Chicago

Chicago – Chicago V
Artist: Chicago | Album: Chicago V | Style: Rock | Year: 2002 [1972 original] | Quality: DVD-Audio (MLP 5.1 96kHz/24Bit, MLP 2.0 192kHz/24Bit, Dolby AC3 5.1) | Bitrate: lossless | Tracks: 11 | Size: ~5.43 Gb | Recovery: 5% | Covers: in archive | Release: Rhino | Warner (8122 73842-9), 2003 | Note: Watermarked

With four gold multi-disc LPs and twice as many hit singles to its credit, Chicago issued its fifth effort, the first to clock in at under an hour. What they lack in quantity, they more than make up for in the wide range of quality of material. The disc erupts with the progressive free-form “A Hit by Varese” — which seems to have been inspired as much by Emerson, Lake & Palmer’s Tarkus (1971) or Yes circa Close to the Edge (1972) as by the Parisian composer for whom it is named. Fully 80 percent of the material on Chicago V (1972) is also a spotlight for the prolific songwriting of Robert Lamm (keyboards/vocals). In addition to penning the opening rocker, he is also responsible for the easy and airy “All Is Well,” which is particularly notable for its lush Beach Boys-esque harmonies. However, Lamm’s most memorable contributions are undoubtedly the Top Ten sunshine power pop anthem “Saturday in the Park” and the equally upbeat and buoyant “Dialogue, Pt. 1” and “Dialogue, Pt. 2.” Those more accessible tracks are contrasted by James Pankow’s (trombone/percussion) aggressive jazz fusion “Now That You’ve Gone.” Although somewhat dark and brooding, it recalls the bittersweet “So Much to Say, So Much to Give” and “Anxiety’s Moment” movements of “Ballet for a Girl in Buchannon” found on Chicago II.

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Chicago – Chicago II
Artist: Chicago | Album: Chicago II | Style: Rock | Year: 2003 [1970 original] | Quality: DVD-Audio (MLP 5.1 96kHz/24Bit, MLP 2.0 192kHz/24Bit, Dolby AC3 5.1) | Bitrate: lossless | Tracks: 25 | Size: 6.06 Gb | Recovery: 5% | Release:
Rhino Records (R9 73841), 2003 | Note: Watermarked

The Chicago Transit Authority recorded this double-barreled follow-up to their eponymously titled 1969 debut effort. The contents of Chicago II (1970) underscore the solid foundation of complex jazz changes with heavy electric rock & roll that the band so brazenly forged on the first set. The septet also continued its ability to blend the seemingly divergent musical styles into some of the best and most effective pop music of the era. One thing that had changed was the band’s name, which was shortened to simply Chicago to avoid any potential litigious situations from the city of Chicago’s transportation department — which claimed the name as proprietary property. Musically, James Pankow (trombone) was about to further cross-pollinate the band’s sound with the multifaceted six-song “Ballet for a Girl in Buchannon.” The classically inspired suite also garnered the band two of its most beloved hits — the upbeat pop opener “Make Me Smile” as well as the achingly poignant “Color My World” — both of which remained at the center of the group’s live sets. Chicago had certainly not abandoned its active pursuit of blending high-octane electric rockers such as “25 or 6 to 4” to the progressive jazz inflections heard in the breezy syncopation of “The Road.” Adding further depth of field is the darker “Poem for the People” as well as the politically charged five-song set titled “It Better End Soon.” These selections feature the band driving home its formidable musicality and uncanny ability to coalesce styles telepathically and at a moment’s notice. The contributions of Terry Kath (guitar/vocals) stand out as he unleashes some of his most pungent and sinuous leads, which contrast with the tight brass and woodwind trio of Lee Loughnane (trumpet/vocals), Walter Parazaider (woodwinds/vocals), and the aforementioned Pankow. Peter Cetera (bass/vocals) also marks his songwriting debut — on the final cut of both the suite and the album — with “Where Do We Go from Here.” It bookends both with at the very least the anticipation and projection of a positive and optimistic future. (more…)