Reviews (page 5 of 8)
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.
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!
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.
Why? Why ruin so badly what was a perfectly pleasant album with that? I'm confused and annoyed.
every song does not need to be fifteen minutes
not bad, vibe like the artist name suggests
Here’s the give and take of Chicago: I really liked the horns on the first song. I was into that song almost from the jump. Then there was, like, a three-minute instrumental break in the middle of the song. When they’re doing pop, I think I really like them. When they’re doing jazz, I’m way less into it. Oh here’s another one: Poem 58. Were there lyrics before about 5 minutes into this? I zoned out and now I like the last 3 minutes. This is probably a 3.5, but closer to a 3. A 3.49 album? Anyway, 3 it is.
Pretty cool in places, and far too wishy washy experimental for me in others. A very mixed bag.
Pretty cool. Nice judicious use of waawaa peddles. Funky in some parts.
While I totally appreciate the scope of the arrangements, music from this time period can feel exhausting. Best tracks are Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is, and I’m a Man. Those are classics.
Some solid tracks, but some are kind of odd. Decent listen.
3/5
Nice bit of jazz
This band is tight af - some sick horn passages Easy listening, but a little cheesy for me! Would much much rather listen to EWF in place of this, or even AWB if the band has to be white Listen, Poem 58 are both great
There are parts of this that slap and there are parts of this that are so boring I wanted to quit. Questions 67 and 68, a slap. Free Form Guitar, legitimate torture material. The skill of the group is undeniable, Terry Kath is absolutely one of the greatest guitar players to ever live, but the songs ain't really doing it for me. This is the most 3 star rating I can give.
This album slowly got much better for me. I thought it started kinda slow and unoriginal, but then it really picked up with heavy guitar tones and the songs got much more interesting. I wasn't super excited to listen to this because of how long it is, but I actually think the length of the album is appropriate. Bass is phat, guitar is muffy, drums are loose, horns are tight. My first impressions were: this sounds like every other wedding band My lasting impressions are: this band can jam Also, Free Form Guitar must have slipped through the cracks of the rest of the band. That shit was hilarious to me. Favorite songs: Beginnings, Poem 58, South California Purples, Liberation Healthy 3
The introduction kills and then up until the last 1/4 of the record it’s so good EXCEPT free form guitar is a pile of dogshit that completely took me out of enjoying the record. There’s something about a fat, mid-heavy bass line that I love and it’s all over this record. Throw in some hype horn hits and this band is such a good concept. I feel like they kinda get overlooked now - especially with how many records they sold over the course of like 30 years. The last 1/4 of the record is just a big ass jam that never ends, not bad but idk why they included it. With a couple cuts I think this is at or close to a 5/5 but there’s not a chance I can go higher than a strong 3/5 with free form guitar on the track list.
There's some really good stuff on here, but let down by seven minutes of screeching guitars in the middle for no reason.
Liked some elements of this much more than others, like the big-band funk-jazz stuff hits a lot harder than the guitar interludes etc. I think overall it’s the kind of music I’d enjoy seeing live a lot better than recorded.
Highlights: Saturday In The Park, Beginnings, I'm A Man. In a nutshell: all together now. Before studio micromanagers Steely Dan took over the airwaves, Chicago was the easily identifiable jazz rock (at its roots) outfit. This kind of album would be tricky to pull off as a live take or even in its individual parts, to produce a quality album. The energy and skill of the musicians, specifically the drummer and horn players, are bewildering. It's intended to be an album you sit down and actively listen to. It's not background music. Which can be a good thing. Not perfect, but still good. Overall: 6/10
I have a great deal of respect for large bands. Whether it be classical orchestra, jazz bands, or even larger rock bands, there is something magical about talented musicians feeding off one another to create vital, transformative, infectious compositions or improvisations performances. I have been looking forward to this album for the express purpose of witnessing greatness (years ago, I had a Chicago greatest hits tape that had me somewhat prepared). And in many ways, the band and the album delivers. The big band sound is beautiful and it works for the most part. But I felt that they had trouble sustaining greatness on the album. It's as if the band itself doesn't believe their work is sustainable. But instead of working to convince me of their value, they give us "Free Form Guitar." an inexplicably lengthy and tedious affair. All in all, I just started losing enthusiasm by the note. Sadly, I am convinced that though this band is super talented and generates the occasional hit, it proves tedious.
