Chicago VII

Artist: Chicago
Label: Chicago Records
Category: Music

Average customer rating:

Format: Original recording reissued
Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1

UPC: 703404300720
EAN: 0703404300720
ASIN: B0000021RL

Release Date: 1995-02-28

Chicago VII

Related Categories:

General

| Pop | Styles | Music

Soft Rock

| Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock

| Pop | Styles | Music

General

| Adult Contemporary | Pop | Styles | Music

General

| Rock | Styles | Music

Album-Oriented Rock (AOR)

| Classic Rock | Styles | Music

Tracks:

Prelude To Aire
Aire
Devil's Sweet
Italian From New York
Hanky Panky
Life Saver
Happy Man
(I've Been) Searchin' So Long
Mongonucleosis
Song Of The Evergreens
Byblos
Wishing You Were Here
Call On Me
Woman Don't Want To Love Me
Skinny Boy

Similar Items:

Chicago VI
Chicago V
Chicago VIII
Chicago III
Chicago Transit Authority

Customer Reviews:

A nice start but then stumbles a bit...........2007-04-04

After a couple of laid back recordings Chicago attempts something different. This recording starts out promisingly with some instrumental tracks "Prelude to Aire", "Aire", "Devil's Sweet", "Italian From New York", interesting because it was so un-Chicago-like with the absence of vocals. The horns and superb drumming were there. Robert Lamm began his experimentation with synthesizers. These are not earth shattering innovative works but to my ears they largely work and shows some re-assessment on the group's part.

"Wishing You Were Here" is quite good and also a very different kind of song for Chicago. The Beach Boy's presence really added something special.

"Women Don't Want to Love Me" is a also a good solid pop piece with clever hooks and a sense of fun.

"Skinny Boy" was more a Robert Lamm vehicle but still works and also fun to listen to.

The rest of this recording leaves me cold. First of all, Peter Cetera is now singing almost exclusively in cloyingly annoying falsetto instead in his normal stronger tenor. Pieces like "Happy Man", "Call On Me" and "I've Been Searching So Long", while well arranged and nicely constructed are just too schmaltzy. What happened to the dynamic unit that shone so brightly on the first three recordings? Now, I know that the music scene changes and you can't go about attempting to replicate an album or formula, especially if you intend to be a force and have longevity, but still I just know they could do much better than these last songs I mentioned. Here you had a dynamic horn section, one of the best and most underrated drummers out there. You had an incredible guitarist that were all under utilized in the lesser portions of this recording.

Still this recording had enough high points to merit three stars for me.

Chicago Refreshed & Renewed.......2006-06-20

After the relatively downbeat pop of "Chicago VI," this album shows an energetic Chicago with a positive musical outlook. While the pop element is retained, there are also incredible jazz moments that can take you back to the first three Chicago albums.

The first five tracks are instrumentals, yielding more than 25 minutes of wonderful music that alternates between jazz, progressive jazz, jazz-rock, and other combinations that are easy to lose in the complexity of the music. The instruments include congas, horns, a flute, drums, guitars and keyboards, including a mellotron, Fender Rhodes, ARP synthesizer, and clavinet.

"Prelude to Aire" provides an initial indication of the flavor of the instrumentals with a strongly African influenced beat. If you liked Paul Simon's "Graceland," you should also like "Prelude to Aire." "Aire" is a jazz instrumental with but a flavor of the introductory song. Peter Cetera and Terry Kath get to strut their stuff in the second half of the song, with Terry Kath turning funky for a portion of his lead.

"Aire" is complex and relatively long at almost six and a half minutes, but the following instrumental, "Devil's Sweet," is even longer. Portions of this ten minute composition are introspective, allowing jazz noodling of a core musical theme. Certain portions remind me of some of King Crimson's more experimental 70s work. The mixture of 50s retro style with Jazz and rock creates an interesting instrumental composition that requires multiple listens for full appreciation. "Italian from New York" fits well with the previous instrumentals. This instrumental begins with sound effects that are retro, yet modern. The sound effects are married to horns and later a funky guitar to create a fusion that is new and old, interesting and unique. The last instrumental composition, "Hanky Panky," sets up the transition from the instrumental mini-suite to the first song of the album. "Hanky Panky" is a celebration of music and jazz and declares its enthusiasm for the music that came before and the music that comes after.

The first song keeps a jazz theme for continuity with the opening instrumentals. The vocals have a Beatle's style when they open, and "Life Saver's" peppy beat sets the optimistic tone for the music of this CD. "Happy Man" is a mellow pop love song from Peter Cetera. The pace is slower than the earlier songs, and yet the song is a celebration, with upbeat percussion and vocals.

The next song was the first hit from this album. An edited version of "(I've Been) Searchin' So Long" was backed by "Byblos" in release. The single reached #9 on the Hot 100 and #8 on the Easy Listening charts. As was typical of Chicago's music at that time, the music was very carefully arranged and heavily orchestrated. This pop song is flavored by horns rather than being a true jazz fusion. This song also features strings to further expand the complexity of the music. The vocals are arranged with similar complexity and make this song one of Chicago's all-time greats.

I have no idea what "Mongonucleosis" is about. The lyrics are "Que pe chesa" repeated. The music is Hispanic-styled and fast. This music is easy on the ear and fun, maintaining the optimistic tone of the album. "Song of the Evergreens" is Terry Kath poetry. The lyrics are evocative and the complex music is rock. The repeated "snow" lyrics at the end of the song could be annoying, and yet they are not. Once again the music is catchy and tempts you to hum along. Near the end of the song the guitars break down into a funky sound characteristic of the mid-70s.

