns! The extended intro jam in "Poem 58" is cool - guitar, bass and drums all crush it, then the horns come in around 5 minutes. "Free Form Guitar" is not an enjoyable listen. Sorry - I like Terry Kath's contributions to the Chicago sound and I know he is considered a great guitarist - but this is just nearly 7 minutes of self-absorbed wankery. This is double album filler personified right here. "South California Purples" is pretty good. "I'm a Man" - oh yeah - I remember this one. Can't remember if this is the version I am remembering or the one by Spencer Davis Group - but it's cool either way. "Prologue" is an excellent example of double album filler. There is no good reason for this 1 minute of crowd chanting sounds to be committed to vinyl. "Liberation" - more wankery that has some good parts but is not worth hearing again due to the many bad parts. This is 14.5 minutes of this. Once again a double album with very good songs that would have been great if it was just a single album. If they had kept just the 6 songs I have liked - it would be right at 41 minutes and be a perfect album. At least I got to add 3 "new to me" songs - "Poem 58", "Southern California Purples" and "I'm a Man". Liked songs on Spotify: 6/12 Rating: 3/5
nice
Probably the best classic rock band at blending horns with rock guitar. Good for a first album but their best work was still ahead of them
Buen disco, eso para empezar. Tiene TEMAZOS como Introduction, Beginnings o Question 67 and 68, pero de repente te plantan un tema de 7 minutos del notas aporreando la guitarra. Creo que peca de querer hacer muchas cosas y abarcar demasiado, lo que hace que si no te sientas a escuchar el disco activamente se pueda hacer largo. Repetitivo desde luego no me ha parecido, ninguna canción para tranquila en ningún momento. Resumiendo, buen primer disco, pero me hubiera gustado más algo más cohesionado.
Fun listen but some unlikable tracks bring it down
Étonné du craquage, il dessert complètement l'album qui a de très bonnes musiques jusqu'aux solos expérimentaux. La dernière partie de l'album avec l'aspect live ne m'a pas convaincu non plus
it's a lot weirder than i thought it would be. when i think of the band chicago, i think first of their 80s slop that has biased me against their music. there's some interesting, even political, stuff happening on this debut album. terry kath is possibly the most underrated guitarist in rock history, and he pushes sonic limits throughout the record. the really interesting thing chicago did in their early days was mix brass instruments, and they really shine on this album. overall, it's not going to go into my rotation, but i appreciate what CTA is doing
Yeah this is fairly fun. Proggy and jazz-fusion at its best, a little bit yachty in others.
What strikes me first about this recording is that it FEELS like the band really enjoys playing with each other. They’re having a blast (intended). And for the most part the songs are pretty fun and have great parts. The guitarist goes a little long in the tooth sometimes and I could have used about half of Free Form Guitar, but dude can shred. I was also surprised to find that I already knew several songs from this album which I had just never attributed to THAT Chicago. I feel like they may have actually released this album under the band name Chicago Transit Authority originally which adds to the confusion. Anyway…decent.
Well, this was an interesting listen. A bit much for me, but a few good songs here and there, punctuated by furious masturbation on guitar.
peppy album, was enjoying it until I got to the guitar part.
Ok, not really my thing but easy to listen to
3 - decent
Not a big fan but they do have a few tunes that I like. I have to ask again what is the exact criteria to make this list?
Het heeft heel de dag opgestaan, het is een van mijn favoriete muziekgenres en toch kan ik me er weinig van herinneren. Klinkt goed, maar blijkbaar allesbehalve memorabel.
its fine, ze proberen echt speciale nieuwe dingen te doen, maar op de een of andere manier blijven ze nog steeds vrij bland klinken
I like it, but it is not a genre I love listening to
like chicago
Bits were great, especially first few songs, but it was too long and free form guitar was pointless.
Bang av
Im gonna get the criticisms out of the way first... The length is ridiculous. Now as ive said before, if its long but there is a reason to be long and quality in that length.. fine But when I have to listen to 7 straight minutes of someone making their guitar sound like a car, thats just a complete waste of everyone's time. Be experimental if you wish but make it sound good, that shit is just unbearable Its a shame because the rest of it is great, although it does become quite baggy after the guitar mess and loses the tightness of what came before. God, its coming to the end and there is a 15 min song thats dragging like feck. I genuinely want to like this more than they want me to like it I dunno man feels like a record made my two different bands
never heard the album before but knew the hits forever. Like them better as Chicago. Mix of good and clunkers. The hits stand up. "I'm A Man - has a great percussion solo and jam worth the listen
A very interesting album and very different from the expected Chicago sound. A wide range of styles that seem to indicate the band did not know what they wanted to be. Saying that I found the Cetera song quite boring. Lamm writes better IMHO. Beginnings, Listen are good.i have no clue what Free Form Guitar is for
Wow, the free form guitar is something else. Was rather enjoying the album up to that point
It was ok. The weird twist was interesting for sure.