Hoppin'! The band learning to be tight. Weird album: absolute bangers followed by eight-minute intolerable "free-form" guitar pieces. Loses steam as it goes, but you can hear that these guys are skilled as hell and having fun. Maybe they'll make a few more of these.
Great album that I'm not really a fan of? A few real bright spots and I do love the interlude tracks.
52/1001 - Started cool but got long-winded and same-y the longer it went on. With the exception of the free-form guitar song (I don't have an opinion on it. You probably had to be there in the 60s amongst all the counter-culture and psychadelia stuff to see this as something cool or worthwhile I'm guessing).
Great cover of 'I'm a Man'!
I’ve never really listened to Chicago before. It didn’t grab me.
I enjoyed this a lot more than I would've expected. A bit too long and bloated at times nonetheless.
Het Wikipedia stuk heeft het over een rock album, maar eigenlijk voelt dit vooral als een jazz en funk album aan tot nummer 4 ongeveer. Ja eerlijk, dit funkt echt heel hard! Kende deze band niet maar dit voelt als een funky, jazzy rocky hybrid en ik ga daar best wel goed op tot nu toe. Wel benieuwd of dit aanhoudt, want het album duurt ruim een uur. He godverdomme.. Free form guitar is dan weer echt een bak herrie... Niet om aan te horen dit. Duurt ook rustig bijna 7 minuten. Ik ken een Duits concept album waar dit niet op had misstaan. En het frustrerende is dat ik de muziek opp dat Duitse noiserock concept album beter vond dan Free Form guitar, daar is echt niet doorheen te komen. Krijg je gewoon een hele ster aftrek van, donder op. Zucht.. Waarom zijn er zoveel albums die als laatste nummer een of andere draak doen van ruim een kwartier? Als het werkt vond ik dit oprecht een prettig wegluisterend album, maar uiteindelijk duurt dit me toch weer een beetje te lang. Vermakelijk, leuk ook die blazers maar het album had prima een stuk korter kunnen zijn en dan nog net zo goed. FAVO: Introduction, Does anybody really know what time it is?, Listen, Im a man
Most songs feel 5mins longer than they need to be
Kind of surprised by this. Much more jazz influenced than I would have thought. Some of the instrumentals were a bit strange, but overall the album was better than anticipated. 3/5 Might listen again
Pretty good
Questions 67 and 68 made me transcend. The rest of the album is a mix of "holy fuck these musicians are so talented" and "alright guys let's wrap it up"
Agree with Dom, Questions 67 and 68 was quite poggers, but the rest of the album was just ok
Big band rock n roll. Some classics. Some awesome sections. A lot of long drawn out times which I suppose is necessary when there are like 12 band members.
Ok. But just ok.
Good album. Amazing the way they combine traditional rock instruments with the horn section. I’m not sure if they were the first to do this, but I don’t think anyone has ever done it the way they did. The only thing I did not care for was the more experimental songs.
Enjoyed this much more than I expected. Changes my view on Chicago. Not necessarily going to go down as a new favorite, but enjoyable nonetheless. Also hot take, if Free Form Guitar was on say, a Van Halen album, or another band known for guitar wankery, it wouldn’t get as much hate as it gets on here. But yeah, 7 mins of that is much too long.
enjoyable enough, i guess
Wokal jest bardzo przyjemny. Ale reszta? Dlaczego wrzucili tu Free form guitar?! 7 minut cierpienia?! Po co? Za jakie grzechy? I cała płyta taka była… jakby nie wiedziała, czym chce być. W jaką stronę iść. Kompletny chaos i to nie w dobrym tego słowa znaczeniu. 5/10 na zachętę, bo to ich pierwszy album.
These guys loved trains and numbers. How many of them do you think would be on the spectrum today?
