Chicago VI

Chicago VI Artist: Chicago
Label: Chicago Records
Category: Music


Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Format: Original recording reissued
Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1


UPC: 703404300621
EAN: 0703404300621
ASIN: B0000021RJ


Release Date: 1995-02-28

Chicago VI


Related Categories:

General General
Categories | Pop | Styles | Music
Soft Rock Soft Rock
Categories | Pop | Styles | Music
Pop Rock Pop Rock
Categories | Pop | Styles | Music
General General
Categories | Rock | Styles | Music
Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) Album-Oriented Rock (AOR)
Categories | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

Tracks:

  1. Critic's Choice
  2. Just You 'N' Me
  3. Darlin' Dear
  4. Jenny
  5. What's This World Comin' To
  6. Something In This City Changes People
  7. Hollywood
  8. In Terms Of Two
  9. Rediscovery
  10. Feelin' Stronger Every Day

Similar Items:

  1. Chicago V
  2. Chicago VII
  3. Chicago VIII
  4. Chicago III
  5. Chicago II (Repackaged)

Album Description

Expanded & remastered. This album shows the emergence of Chicago's more pop-oriented style, and features the hit singles 'Just You 'N' Me' and 'Feelin' Stronger Every Day' with 8 more original tracks, plus the bonus tracks 'Tired Of Being Alone' (with a Al Green) & 'Beyond All Our Sorrows' (Terry Kath Demo). 2002.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars lost in the corporate shuffle.......2006-11-04

This was among the last of the original line-up projects. The formula was not completely in place and there are some break out numbers here as a result. While not their best effort, nonetheless, it has held its own through the years.

4 out of 5 stars Chicago's Second Era.......2006-06-12

I like to think of Chicago in terms of eras. Albums 1 -5 were the first: recorded in NYC, more free form, experimentative, raw and rather undisciplined. They were still learning their craft, but creatively were unstoppable.

With VI, they move to the higher altitudes of the Caribou Ranch for inspiration. It makes a difference. It has been said that they became more "pop" about now. But I would disagree slightly. All artists ultimately seek long term respectability for themselves, once they have attained the heights that Chicago had in the early 70s. If it comes out "pop" to some, so be it.

The thin air of the mountains worked. Out comes Chicago VI, more introspective and poetic than any of their prior offerings. They have become better at their craft, and know how to write songs with great hooks and riffs. Not more pop, really . . . more mature.

Chicago now has more depth and breadth spread out over a single disc. Terry Kath and Robert Lamm sing more softly now, about things more personal and painful. Peter Cetera asserts himself and explores the edges of folk-country. And to demonstrate their hit-making prowess, Feeling Stronger Every Day and Just You 'N' Me provide an optimistic and catchy jolt in a way no previous album could (including V).

It is Chicago's first conga-heavy album, another indicator that their second era has begun. Laudir de Oliveira will soon become the first alteration to the Original Seven. The next Chicago era will be more fun, playful, predictable (and that's not all bad), and professional than the first era.

This was the first Chicago album I had ever bought, as a 12-year old in 1973. For that reason it is a special album to me. I loved it then, and love it now.

Yet - as a whole this is not a 5-star, which is only reserved for albums like Chicago V and Sgt Pepper. You need not be a Chicago fan to enjoy this album. It is for everybody.

4 out of 5 stars A comfortable release in the middle of their classic period.......2006-05-24

If previous releases CTA, II, III & V were 5 star albums, VI drops to no less than 4 stars. The release starts somewhat dubiously with Bobby Lamm's rant, "Critics' Choice", an angry, if slightly sophmoric, piano ballad. The sprightly "Just You 'n' Me," which features Walt Parazaider on the soprano sax during the bridge, picks things up considerably. "Darlin' Dear" then rolls along with a dirty groove and dirtier slide guitar, setting up the sublime "Jenny" from Terry Kath. The band pulls out all the stops on "What's this World Comin' To?" which is a total rave up in the spirit of Sly-and-the-Family-Stone-meets-the-Laugh-In-TV-Show-Band. It's a truly raucous track with everybody swapping vocal lines, a muscular guitar break, and a riotous, righteous rideout. Two tracks about Los Angeles and its pop culture come next. The subdued "Something in This City Changes People" features warm vocal harmonies and absolutely haunting flute work from Parazaider in the spirit of Jobim's "Wave". "Hollywood" is a brisk pop tune with terrific horn charts featuring Pankow on the 'bone during the rideout. