Main menu
Fretplay home Submit tabs

Chicago
Chicago tabs Chicago discography

Channels
Guitar channel Bass channel Guitar videos Reviews

Message Forum
Guitar forum Bass forum Bands and artists Promote your band Recent discussions All categories

Fretplay.com

Chicago guitar tabs

CD reviews

Chicago X

Chicago - Chicago X Audio CD

A fair review of the Chicago "Chicago X" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Chicago reviews here, or go back to the Chicago tabs.

Band: Chicago
Title: Chicago X
Rating:

Release Date: 2003-02-25
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Once Or Twice 2: You Are On My Mind 3: Skin Tight 4: If You Leave Me Now 5: Together Again 6: Another Rainy Day In New York City 7: Mama Mama 8: Scrapbook 9: Gently I'll Wake You 10: You Get It Up 11: Hope For Love 12: I'd Rather Be Rich (Original Version/Rehearsal) 13: Your Love's An Attitude

One Of Chicago's Best
It shows them nearing the conclusion of an evolution that took them 7 years. This is very different from Chicago's original art-rock leanings on their first 2 albums. Here we have bits and pieces of all of the styles and directions that the band took up to that point.

The first track, Once Or Twice, sounds like it belongs on their 3rd album or on the soundtrack to the Blues Brothers movie. A very tasty treat from late guitarist Terry Kath. Terry tragically died after the recording of their next album from an accidental self-inflicted gun wound. The rest of the album is nothing like that song though. It takes the listener through many different styles and influences. The next song, You Are On My Mind is a latin-jazz flavored number with a Chicago aesthetic attached to it that changes it into accessible pop with enough jazz flourishes to keep it artistically valuable as well. The next song, Skin Tight, is a typical Chicago jazz/blues/rock workout with a sexy backbeat and lyric to fit. This album is never boring. Next we have the Carole King influenced, If You Leave Me Now. Probably one of the best love songs ever written and a tremendous hit for the band. This is no small feat considering that Chicago were second only to The Beach Boys in terms of number one records and singles.

With all this variety of styles, the production manages to keep the record sounding cohesive and flowing. The album, as the cover suggests, melts sweetly as you listen and relax to its adult contemporary sound. Chicago were an outstanding band with many classic albums and this is not exception. If you are new to this band and like soft rock, then prepare yourself to become addicted. You will probably get the rest of their records after this one.

Highly Recommended .

The Hershey Bar Album Not Stale 30 + Years Later
The only reason I bought this, was to have a CD copy. What's to say, Chicago is one of my five forever favorite bands, in fact I have had the vinyl of this album since it came out in the mid to late 70's. The sound, the songs still incedible sounding. This is one away from Terry Kath's tragic death, and should be remembered as some of his last work. As a guitar player myself, I loved his playing, to this day some of his 40 year old solos are still fresh and hard to duplicate by some of the best. As Trombonist James Pankow said at their 35th anniversery concert, "Terry was the living breathing soul of the band".
If your a Chicago fan and don't have this album, buy it you will like it. If you are not a Chicago fan Why? Buy it, it has some good cuts on it.

Chicago CD
I am also very impressed with how quickly this item was shipped to me. I am very pleased with the quality of this product. .

Chicago Goes For A Little Change
In general this strikes a better balance between those two styles. 'Chicago X' finds the band in a different musical place,somewhere between the funky 1974 album Chicago VII and the heavier rock of it's follow up Chicago VIII. Does 'X' go back to the style Chicago had in the early days?Not exactly;the tunes here are shorter pop songs with no suites and song cycles but there are plenty of gems here. Terry Kath contributed the bouncy rock n roll of "Once Or Twice" while James Pankow's Latin romp "You Are On My Mind" (one of this albums singles). He also teamed up with Peter Cetera for the playful funk of "Skin Tight" (NOT the Ohio Players hit) while Robert Lamm brings in the funk-rock hybrid thing. This album had three singles and two get quite a lot of airplay today but one of them,"If You Leave Me Now" is probably the song people most ascociated with this recording. Even in music review books this album is often written off as the place when Chicago turned to "power ballads". First "If You Leave Me Now" is NOT a power ballad and two,it is not the sound that defines this otherwise peppy album. The other single is more that style-the Caribbean sounding "Another Rainy Day In New York City",written again by Lamm. This album is not as long winded or experimental as Chicago's earlier recording but it is also one of their great albums as well.

Chicago At The Edge Of Their Rocky Mountain Plateau
It is not quite as good as XI, but is the best one yet (being just slightly better than the epic VII). I say the edge, because they almost reach the peak of their second era, the Caribou-ranch years of Chicago VI - XI, with this album.

Why do I rank it higher than VII? Well, because of the vocals of Terry Kath that start it off, and the hot sax solo. It had been so long since we had heard THAT kind of Chicago. Maybe Chicago V was the last time! And then it goes into You Are On My Mind, with, are you ready, a truly Chicago-esque Pankow trombone solo!

de Oliveira, a key element in their second era, is very prevalent on this album. Pop, rock, and blues are tinged with his percussive offerings, mostly notably his congas. It has been argued - who did Chicago ever influence? A point could be made that they gave a boost to the growth of latin influences in 70s and 80s pop with their Caribou sound.

But the thing that makes X different than CTA - V, is that the guys are just having flat-out fun. They thumb their noses at the stoners and say, "We're going to play what we want to play. "

I am tired of the old, worn out cliche of this being the beginning of the ballad era. Hogwash! When did the Beatles ever get criticized for recording "And I Love Her," or "Michelle," or "Something"? It's called musical diversity! Get off your high horses and enjoy it!

This album is almost a 5-star. When I bought it in 1976, I was thrilled with every cut, thinking to myself "Good, they're finally getting back to their real sound!"

Every music lover should have this CD - and they should LIKE it!.

You can see a complete list of all Chicago discography, or go back to the Chicago tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.