Not so sure about this... felt way too long, and it was a bit all over the place. There were a few good songs like 'Beginnings', 'South California Purples' to name a few. But then there were also a few tracks which were mostly or completely instrumental that just sets the album in the wrong direction to me, with way too long guitar solos that are not that great. 'Free Form Guitar' for example was a really crappy song, and 'Poem' is just waay to long and uninteresting to make up for it. In summary it was a decent album, and they had some cool riffs going on in places. Might return to it in the future, we'll see. Reminded me quite a lof of the Eagles actually. Will have to be a 3 star for now.
Was expecting soft rock but got prog instead. Not a big fan of prog rock in general. Maybe i should'e expected Chicago to have a proggier side since "25 or 6 to 4" is a bit more progressive rock and my favourite Chicago tune. Sadly not on this record. This album had some pretty low lows (looking at you 7 min guitar noise track). The highs weren't all that great but there were good riffs here and there. "Listen" comes to mind as a good track (also one of the shorter ones). As in general with prog rock i just which they were cut down a lot, this one included. Weak 3.
Straight mid. Love “I’m A Man” and “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?” (s/o NJ 101.5 as mentioned 😂) but unlikely to be something I revisit regularly
My kind of noodling
Ok but not my vibe
It started off so well and then became way too self indulgent for me
It was interesting enough, free form guitar is some fuckery that didn't deserve to be there, I will always disapprove of "songs" that are just people fucking around with instruments. Save that shit for practice time. Skipping that, the rest was enjoyable. 3* (-1 for free form guitar)
Meestal gooit dit soort funky jarenzeventigmuziek wel hoge ogen hier, maar deze plaat wil maar niet echt gaan boeien. Ook hier is een dubbelalbum uitgebracht terwijl ze beter de helft hadden kunnen schrappen. De deuntjes gaan maar door en een overbodig potje raggen op de gitaar (kennelijk moest de plaat nog even snel volgespeeld worden met iets willekeurigs) is het dieptepunt. De leukere stukjes (blazers, zang) redden de boel nog enigzins.
This one's a bit all over the place. Some tracks hit hard with those horns and punchy rhythms. Others feel like the band forgot to end the song and just kept noodling around. You can hear the prog rock influence, especially in the longer tracks. It’s not bad, but you need some patience. Luckily, the radio-friendly songs help break things up. They're tight, catchy, and show why Chicago got so big. Favorite Song: I'm a Man Least Favorite Song: Liberation
Hmmm. I think I was disappointed by this. I was expecting more from big name band Chicago and I didn’t see anything super special. Sure it was okay but just expected more.
Meh... Also wtf was that free form guitar track?!
it was good until the Free form guitar
Funk, rock, horns and a whole lot of fun.
That was NOT what I was expecting! I was expecting the dull, safe, generic music that worked so well for them and feature daily on 'bland fm' radio stations. However, from track 1 I had to double check that I was listening to the right band! The guitar thing toward the end was completely out of place though
I enjoyed the ast sidr the most because of the jazz.
I’m not a fan of Chicago by any means, but it’s kind of crazy how prolific they were/are. There’s so much going on here, and it’s only the beginning (no pun intended, I swear). Good for them!
kinda too long
If you take out Free form guitar, and a couple other low scores, the album is quite enjoyable, even if I'm not a fan of this kind of music blend. 7/10
Chugged along nicely, preferred the rockier moments but felt like one long Jam as opposed. to different songs.
First listen. Good.
Really cool! I liked the hendrix-like songs ! Face B and C were the highlights for me! 3,5 stars
I can imagine that hearing Chicago in 1969 would have been shocking. The combination of rock n roll and jazz had and maybe still has never been done since. It’s totally unique, it’s a huge sound. My issue is, how does a band’s first album become a double album. It’s too damn long 6.4/10
Only just found the "high quality" setting on Spotify, which means everything I've listened to so far has been on "low." 😬 This noticeable increase in fidelity, and the brass interludes, made this collection of fairly middling rock songs much more palatable.
The first four songs are great. Everything else is way too long. The horn arrangements are off the charts though jesus
fun songs! too long though…
Five for Liberation and Free Form Guitar, but I think the rest of this isn't something I'll revisit. Way, way cooler than I thought, though. I had no idea how good Chicago used to be. Noisy funk rock jazz fusion chaos, I would've never in a million years thought that from their '80s music.
