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Post by Dawn on May 28, 2003 8:15:56 GMT -5
Today's album is:
Chicago VII - Chicago, 1974
The tracks:
1. Prelude To Aire
2. Aire
3. Devil's Sweet
4. Italian From New York
5. Hanky Panky
6. Life Saver
7. Happy Man
8. (I've Been) Searchin' So Long
9. Mongonucleosis
10. Song Of The Evergreens
11. Byblos
12. Wishing You Were Here
13. Call On Me
14. Woman Don't Want To Love Me
15. Skinny Boy
What are your thoughts on this album?
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Post by djdave on May 28, 2003 11:08:30 GMT -5
Not their best, but the "old sound" was still evident.
Many may beg to differ, but easily my fave is "Searchin' so long". Then would come "Wishing you were here". And I'd choose "Byblos" over "Call on me" (never been big with me).
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Post by SAT-I need more room!! on May 28, 2003 11:37:41 GMT -5
Great album! CTA is a legendary album, but I MAY give this album a nod! (Incidentally, those 2 albums were a couple of the very few non-compilation or live albums we had growing up. My parents were singles people. Shows you how good these albums were!) Finally got this on disc for my b-day in Jan, now that it is remastered with bonus cuts. (Hey, you didn't list those!  ) Searchin' So Long, Call on Me, and Wishing You Were Here (my fave) are three of their best singles ever. Also contains some of their best album cuts ever. Happy Man is beautiful, the best "pretty" song Cetera ever sung. Byblos has Kath's signature hauting vocals and that great mid 70s sound. And the BEST cut to not make the box set (a CRIME-they coulda ditched Life Saver or Skinny Boy), Song of Evergreens. Not sung by any of the "big three" (Cetera, Kath, Lamm), instead lead vocals were by Lee Loughnane. You can just picture being in the forest in the middle of winter. Wonderful song with great fade out chant. All around, great album. |
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Post by Ken on May 28, 2003 13:40:15 GMT -5
Hi Dawn - I've mentioned before that the only Chicago album we had in the house growing up was Chicago IX (Greatest Hits)really the only time I would hear the odd album track was occasionally on the radio. Wishing You Here - To have Carl Wilson , Dennis and Al Jardine on background harmonies was a great idea they just add so much to the already beautiful tune. (I've Been) Searchin So Long - I use to listen to this over and over . Call on Me - Love the percussion on this , the horns are great as well. it has that latin feel to it and hey long before Ricky Martin LOL Happy Man - Heard it for the first time after buying Rhino's Very Best Of disc - has a very smooth and laid back feel to it - very 70's  Yeah I like it. |
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Post by Pete70s on May 28, 2003 15:30:39 GMT -5
About 2 1/2 years ago, I got into this band BIG TIME!! I picked up Chicago II out of a box of used albums and it just kind of grew from there. Within 2 months I had all the albums up to (and including) the first Greatest Hits.
I consider this to be the last really great Chicago album. Every album they did after this had some good moments but just seemed uninspired. Plus after Terry died they would never be the same.. THIS was the album where they really peaked as musicians and writers.
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Post by Dawn on May 28, 2003 19:32:53 GMT -5
Not their best, but the "old sound" was still evident. Many may beg to differ, but easily my fave is "Searchin' so long". Then would come "Wishing you were here". And I'd choose "Byblos" over "Call on me" (never been big with me). '(I've Been) Searchin' So Long' is great! I like how it starts off very quiet and smooth, and then builds up to the more intense ending. I remember hearing that song often during my childhood years. |
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Post by Dawn on May 28, 2003 19:43:19 GMT -5
Great album! CTA is a legendary album, but I MAY give this album a nod! (Incidentally, those 2 albums were a couple of the very few non-compilation or live albums we had growing up. My parents were singles people. Shows you how good these albums were!) Finally got this on disc for my b-day in Jan, now that it is remastered with bonus cuts. (Hey, you didn't list those! ) Searchin' So Long, Call on Me, and Wishing You Were Here (my fave) are three of their best singles ever. Also contains some of their best album cuts ever. Happy Man is beautiful, the best "pretty" song Cetera ever sung. Byblos has Kath's signature hauting vocals and that great mid 70s sound. And the BEST cut to not make the box set (a CRIME-they coulda ditched Life Saver or Skinny Boy), Song of Evergreens. Not sung by any of the "big three" (Cetera, Kath, Lamm), instead lead vocals were by Lee Loughnane. You can just picture being in the forest in the middle of winter. Wonderful song with great fade out chant. All around, great album. I remember first hearing 'Happy Man' on Chicago's Greatest Vol. II years ago and thinking what a great song it was. It's surprising that it didn't get more airplay at the time. 'Byblos' is wonderful, one of the highlights of the album. As you say, it really has that mid-70's sound. And you are absolutely right about 'Song of Evergreens'. It's one of their strongest album tracks, and really should have been included on the box set. |
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Post by Dawn on May 28, 2003 19:52:26 GMT -5
Hi Dawn - I've mentioned before that the only Chicago album we had in the house growing up was Chicago IX (Greatest Hits)really the only time I would hear the odd album track was occasionally on the radio. Wishing You Here - To have Carl Wilson , Dennis and Al Jardine on background harmonies was a great idea they just add so much to the already beautiful tune. (I've Been) Searchin So Long - I use to listen to this over and over . Call on Me - Love the percussion on this , the horns are great as well. it has that latin feel to it and hey long before Ricky Martin LOL Happy Man - Heard it for the first time after buying Rhino's Very Best Of disc - has a very smooth and laid back feel to it - very 70's Yeah I like it. You sound a lot like me, Ken. I always loved the single cuts growing up, but wasn't familiar with many of their album cuts until much later. I remember buying both volumes of their Greatest Hits and If You Leave Me Now on cassette back in late 1984-early 1985, and have been collecting their LPs since 1996 or so. 'Wishing You Were Here' is truly outstanding, and is my favorite Chicago track after 'Beginnings'. Those harmonies are awesome! 'Call On Me' is another favorite of mine. |
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Post by Dawn on May 28, 2003 19:55:55 GMT -5
About 2 1/2 years ago, I got into this band BIG TIME!! I picked up Chicago II out of a box of used albums and it just kind of grew from there. Within 2 months I had all the albums up to (and including) the first Greatest Hits. I consider this to be the last really great Chicago album. Every album they did after this had some good moments but just seemed uninspired. Plus after Terry died they would never be the same.. THIS was the album where they really peaked as musicians and writers. Those early albums are great, aren't they? I agree, the later albums were less consistent, and didn't seem as fresh or imaginative as the earlier ones. Terry Kath was a tremendous talent - it's a shame we lost him so soon. |
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Post by beatles4ever on Jun 2, 2003 11:29:59 GMT -5
I think that this is one of their lesser efforts.None of the tracks is a real stand out for me.
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) 
Yeah I like it.