Some interesting stuff, some noise
Rock. Good. Not boring
I got a fevah and the only curah is more free form guitah!
Что-то на богатом и утомительном.
Chicago’s debut is pretty good- they arrived fully loaded, with their signature blend of jazzy rock and kind of soul/funk inspirations. However, someone along the production line should have taught them the meaning of restraint. There are so many songs that are 6-8 minutes long for no reason, including ones with gaps in the middle that pick up with a totally different sound. Just… split the track. Two 4 minute songs is much more palatable than multiple 8 ones back to back. That has to be earned, and in a debut album, they had zero goodwill. A lot of people complain also about “Free Form Guitar” which is in the middle of the album- an unstructured 7 minute duration noise song. I think it should be praised for being ann early example of intentional noise music, EXCEPT that Hendrix did it in Monterrey 2 years earlier. The beginning to wild thing, and then afterwards- the famous “guitar sacrifice” where he rubbed the guitar against the amp creating space laser sounds and dissonant, noisy screeches. They definitely ripped him off here. The album resumes with their funky jazz rock immediately after. This is a hard album to rate. I want to like it, but the runtimes wear me down. It’s up and down in energy, and while I don’t expect an entire album to be banger after banger, this one has some duds, and when your duds are 7 minutes long, it detracts from my enjoyment of the studs. ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
some cool guitar parts, but very long
Mostly acceptable funk jam stuff. Trumpets a bit overbearing. Better than the soft rock bilge I was bracing myself for.
Not really sure if Chicago is an essential band. They're more like a "if you have the time check them out" kind of band. That being said they are worth checking out. The experimental shit on this album is pretty weird though. Favorite track: Beginnings
I listened but have nothing to contribute. Pretty bluesy with some funk
I didn't finish the album but I did enjoy it. Not something that would be in many regular rotation but I loved all the instruments
I think this was quite a mood specific listen and there are some duds in here (Free form guitar takes the piss maybe) but actually enjoyed a fair amount. At first I thought I was listening to a blues album before it progressed (har) into more proggyness. High quality guitar, decent band, but I think the vocals could be better.
I listened to this album with conflicting feelings. It's got a great blend of blues and rock and roll. Some jazz thrown in too. The vocals are great and sound like Hendrix. This is obviously accomplished and good music. So why did I find the whole thing quite annoying? For a start, the length doesn't help. I've said it before but if you are going significantly above an hour, it really needs to be all killer and no filler. I'm not convinced that this album achieved this... But there is something else, something about the smooth horns mixed in with the electric organ (the most annoying of all instruments) that made the whole thing feel a bit like lift music. Lift music or music from the Sims, albeit juxtaposed with killer blues riffs and a great vocal performance. Overall just a bit too polished and with a "music students showing off" vibe for me to fully engage with, although I appreciate it's certainly not bad.
I like Chicago, the huge horn centric rock sound, Terry Katy sick guitarist, but this album has way too much meandering bullshit. I fear that will be the case for a lot of Chicago full-listens. Might not be the best song writers, but sound great most of the time.
I heard this album when it first came out. In my high school there were Chicago people and Elton John people and many in between, like a Venn diagram. There’s five great songs on this album with way too much indulgent noodling on various brass instruments. It was difficult to play the vinyl record because it would have two or three great songs at first and then 20 minutes of blaring trumpets.