I recognised some tracks on here, which surprised me. They seem pretty obscure in terms of Spotify listens. The song Questions 67 and 68 in particular has some catchy horn lines that really pop amidst some of the more "filler" tracks on here. Beginnings has a great layered acoustic guitar part which barely gets away with outweighing the bloated eight minutes of song length. I'm a big fan of the mix in I'm a Man. It's party-like, containing everything from exotic percussion and organs to chromatic movement in three-part harmonies. The guitars and percussion on this album are played skilfully in just about every track. The instrumentation choices are excellent and pretty complex for 60s music. But the filler on Chicago Transit Authority is just too glaring to ignore. Free Form Guitar gets old after less than a minute of its nearly seven minute runtime. It's jarring, hard to catch onto, and missing any catchy hooks or riffs. The "August 29" trilogy that closes out the album is passable, but could easily have been left out entirely. Liberation, in particular, is a nifty jam session but just doesn't belong on a studio album. Other songs, including South California Purples, Poem 58, and Introduction, are likeable, somewhat radio-friendly cuts that would be much stronger if they were trimmed down. In fact, bloated track length is a common theme in many of Chicago's non-hits, perhaps suggesting why the hits were so relatively popular. Save the long cuts for live performances, guys. 3/5 Key tracks: Beginnings, Questions 67 and 68, I'm a Man
Some funkiness in this one and the start of a hit machine. It’s front loaded and as a double album I definitely tired by the time side 4 came around. So not a perfect album by any means, but still has a place in history and an interesting start for one of the 70s most well known groups.
Like only 5 songs from this album. Did not like the added guitar songs. Didn’t recognize these being Chicago songs.
So weird that this is from Chicago given what they evolved into. Wasn't really feeling it at all but I actually loved Beginning, has a strong Mingus energy which I loved. Some of these are very strong (e.g. Listen, I'm a Man, Liberation). I'm feeling some of the same things I felt listening to the Allman brothers earlier this week. The solos and jamming out are very impressive and I'm glad that they've been preserved, but they don't necessarily translate as songs I'd like to hear. Free form guitar almost killed all my enjoyment of this though. Really high highs and really low lows, bringing it to a 3 overall.
Chicago is one of those bands who had a handful of great hits—I find their studio work to be quite lacking.
Songs are usually longer than they need to be, but still cool. 3.5/5
Très chargé, presque agressant dans son accumulation, son énergie et ses dissonances. Faut être dans le bon état d'esprit, mais bravo pour la virtuosité.
This would have been much better as a single album. An entire side of the set could have been saved by simply omitting "Free Form Guitar" and "Liberation." A trimmed-down record would have highlighted the tight arrangements and excellent musicianship heard on the best tracks. Terry Kath's very Hendrix-y tone and technique would sound much better if it were restrained just a bit. This would be a three and one-half star album, but I'm gonna knock off a half-star for the utterly stupid way that Terry Kath "unalived" himself. Because of that tragic incident, we were left with the Yacht-Rock and Power Ballad version of the band that permeated the 70's and 80's. Also, Peter Cetera's solo career remains a platinum-selling stain on their legacy.
My friend, half asleep, took a phone call and agreed to help out with what he thought was a video shoot in Chicago. Turns out he accidentally agreed to go on tour with the band Chicago for like 8 months helping with the video projectors for their stage show. He hates the band. This will never not be funny to me.
I’d forgotten and had to check but I have the 7” single I’m A Man taken from this album. That also brought me back to the reason I bought it. When I was a Cadet in Wakefield back in 1970 this was a record my mates and me would constantly play on a juke box in a Wakefield pub. It had all the necessary components that young teenage lads would have liked then. Good riff, long drum solo, crunching guitars etc. it was also over 7 minutes long so good jukebox value. So good to hear this track again and whilst doing so I delved into my memory and realised that I did try to get into Chicago at that time but eventually gave up on them as they were a bit jazzy for my tastes. Whilst my indifference to jazz has now changed to an acceptance, the type of jazz I now like does to run to that which Chicago turn out. It was good to hear this album and the fact that it rekindled forgotten good time memories. 3/5 9/11/24
3/5
It’s like a horns driven jam band. Imagine if Jerry Garcia had picked up the trombone instead of a guitar. I didn’t love the long instrumentals but the rest were fine.
