Was wondering if anyone bought the new Chicago CD "XXX"? How does it sound? I heard the first single "Feel" and I wasn't too impressed....it reminds me of their dreadful late-80s phase

DavidEye said:

Almost all of the Chicago catalog is dreadful - I'm sure this cd is no different.

thedoorkeeper said:

Nah,their 70s albums are incredible.The dreadful stuff came in the 80s

If I bought it I would only be XXIX albums from completing their discography

DavidEye said:

I was kinda hopin' you had bought it, so you could tell me,


...

paligap said:

I went to Target last week to pick up Prince's '3121' and I noticed the Chicago CD.I didn't buy it yet.I love Chicago,but I'm gonna need some feedback before I buy their latest CD...lol...if it sounds like their 80s stuff,I'll pass.But if it's a return to their rich,70s sound,I gotta get it!

DavidEye said:

I bought the CD the same day as 3121, so it took me a few days to give it a "fair" listen. I do like the CD, but i have a few problems with it. One problem would be its to ballad heavy, though "King of Might have Been" is a strong ballad that brings back "Hard to Say im sorry" thats where the ballads should have stopped on this cd. Second problem is the Production on some of the tracks, it sounds very dated, and the date is from a "Bad" Production era. I hate Producers, they ruin everyone. Their are Horns on this record but not enough Jamming!! Though tracks like "Come to me, Do" and "90 degrees and Freezing" are good jams. I would have like more of that, less ballads and a more Stripped production, it sounds too polished, and As amazing as all the Chicago members are especially at playing Live, Why are there so many Studio Musicians Guesting on this Record??? thats another problem i had. As far as advice on whether to get it, I dont really like comparing artists releases but If i had to it reminds me of a mix of Chicago 17 & 18. I do hope however they play a few of these songs Live on the road.

I dont like it much. Though "king of might have been" is classic chicago. Lamm saves the album from being a complete waste thanx to "90 degrees and freezing".


I have barely heard the album, but iam not happy with it. It does indeed sound like it was recored in 1989 or something? Jason gets too many ballads at the start of the cd too.

I knew i would be let down, as their last new album "21" is one of my all time favs, as was the folowup "stone of sisyphus", a incredible album, that has dated slightly, but gets both the old 70's stlye horns, and the ballads just right. An incredible album


http://www.dailyvault.com...07-jc.html

Alot of hype, but its justified. I cant believe Warners canned that album. Could they not hear "bigger than elvis" being a worldwide smash?


"SOS" (stone of sisyphus) had former guitarist Dawayne Baily, giving Chicago a much needed kick up the arse creatively, and he wrote one of their best ever songs, called "stone of sisyphus". But due to some bad blood between him and another member, they kicked him out by fax (harsh). He also reportedly resisted the idea of chicago's covers of big band songs (which was called "night and day"). That album musta seemed like a huge step back after the artistic triumph of "sos". All chicago fans need that album. I'd be happy to give anyone a free copy.

After the almighty high of recently hearng "sos", i knew "xxx" could not live up to expectations, especially since chicago's wild card, dawayne, has now gone.

Please, get hold of a copy of the bootleg "sos", the horns are on fire on most of those trax. That and, "21" would make my top 5 albums of all time. "21", after the plastic sounding "19", was going in the right direction with more horns again (lamm's "one from the heart" is a highlight), and they came full circle with the horns on the unreleased "sos".

lastdecember said:

thanks for the review!

DavidEye said:

Typical, i get u info on what most fans say is their best album since pre foster, and u ignore it

Pick up bill champlin's solo "runaway". Its a good companion piece to "16", as both came out around the same time, and both have foster as producer.



[Edited 3/29/06 13:40pm]

what's wrong with 80's Chicago??!? I love Chicago 18. So many cool tunes on it. Niagara Falls... If She would have been Faithful.... Will you Still Love Me is beautiful.... and i've always loved the re-recorded 25 or 6 to 4. Great stuff

Whoah...hang on! Chicago are still making records?!

Where the hell have I been?


I shall look into this

susannah said:

Yep,they just released a new CD.It's their first new album in many,many years.They also tour regularly.I saw them in concert last year,on a co-headlining tour with Earth Wind and Fire.

DavidEye said:

Thats not so bad then!

Sounds like a brilliant night!