Introduction: Decent bits: the horns, the whatever they’re doing with the instrumental. The vocals weren’t great but most of it ended up being instrumental anyway. Does anybody really know what time it is genuinely sounded like a Mario level. I actually liked the vocals in this one. Going into Beginnings the album settled into itself. The cowbells were, a touch. The beginning of questions 67 and 68 is exactly the same as Panic! At the Discos Hallelujah. That’s what I love about this list. I discover the influences for songs I listen to anyway. Listen was really cool!! Loved how all the instruments came together. Loved poem 58! I have had quite a few unpleasant experiences going through this list, but Free Form Guitar was definitely one of the worst. I saw the name and thought it was going to be 6 minutes of awesome guitar. It was not. South California Purples was alright. Same with I’m a Man. Someday was actually great!! Favourite track on the album. Liberation was an awful surprise at the end being 13 minutes long. It wasn’t bad, it was just long and unexpected. 3/5 ⭐️. There was some genuinely great stuff in here but it was overshadowed by a lot of bits I didn’t enjoy. 133/1089
Rv
I've got a bit of a soft spot for Chicago's mix of soul, funk and rock. Are they consistently great? Nope, but they can punch out some great tunes. As a debut this is a strong album - it's got all their signature sounds, soulful vocals, weird time changes, whiteboy funk/soul and some blistering solos. It's pretty ballsy to start your recording career with a double album, but it paid off for this lot. Just remind them that cleaning guns after being awake for days from a drugs and booze binge and then pointing the gun to your head and pulling the trigger to show that it's not loaded (when it actually is) is not a good idea. Best Tracks: Beginnings; Questions 67 & 68; I'm a Man
Should relisten to this. Didn’t like it a lot on my first go but the ideas were interesting.
Cheese
This is a lot cooler than the cheesy 70s soft rock that I thought Chicago was known for. The opener, Beginnings, Poem 58, South California Purples all have some really exciting moments. Unfortunately, even the cool songs here drag on for far too long and the stuff that I don't like as much is all just a little too much.
612/1001 2026.05.12 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑
I like the concept of this album: two parts separated by “Free from Guitar,” with a few really strong tracks. Overall, though, it’s perhaps a bit too noisy and experimental for my taste. 6/10
⭐⭐⭐.49
Jazz guitaro
This is a great first album I missed entirely until it arrived in my album for the day. It rips all the way through and I like 80pct of it, including the masterful free form guitar scream. It needs a few times to be fully appreciated.
Chooo Chooo Chooosing probably not to listen to this again, although much respect for the horns (guitar solo, not so much).
This is an absolute banger of an album. Genuinely loved it. Will listen again. High 3s.
Started off good and funky but tailed off. I thought I would have liked this a lot more.
The first part was quite good once it warmed up. The second half was a bit hit and miss though.
A full side of this record is a can't skip rock fusion masterwork and the rest is...hey look they were still figuring things out. For a band in 1969 to come out this red hot, with a tight rhythm section and wildly cool guitar playing and a dash of psychedelia, it's impressive if uneven. It's good times but it's got some room to grow
Classic.
I wasn’t all there when it was in but some groovy REALLY 70’s rock was to be had. Might revisit.
a faixa da guitarra distorcidissima é certamente uma faixa para se lembrar
This is interesting, it sounds very solid but is almost so bombastic at times that it muddies itself up a bit. Great to have trumpets. Good voice. Easy to listen to. Poem 58 to Free Form Guitar is like there are two brothers working on this and the skilled one gets to make a song so the other gets one too. This is a bit too indulgent but it has moments. What the heck. This is a debut album?! This is a good debut.
Oh good a brass section. This is big, thick music. Poem 58, put it in your ears. There is a great album in here, but there is some content that tests the listener. I can't even process the idea of a debut album being a double album.
It was good until “free form guitar” which should have been kept in their acid trip nightmare
je suis jamais allée à Chicago, mais c'est exactement comme ça que je me représente cette ville. j'avais l'impression d'y être. j'ai beaucoup aimé le début mais moins la fin, ce qui a terni un peu mon appréciation globale de l'album.
Obviously stellar playing, such an over the top horn party! I'd actually categorize this double album as a 1-star side 1 (maudlin 60s easy listening holdover claptrap), 2-star side 2 (horn and early prog-jazz), 3-star side 3, and 5-star side 4 (actually, the last tune is a complete ripper).
I was under the impression Chicago was supposed to suck, but this did not suck. Band was tight and I was toe tappin on the way to work. This album was everything I thought Steely Dan was supposed to be. 3.5
3.0
-1 pour les morceaux à la Sinatra et l'espèce de délire affreux en milieu d'album.
Hadn't thought of these guys in years, but they were everywhere in the 70s. This one's pretty damn good except for the one song. You know the one.
I enjoy my listening but I don't think I will listen to it again. Not a bad one but sure not for me at least not 100%
I don’t like what Chicago became, but this album is ok. Terry Kath rules!
Really liked it. Low cortisol music.
This was not what I was expecting at all. I had bland middle of the road 70s soft rock in my head, but this was far more enjoyable. A lot depth, some good playing and overall a good album. Solid.
Kind of like jazzy rock. Not bad.