Didn't really fancy it. Bit too jazzy by times, bit too self-indulgent. But despite myself, I enjoyed the 14-minute closer.
Introduction 3.5 Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is? 3.3 Beginnings 3 Questions 67 and 68 3 Listen 3.2 Poem 58 3.3 Free Form Guitar 3.1 South California Purples 3.3 I'm a Man 3.4 Prologue, August 29, 1968 n/a Someday (August 29, 1968) 3.2 Liberation 3 Score: 3.209090909
With its fusion of jazz and rock, the album undoubtedly stood out back in the day. Personally, I liked Beginnings, which has the kind of easy-going feel you'd expect to hear on British radio on a mellow morning or when walking into a branch of UNIQLO. Questions 68 and 68 offers a glimpse into the softer fluffier sound that Peter Cetera would go on to embrace in the 1980s, and Listen has a groove that I could totally see Jungle covering (if they did covers). But then it all goes off a bit off the rails with a 7-minute guitar masturbation called Free Form Guitar. If it were free FROM this guitar...
Not enjoying this as much as I thought I would. I love public transport
Very good.
Interesting
Nice. Quite an impressive work. Sounds like a '70s (although released in the '80s) movie soundtrack, expansive, West Coast feel, jazzy, cool, yeah...
Not my kind of rock. The classic kind
Alright.
Meir storbandaktig enn forventa
album is fulll of fresh-sounding ideas and unusual choices, jazzy + blues + rock. A little long perhaps, but the quality of the album makes it feel shorter. Big ELP vibe if they were more bluesy/musical
I liked it overall, even though it feels self indulgent at times, especially running at 76 minutes long. Oh yeah: Free Form Guitar almost ruined this whole record for me.
Cool, funky
I had no idea what a jam band. They were. I knew the later version of this band and it became less rock and more pop. This set the stage for their sound and I’m sure they were and still are a great live band. I knew a couple of songs and enjoyed the album.
It started off really great and fun. Loved the bands and horns. The more guitar in the song the less I liked it.
Lots of interesting ideas going on here, and about 25 mics on the drum kit alone with the balance knobs all over the shop. Clearly part of the Hendrix vibe, but this is...almost sterile (it isn't...but...) - feels like it's trying to be clever, rather than out of the gut. Free Form Guitar is a hard listen, and I love Hendrix - so it's not -that- Let's go with indulgent poppy prog that every now and then breaks through the clouds; but aside from that is...fascist.
I enjoyed part of this - the production, the sound, the horn section. Then, it veered terribly into 'jam band' territory and I lost interest. Started strong, middle was meh, and ending was a little better. 3/5
I had no idea that early Chicago was more prog and less radio. There are some great songs on this album!
I actually really enjoyed this. I like the band-like groovy sound with all the horns. I'm not sure it's something I'd return to as a whole album, and the songs were a bit long to throw into a playlist, but there were a few tracks I really liked. Fav tracks: Introduction, South California Purples
First time listening to a full Chicago album. And I feel like I'm having deja vu from a week ago when I listened to my first Steely Dan album. It's more jam-y jazz rock. Totally fine for casual listening, and well executed, but doesn't hit hard with me. I will say that Free Form Guitar was a big surprise. I wasn't expecting to hear any experimental, free-improve on a Chicago album, but maybe that just goes to show my lack of familiarity with the band.
The heavy guitar jams got old but I liked the other stuff.
A pretty great debut album that was a bit heavier and more progressive than I expected from Chicago’s later work. I was really on board for the first half but it was just far too long, and the 6 minute track of just guitar feedback was the final straw for me
Didn't enjoy. But I can see why some might
Al final ha sido más duro de lo que pensaba
Intro Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is? Questions 67 & 68
Solid Chicago album, reminded me more of Hendrix than I expected.
Well at least at this point they had more edge than I vaguely associated them with later. I approve of working horns and hendrix inspired noodling into rock, but mostly fades into background. I thought peter cetera came from genesis, but genesis and chicago are bands I'm probably gonna continue to know little and care less about even after this project.