"Byblos" is a lyrically complex song. This song is a story song in the tradition of those sung by Harry Chapin and Gordon Lightfoot. We never learn her name, but we know she affects those around her with her presence, an inner beauty that makes you long for her presence once more, while feeling comfortable just because she is in the world. This song is yet another Terry Kath poem set to mellow and pretty music.

The next song has always been one of my all-time Chicago favorites. "Wishing You Were Here" was ethereal and haunting well before that type of song was popular in rock. Chicago's vocals are enhanced by the presence of the Dennis and Carl Wilson of the Beach Boys and Al Jardine. There is also an interesting synthesizer contribution to this song that helps provide an eerie aspect to the song's ethereal air. This song is one that must be heard to be appreciated. This song reached #11 on the Hot 100 chart and #1 on the Easy Listening chart, backed by "Life Saver."

The next song charted #6 on the Hot 100 chart and also went to #1 on the easy listening chart. "Call on Me," backed by "Prelude to Aire," is a jazz-influenced pop love song. The lyrics are simple with yet more catchy pop hooks. The song speeds up at the end to rush through the last 30 seconds, leading into "Women Don't Want to Love Me." This song has a funky blues rhythm and is a breakup song. Similarly, "Skinny Boy" also has a funky blues style. Both songs are by Robert Lamm.

There are at least three versions of this CD available. This version was released in 1995. There is also a 1990 release and a 2002 remaster that includes a bonus track. If you like Chicago's blues music you may prefer the version with the extra track. You may wish to survey the available versions to determine which version best meets your needs before buying.

From "Chicago Transit Authority" Chicago just seemed to get better and better. This CD shows pop influence, but there are just as many other influences, including jazz, blues and even Hispanic. This music is more than just great pop or rock; it is great music. If you are going to own music by Chicago, this CD is a must.

Once a favorite, and still a great album.......2005-04-19

This was my favorite album of all time when I was a 15-year-old trumpet player in the mid-70s. It doesn't hold up quite as well now, but I'm still glad I finally got this on CD. All seven members of Chicago contributed to the songwriting, and the album marked the beginning of Cuban percussionist Laudir DeOliveira's stint as an unofficial eighth member. Originally a two-LP set, most of the first record is jazz-rock instrumentals, with the highlight being "Aire", a 7/8 time piece with a beautiful brass melody and a solid guitar solo by Terry Kath. The 10-minute "Devil's Sweet" is more of an acquired taste. The band transitions to pop at the end of the first LP with "Life Saver" and Peter Cetera's "Happy Man", and stays in pop mode for the second LP. "Happy Man" is one chorus short of a load, but otherwise could have made a good single. Cetera sings on all three of the album's hit singles, and all three are excellent songs: "(I've Been) Searchin' So Long", "Call on Me", and "Wishing You Were Here", a haunting tune where Cetera invited the Beach Boys to do their thing with the backing vocal arrangement. Trumpeter Lee Loughnane gets to sing lead on Kath's tribute to winter, "Song of the Evergreens". Trombonist James Pankow contributes the upbeat, Latin-tinged instrumental "Mongonucleosis". Pianist Bobby Lamm's songs include much of the album's weaker material, except for the catchy "Woman Don't Want to Love Me" -- his "Skinny Boy", which features the Pointer Sisters, was later the title tune of a solo album.

Lyrics were never Chicago's strong suit, and the ones on this album are pretty weak. The early 70s must have been a strange time for relationships. The lyric of "Call on Me", like "Feelin' Stronger Every Day" on the previous album, boils down to "I love you, but I'm dumping you anyway." On Kath's "Byblos", the singer falls for one woman, blows her off in a bar to talk to another woman, and when she goes off with someone else instead, is so heartbroken that "then I went home and I got it on, sat down to write these words when I was finally alone." The pop material here is as good as any Chicago ever did, and the instrumentals hold up to repeated listening better than a lot of the ones on earlier albums. To me, "Chicago VII" is the debut album's biggest competition for Chicago's best album.

(1=poor 2=mediocre 3=pretty good 4=very good 5=phenomenal)

One of Chicago's best Albums..............2005-03-27

This was one of the first albums I ever purchased. Great album. A nice mixture of rock and jazz.

Of particular interest was the song "I've been searching so long". Fabulous song. Well written. Well played.

I have read some of the previous reviews and those people have too much time on their hands. They have decided to be too critical of this particular cd. I wonder why??

Is there any album or cd that is absolutely perfect???? NOOOOOO!!!!! Most cd's have albums that we can live without. But we buy them anyway because we like what the group is doing.

So buy this album already. It has jazz. It has rock. It has easy listening. And it is not to be missed. Sit down and pop it into the cd player and have a drink. Remember when you were growing up and first heard this album. Then you WILL agree that this is one of Chicago's best albums.

This Is Not Their Finest Effort, By Any Stretch.......2002-08-28

Oh yeah, the jazzy stuff on the first few selections of this CD are slightly interesting, but after 28 years of reflection, they are also rather boring. For how tight Chicago's instrumentals could be, it is best to listen to "It Better End Soon" on Chicago II. These seem just to be Chicago's attempts for some sort of further Downbeat acceptance.

"Lifesaver" is a fun song, but also points out how Robert Lamm's voice had mysteriously left him for this album. I know that he's supposed to sound like he's singing through a megaphone, but then "Skinny Boy" shows once and for all that Lamm must have taken a hit to the throat at some point.

Terry Kath's "Byblos" is the standout on this CD, in my opinion. Kath had a singing voice that could give out more emotion in one verse than Peter Cetera could do in the entire Chicago catalog. The "horn" songs just aren't up to snuff. "Call On Me," "Women Don't Want To Love Me," and "I've Been Searchin' So Long" are all acceptable, but just not up to their best from Transit Authority to Chicago V.

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