#899. I've only ever heard a few songs of theirs on the radio, but a whole album is basically the same but more. Just super white yacht rock for boomers. 3/5: acceptable
They hooked me then they lost me then they hooked me then they lost me. The whole album is like that
El primer disco de Chicago muestra a la banda segura de sí misma, ya que todos sus componentes eran grandes virtuosos y experimentados músicos de jazz y blues. Y muy seguro hay que estar para lanzar como primer disco un doble álbum y meterle ademas largas canciones, entre ellas una de 14 minutos. Musicalmente, un trabajo jazz rock y blues rock, con cierta tendencia a lo progresivo y donde la sección de metal tiene un protagonismo decisivo. Para mí, ha envejecido mal, peor que otros discos posteriores donde, por necesidad, tuvieron que hacer caso a las tendencias del momento.
Not my thing, but I kinda get it
jfc these 70s double albums are self-indulgent
Pretty good, oftentimes Chicago is too sappy for me but their early era has a lot more pizzazz
This ain't a rock album. It's more like some funky soul stuff. The bass is real nice, so are the horns and vocals. And the prog-length tracks are neat. Makes for a fun listen when I'm constantly bobbing my head. But I didn't really think, "Wow! This is some life-changing stuff!" Guitar in 'Poem 58' was amazing however. Probably my favourite track off the album. Then comes in 'Free Form Guitar' and ruins that energy with grating guitar noise. Least favourite track. I also quite liked 'I'm a man', very nice energy to it. 3.5/5
Some good stuff here, but way too long and bloated of an album.
Jovial music from the late 60's. An odd mix of big band and rock, it seems out of place now days as there's just entertainment at it's core.
Early Chicago. They got better after this, but I'm assuming included in the list since it was new.
I usually don't like jazz much, but this one is alright.
Every song before this should go down a rating. New Ratings 1:bad album 2:not a fan 3:could listen to again 4:would listen to again 5:people should listen to this album
This was good until the last few songs, which I skipped on my second listen. A single album might have got a 4/5. I added “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?” To my Generator Playlist,
Well, here's me thinking this was going to be middle-of-the-road, soft rock. Spoiler alert... it's something else. The massive surprise was how interesting and unexpected it was, full of brass and funk, experimentation and some relatively heavy guitar noodling I mean, at 76 mins, it's too long, at least it felt that way. Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit ❌️ Surprising ★★★☆☆ (5/10) Total reviewed : 253 Already owned : 58 Purchased : 14 To buy list : 2 Nope : 179
Interesting, but not quite My thing
Happy album.
A double album debut? A DOUBLE ALBUM DEBUT?! Who the fuck do they think they are? Sure, it seems to be a right of passage for a band to become so self confident that they think they're in such a purple patch that they couldn't possibly leave any track off the album, or withhold it from the public any longer than absolutely necessary. However, that normally comes after at least a couple of successful albums (and usually loads of coke). That said, there's some surprisingly good stuff on here. I had no idea Chicago made bluesy, psychedelic music like this, even if it does feel slightly watered down. Unfortunately there's a lot of bloat here too, that waters my review down to 3 stars.
I thought I'd quite like this when it started, but I think I was perhaps anticipating something more proggy. I think it's the amount of horn section I was finding too much after a while. The track lengths are pretty punishing, too
This was a ton of fun for the first half. Fell off at and after poem 58. That next track was horrific. An hour and 16 minutes is too long. First half alone may have been a 5 but we settle on a 3.
Usually when a double album is described as ‘sprawling’, this refers to a long tracklist covering many different styles/genres. In this album’s case, however, the adjective could equally be applied to the individual tracks, which often meander all over the place through multiple sections, only sometimes seemingly connected to each other. When it’s good, it’s often really good, but when it’s bad (ahem, ‘Free Form Guitar’, ahem), it can be really bad, so it balances out to about 3 stars overall. I enjoy the brass-heavy jazzy/prog-rock sound, but it definitely would have benefited from some tidying/tightening up.
Melkoista sähkökitaran vingutusta ja ajoittaista makeeta rokkia
Free form guitar ain’t for me, but I can still rock out sometimes
Woah. First albums can be different.
Meh. It’s ok. I grew up with my parents listening to Chicago and even have seen the live twice. Good musicians, don’t get me wrong. The hits and solid. The rest is too long and that guitar feedback part is just terrible.
TIL Chicago's original name was Chicago Transit Authority. Blind album. Decent and fun at times but not something I actively seek out. Was never super into the band either.