Strange album to say the least. Seems to be all over the place.
It's ok I guess, straddling the line between 60s and 70s, straddling genres but ultimately uneventful. It's a good all-rounder I guess and maybe with a few listens I could really get into it.
In my mind Chicago is basically just an inspiration band for the Notre Dame marching band. I swear every year they were doing some Chicago tribute or another at halftime. I kind of get it now though, they describe themselves as "a rock-and-roll band" with horns. Perfect for a marching band I guess. This is perfectly ok, and overall mostly uninteresting to me. I really am struggling to get on board with any sort of jazz-rock, it all just kind of sounds a bit overly polished and uninspiring to me. They're obviously talented, but just kind of meh to me. This thing is also LONG at 76 minutes. I'm throwing this a 3 because it's not bad and was fine background listening for a train ride home from Philly, but I can't imagine a Chicago album is going to cross the 3 threshold for me. Also, it's not my favorite song on here, but the two "August 29, 1968" songs at the end of the album feel pretty out of place on here. Much more experimental sounding with "the whole world is watching" being played (re: the Vietnam war protests). I liked it, but it definitely was unexpected after like an hour of smooth jazz-rock. Also respect for them for making a band name about the CTA, and not cool of the actual CTA for later making them change their name. Favorite song: Beginnings Other: Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?, Questions 67 and 68, South California Purples, I'm a Man, Someday (August 29, 1968) 8/4/24
Bien, pero un poco largo y rollo las musicales.
this was a real mixed bag for me—i almost turned it off twice but also really liked most of it. 2.5
the first cool day we've had as a break from summer heat + quintessential dad music I'm honestly glad I was raking and trimming branches and stuff today because otherwise....I guess there just isn't a lot that's super interesting here aside from 1) the guitar-noodling song that I skipped and 2) me thinking at the introduction "yeah sure, 'sit down and let me groove on you' sure sounds like something I heard the last time I was at Union Station, is that managed by the Chicago Transit Authority, maybe, I should write that in my review"
When they sang the songs were good and enjoyable. The 15 minute jam session to end the album and 8 minute long songs were a bit much and could have been made a little shorter.
What i want to know is, who were ensuring the good folk of Chicago were getting about on their transit system whilst these guys were creating their funky Jam!
Better than the Chicago LP I have in a box in the attic that's just some middle of the road bollocks. This was quite pleasant and had some originality. Not enough for four stars, but it was better than I thought it was going to be.
A lot to enjoy but got a bit overindulgent at times. Didn’t expect any of their hits to have came from this album but was pleasantly surprised!
I don't listen to early Chicago much mostly based on the schmaltz they released late in their career but this is good stuff. Some good songs, some GREAT horns (take that Courtney Love) and weird blues jams out of nowhere
3.5
Every song could have been reduced by 2 minutes and this would have been a lot better.
Interessante
my Dad’s music. Decent album - multiple genres
surprisingly good stuff but overlong and indulgent 7/10
not bad
I never liked Chicago but this earlier stuff is pretty good.
Chicago is pretty good
Interesting instrumentals
4 utenom gitarskrike sangen
This album was great fun. Different to what I was expecting. Listen and Question 67 and 68 are great tunes. I am man could be Hendrix, I love that song! Favourite song: Im a man Least favourite: Free from guitar never needs to be listened to again. Album artwork: Its a cool cover.
Something about double albums as debuts, they're usually just too long. Did we really need 7 uninterrupted minutes of someone playing a guitar with what sounds like a screwdriver? The mixing is spotty in places, especially on the ham-fisted political "Someday". There are sparks of jazz and psych and blues influenced genius here, but it's buried. Favorite tracks: "Poem 58", "Southern California Purples"
Catchy
3.5 Surprised to see a Chicago album where I hadn't heard of a single song. Started off really strong (especially Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is and Beginnings) and I was leaning toward a 4. By the end I heard some solid 2/2.5s (I'm looking at you, Free Form Guitar). I'll settle at 3.5 because the rules don't matter here.
Sure. Enjoyable enough outside of the guitar feedback one, and even that wasn’t as bad as I expected.