Pretty good
Not really my style. A couple songs that were decent though. 5.5/10
I liked about 40% of this album, but it was a little too noisy for me however it should get higher than a two star rating so I'm giving it three stars
Pretty ok/ I like Chicago, but I don't think this is their best
It took me over a day to finally listen to this bc I'm sick of 1001 making me listen to boomer shit. Fortunately, this isn't as bad as the Eagles which was my fear. They describe themselves as rock and roll with horns, and while they're often more pop rock with horns, I actually really enjoy the brass. Not as bad as I was expecting, a bit more soul and less cringe. 3/5 for surpassing my expectations. The album probably needs to drop some fluff and get under 50 minutes to really deserve 3 stars, but oh well
Me parece que tiene una buena calidad musical, con buenos músicos; pero muuuy cansador.
Some funky moments but a lot of directionless shite
Banger album with the worst guitar interlude I've ever heard. Like, wtf was that? Minus 2 just cause of the headache that shitty interlude gave me.
It’s fantastic, but some of the songs are just really really really too long.
Wouldn't turn it off the radio, but wouldn't seek to put it on myself.
3,5
This was a weird one. Jazzy and Rocky. Felt like The Fast Show Jazz Club in places then went mad experimental guitar. It was fucking weird. Don't know if I liked it. It was emotive. Think I'm gonna rate it higher to keep it in memory. It needs another listen. Fucking long though.
Interesting mixture of jazz, lounge, prog rock, soul, pop, psychedelic rock and whatever.
67
Chicago er et flinkisband. Syns det er litt tannløst og sjelløst, med mye fokus på instrumentrunking. Her i Norge skjønner jeg at Undertakers Circus er den nærmeste referansen til dem, men de hadde i alle fall tekster om norrøn mytologi og hadde et kortere album. Det var sikkert veldig kult live, men syns ikke studioversjonene når helt opp. Syns "Poem 58" har noe for seg, og starten på "Liberation" kan minne om noe fra Blues Brothers, men så sukker jeg tungt når det går ut i endeløs jamming som høres ut som sirener. Ja, også var gitaren en bil på "Free Form Guitar", brumbrum Chicagobil bæbu. Det er nesten så man kan høre bandet selv si "Det høres fett ut, det må vi ha med" Det meste høres ut som et helt straight band fra 60-tallet, men med blåsere.
Guitar is great throughout
The Freeform Guitar really threw me off this album.
Don't think I've ever gone this far back on Chicago's discography. In fact, I didn't even know that their original NAME was Chicago Transit Authority. Anyway, this was mostly an enjoyable album. I knew that Chicago was an impressive collection of talented musicians, but I was still a bit surprised at points here. Other points I was less than pleased though, including the (presumably) infamous Free Form Guitar track. That just felt a bit out of place to me.
Does anybody really know how good this is?
I liked this more than I expected to. Really not interested in the more popular jazzy hits. But when they lean into more rock groove, I actually liked it especially “I’m a man”
love me some Chicago. love all the horns but the second half of the album was kinda crazy with the 17min songs. 2.5
What the hell was Free Form Guitar? The rest of the album had great grooves. They're clearly world class musicians, and vocalists. I would say however an hour of Chicago in one sitting is too much Chicago for me.
Lots of recognizable songs. I feel this is the best version of Chicago, not the cheese ball late 70’s/early 80’s version.
3.5 An equal parts impressive and frustrating album. For all the good moments and the 'wow I can't believe they were doing this in 1968' feeling I have towards the album, be fucking tighter album. Felt too much like a live album at time. Keep it tight on the LP, save the exuberance for the shows. For example Beginnings - great 6 minute song, ruined by a 2 minute Glock n fucking spiel solo at the end. Free from guitar is just a waste of everyone's time. As expected with most double LPs, trim the fat and it's a great album, rather than just good. Also, if I asked someone on the street what time it was and they responded with "does anybody really know what time it is, does anybody really care" I'd put my fist through their face.
Kind of interesting but not really my thing.
I was expecting dull US MOR tastefulness, but this was surprisingly out there in places, not a million miles away from someone like Zappa. That's possibly giving it too much credit - i'm in no rush to go back, but it wasn't as awful as feared. Even 3.
1: Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is 2: Questions 67 and 68 3: I’m a Man
vissa riktigt trevliga. Sommar bakgrund album! (guittarsolo är unikt)
Solid album, I see why Hendrix liked it. I didn't really hear a hit though. 3.5
É um bom álbum. Tem alguns momentos firulentos que acho que são características da época que foi gravado. Kawanoaudio Horaiko.
Steely Dan-esque. Decent.