Fucked w this more than I thought I would
This has negative vibes when listening high but the next day it got better when I realized it was largely instrumental jazz rock before it got worse again when it turned into noise rock for like 5 minutes and then played clips from Vietnam protests/the 68 democratic convention (I think). The protest clips were somewhat interesting but felt pretty different totally from the lighter rock at the start.
Some bangers!
Big band influences were unexpected.
Chicago Transit Authority is a better name than Chicago. I didn’t like this very much - too many different styles and it sounded more like a jam session. The longer songs were obnoxious. A lot of musical talent though. Low 3.
Bombastically lame 80s soft rock....oh wait no. Pleasantly surprised, but not blown away.
A couple of the songs went off the rails with jams but it had some good tunes and greatest hits
Very good orchestra. I think their later stuff is better.
A nice jazzy album. I liked Introduced, Poem 58 and Someday the most.
Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is Beginnings I'm a Man Liberation (first 2 and last 2 minutes) Love the chord progression: Bb, Eb, C7, F7 Gm, Eb, C7, Eb with chromatic movement (later used in a James Bond theme)
Wonderful sound
Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is? Beginnings Questions 67 And 68 Free Form Guitar I'm A Man
It's alright. Hated the free flow guitar song, though. That was horrible.
Not bad, got some early classics on there
basically didn't know any chicago past 25 or 6 to 4 (which is kinda lame but gotta admit is still a banger) this is pretty fun and well made, and the boys are technically good musicians, but it's a little too long and just kind of cheesy. overall: solid but not a hit for me
Some parts were ok; some parts were just noise.
First half of the album was great, second half… not so much.
Ohne Free Form Guitar wäre es besser.
Important album as Chicago (Transit Authority) hits the scene. Carrying their trademark sound with the heavy horns, they are certainly rock n roll. This album has a couple of hits and got the group rolling into a legendary career path. This is not, however, where the majority of heir hits lie and I felt, to be honest, that the album ran about 30 minutes long. From around the point where “Free Form Guitar” starts caterwauling, this train comes off the rail. What begins as a refreshing departure from the “everyman’s guitar rock” (which I actually love), becomes long in the tooth and almost made me feel anxious; like I was missing out on something while wasting the time listening to this. Gotta go 50/50.
A fun album but a little on the long side
Songs are too long and when they get jazzy, it’s gross. Other than that, there’s some good stuff here.
Listened to this album while driving around, so I'm mostly going from memory and gut feel here. Things that stood out to me: 1. This band seems like they are trying to be a lot of things. Jazz rock seems like an okay classification, but they also dip well into Blues Rock, psychedelia, and jam. 2. The prominence of horns in their sound is both a boon and a burden to me. I like it in some songs, but find it a bit much in others -- gives an almost big band swell to their compositions. 3. For me, the drums bring the soul to a lot of these songs. Love the variation of fills and the groove that they engender. Poem 58 is the most rewarding song on here IMO. Starts as a lengthy blues-rock instrumental jam sans horns, and midway through the song flips inwardly introduces horns are rips all the way through to conclusion. Also love Beginnings and the jammy elements of Introduction. South California Purples was also pretty tight playing into more of the blues-rock sound. Some of this felt a bit bloated, especially Free Form Guitar. I'm all for instrumentals and guitar noodling, but this felt completely unnecessary and like it should have been left on the stage at Woodstock. I was grooving to a lot of this and there were some really sweet moments, but overall this runs pretty mid for me. 3/5
I've heard Chicago on the radio all my life, but never listened to an album until this one. Wow. I didn't realize they were so jam-band-y (back then, at least). On the one hand, kinda cool, kinda interesting. On the other hand, this album really meanders, and not always in a good way. The worst is definitely "Free Form Guitar". I'm certaintly not against jams and freakouts, but if this album had been reigned in and made even a little bit leaner, it'd be so much better. Still, it's a good listen. Solid 3/5. Good to spin on a Saturday morning, but next time I'll skip the guitar screeching.
Classic love songs and sound from great band.
the only memorable thing about this album is the free form guitar. it has some good moments but overall quite dull – makes decent background music I guess?