Not bad. Does needs a second visit. Steely dan-ish. Standouts - south California purples, I'm a man
Strong start to the album. Was really getting into it. Only downside was it was a bit too long. By the time the 14 minute guitar jam came on at the end I was over it
Previous to this album, I had never listened to an album by this group. There were some songs which I had heard on the radio, and I thought it was interesting that the songs on the radio were a little different than on the album; example: "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is" has an introduction that I don't remember being played on the radio and I don't remember the guy talking during the bridge of the song either which I heard while listening to this album. The songs were okay, but I still don't understand why they have to be so long. I didn't think that repeating the end of the song over and over or the long jamming sections in the song added to the song, but whatever.
This wasn't bad at all, I just didn't find it that exciting. But it was interesting enough.
I’m gonna be honest, this album wasn’t for me. We watched spinal tap before and it was similar enough to that but I think I would have preferred to listen to spinal tap.
Correcto
Album #33 Chicago: Chicago Transit Authority I was already a familiar with Chicago due to the fact that I used to peruse every classic rock playlist Spotify had to offer, and Chicago’s greatest hits such as “If You Leave Me Now” (which I am also aware due to it being in Los Santos Rock Radio), “25 or 6 to 4”, and “You’re The Inspiration”. I did quite enjoy some of their songs as I am partial to some 70s pop/soft rock; Breakfast in America being the pinnacle of the genre, of course, though I never felt compelled to listen to a full album. Naturally, upon receiving this album, I assumed that it would be par for the course of what I was used to from Chicago; however, I was quite mistaken. This album has some elements that would later turn into their more accessible sound and structure, with songs like “Does Anyone Really Know What Time It Is” not sounding too far off from their later work; but the track has a two-minute jazz instrumental introduction; similarly, “Beginnings” closes with a repetitive, almost obnoxious jazz instrumental. Clearly, the band was attempting to be progressive, though they hadn’t quite figured out what that meant yet, since prog rock was in its infancy and jazz was seen as the de facto form of progressive music. But seeing how In The Court of The Crimson King came out in that same year, it’s hard to cut them too much slack for including a track like “Free Form Guitar” (which I interpret as the bands best effor at imitating the sounds of a car using a guitar??) and stretching the album to almost an hour and twenty minutes, when King Crimson showed just how grand yet succinct a progressive album could be. If this album were cut down, even to just around an hour I think I would be comfortable giving it at least a four star, I even do enjoy the 15 minute closing jam session “Liberation”, it’s just that this thing feels like it certainly has some bloat, and if I were to relisten to the album it would primarily be the first half, and the last few tracks. In saying that though, this is still a really solid and fun album, filled with great musicianship and interesting ideas. I can see how fans of this album would be disappointed with the band's more watered-down direction moving forward. Best Tracks: Questions 67 and 68, Beginnings, Introduction Worst Track: Free Form Guitar Score out of 10:7.5
Interesting and enjoyable album Standout songs: Poem 58 South California Purples Liberation
THIS is Chicago???? There were some really cool moments on this album. I’d listen again.
Fun to listen to what Chicago was when they started vs. what they have become. This record had some fun stuff to it, including the variety of styles throughout the album, but nothing that grabbed me instantly and significantly. There were some low notes as well - Free Form Guitar was just poor playing, in my opinion. Good, but not amazing.
3.4 2x liked some of the later instrumental tracks a lot
A more digestible version would've been preferable
I had to re listen to this album because I forgot to rate it first time. Oh well, this is a good album, although a little bit all over the place. I love the inclusion of brass instruments, but the experiments are weirdly put on some songs (car engine sound, why???), but I appreciate the inclusion of Brazilian rhythms (they did better than a lot of musicians I know). I appreciate that it's a diverse album, theres accessibility fot people who want to listen to some groovy tunes and those who want some experimental stuff. 3/5
worlds longest sustained note
Bis zum Song Free Form Guitar ein cooles Jazz Album. Alleine für den Free Form Guitar Song gebe ich einen Stern Abzug, und für den darauffolgenden Free-Jazz Dreck nochmal einen ganzen Stern. Wer hört sich sowas an und denkt, ja geil so mag ich das?
Sounds like RetroJukeBox and then a whole lot of noodling around
if you're gonna name an album after the CTA, you've got big shoes to fill, that's all I'm saying
Started good with some great songs but way overstayed its welcome and had some mediocre but long instrumentals in there. Was gonna give a 4 but the second half is some rough boomer jam band solo garbage.
I liked a lot of this, but it was overly long for my taste, so I definitely got distracted a few times. It's something I'd like to listen to again though. 3/5
Pretty psychedelic, of the good kind. I enjoyed the long jammy tunes. Not something I’d come back to again in a hurry but it was good for a Friday afternoon.
My grandmother, whose first language was English, pronounced Chicago as Chircargo. And Tylenol was Thylenol. My father had one or more Chicago albums of the 70s, of which there are 10, plus 2 lives albums and a best of. I couldn't fathom a guess which one(s) he had because the covers mostly all look the same. This was fine but I can't see me returning to it. It's of a time and place I just can't access. 2.5 stars rounded up
Was an interesting record to listen to .
Eh ok background
I like old Chicago fine. Not in the core of my joy for music.
bad album for someone who hates horns and piano but i’m not that person.. songs were long but honestly i did get a surprising winter vibe from this because most of their songs that i know are very beach playlist worthy
Was worried this would be generic 60s rock but it’s actually very fun, funk and soul tinged blues rock. Only the long guitar jam spoils the mood.
Some songs were great but that guitar solo was just bad. So split the difference
Great musicianship, instrumentals wore me out after a while though.
61/1001 First listen. I didn’t get to play this too much today but I will say this was a lot better than the Chicago I was expecting. Free form guitar is bananas! I don’t think this is my kind of music but there might be something here for me actually. I think I will play this again in the future to see if it could grow on me some more. A surprising three stars. 5/10
Definitely not what I was expecting from Chicago. Very jammy. A track trying to be Hendrix, and some Beatles homages thrown in?! Very interesting record. Highlights: "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is" and "South California Purples"
Not that good, unless you love horns and yacht rock
The music here is frequently excellent. Great sound and instrumentation, consistently interesting. This album is super indulgent, though. I think had it been a single album with just the best stuff it'd be unassailable. As an overstuffed double album, though, it's quite assailable.
Pretty good rock album that dips its toes into other genres and always comes out competent and interesting. Love the use of horns throughout. Wasn’t really digging the vocals but I rather enjoyed this listen. 7/10 Favorite Tracks- “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is” “Listen”
Free Form Guitar was a difficult listen :|
I entered this one quite sceptical. But it turned out that I really enjoyed most of the album! In total maybe a bit too long?! Without true fails ("Free Form Guitar", "Prologue", "Someday", Parts of "Liberation") it has clearly the potential of a four stars album for me.
This was way more jazzy and funky than I expected knowing what little I did about Chicago. So many horns! And pretty good guitar work too. Things come to a screeching halt on that Free Form Guitar track but overall a pretty interesting and solid album.
I don’t even know what’s wrong with this album. Maybe the fact that it’s pretty close but not quite prog? I felt like it lacked big and impactful moments. They went for a jammy feel, but the songs ended up a bit too monotonous. I still think it’s fine, but I expected more, to be honest.
1. intro - 1.5 2. time - 3 3. begininz - 2 4. queztionz - 3 5. lizten - 1 6. poem - 1 7. Guitar - 0 8. Purples - 1.5 9. Man -1.5 10.prologue - 0 11. Someday - 1.5 12. Liberation -2
Does anyone really know what time it is? This is definitely a band. Interesting. 3.5 stars
Low 3, flirting with a 2. But, there is easily a strong 3 star album here, if they shaved off like 15 minutes of the run time, but not feeling so compelled to jam out in about half the songs. Such a reoccurring problem on this list.
A lot of people complained about 'Free Form Guitar' being the point where things take a nose dive, but I'd argue that Peter Cetera's singing tanks this album long before that. It wasn't all bad. The horns and percussion give shades of super bands like Sly & the Family Stone or Tower of Power ('Listen' and 'I'm a Man' being the best tracks). A fair amount of songs, however, give straight 70s theme song vibes - like an episode of the Love Boat is about to get really off the hook. You throw in Cetera's vocals, the Hendrix-wanking guitar track, and the whole thing is too uneven to rate higher than mid.
Such a hit or miss album, I’m kinda sad cause I guess I’m used to the 80’s Chicago stuff so this stuff at points made me sad… but the good stuff on the album are very tasteful. No 7 min guitar solo plz
This is not the Chicago that I thought I would be listening to. I didn't mind the rock sound on this album (minus that solo guitar song), but it is definitely an album of its time.
always enjoy some Dad rock. CHICAGO KICKS ASS!
This was fun, light, energetic. A little white-boy funk/jazz fusion that is definitely of the times. I’d check it out again.
Good
first time listen, therefore immediately went on yt and found kath’s live solo on 25 or 6 to 4 at tanglewood. very strong 3.
Started strong, but way too much jamming.
Just not my thing
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.
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.
Easy listening. Neutral.
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.
Not really my style, though still kinda fun. Good energy, lots of musicianship. Hard pass on the long-form jams, however.
Rating: 6/10 Soulful, funky, proggy, and way too damn long.
Enjoyed. Very jazzy. Too jazzy for some.
it was fine. I'm just not a big fan of 10 minute songs
White people music for sure. The guitar interlude was a real shot in the foot. All of it was mediocre.
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.
Hat mir gefallen, auch wenn es manchmal etwas zu jazzig oder psychedelisch war. Klingt ganz anders als die 80er Chicago.
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.
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 ?
I didn’t know Chicago had that in ‘em!
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!
More Cetera, Less Chicago, please.
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
I think it was ok
too soft and fusion to me
I wasn’t aware they were such good instrumentalists. But ok
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
I liked most of it. I recognized some of the tracks
Some pleasant songs
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".
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
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
3+ Stars (9/15)
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.
Good but -1 for that one guitar song
Liked it a lot more than I thought I would
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
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.
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.
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!
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...
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.
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.
Mycket blås och faktiskt ganska så bra.
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
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)
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".
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.
Part groovy, part noisy.
me gustó aunque realmente no le di la atención necesaria
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.
kinda sucked a bit too long
Zu amusisch. 2,5
2.8/there's a lot going on here
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!
I get it but it’s not for me. Also too long.
Boomers really took one look at this and thought this was the shit.
Solid Chicago. 3/5
I actually really like the garbage noise guitar instrumental in this... everything else is mediocre
3/5.
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.
Does anybody really know what time it is? Does anybody really care? 🤔⌚
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
'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…
‘I’m a man is the clear stand’ out
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
It wasn’t bad. Just ok.
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"
Solid, though I feel that it loses a lot of presence on the tail end. The two pure instrumental tracks are unnecessary.
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
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.
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.”
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
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.
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!
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
2.75/3 Really lovely parts and overall really good album, but no the type of thing I’d listen to Potentially nice on vinyl whilst cooking with a partner on a summer evening
Pretty good, not a whole lot to say. Beginnings is a masterpiece.
Hér skiptast á mjög góð grúv og stundum skemmtileg lög, og rosa löng og lítið spennandi gítarsóló og síðsjöundatugar stefnulaus djammsessionir. Tvær hlustanir og ég fæ út þrist.
A window to a different era, of big bands and big productions. Could come over as bombastic and schmaltzy but somehow just sounds pretty awesome and fun instead. Somewhere between soul, jazz, funk, and hippie rock - with a rhythm section tighter than two coats of paint. Strays at times into prog excess but still quite cool.
Solid listen, I find Chicago's music fun (with the exception of "Free Form Guitar"), and "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?" is a classic.
I fear I must once again use the sentence: Decent version of what it is but ultimately just not my bag. P. much every track starts strong but then outstays its welcome that bit too long, its saved by some prominent funky bass tho. Bluesy in places, might have to find the tabs. And the brass is a fun touch tbf. Respect the brass. Didn't actually hate the guitar rumbling track that everyone is banging on about in the reviews. Like idk fair enough. Actually I'm enjoying bits of it enough that I should probably see if there's radio edits I feel like that could fix my issues. Like i loved the first half of I'm A Man it just has no need to be eight minutes long. Like prologue and someday? Excellent. 4 minutes long. Good tracks. Why am I now listening to a fourteen minuter. No-one wants this. Actually the back 5 minutes rocks. That is a banger of an album closer I can't lie. Hm hard to rate . Ideally a 3.5 but I can't do that.
Ok
Wow! What a surprise this album was! I had written off Chicago as purveyors of inane AM soft rock, and never would have chosen to listen to this record on my own. Jazz influences abound and the technical prowess of the band shines here. I was particularly impressed with the rhythm section as they have it on lock for much of the album. Some nice sizzly guitar tones ride on top of it all. There are a couple of cheese moments in there, but maybe that is just the passage of time.
This goes pretty hard, and was a pleasant surprise when I was expecting the treacle of Chicago's later work. I rode the L Train in 2023, and it didn't sound half as cool as this (I would wager I was about 50 years late).
conflicting feelings on this mixed bag album
• 3/5 • pretty much the only Chicago album I like - so much better than the insipid ballady schmaltz that came after • they own their sound and do it really well, but the length and self-indulgence is trying
a certified banger or two and I generally like a lot but have to ding for several tracks of absolute garbage
Seems like a weird collection of songs, like none of them go together.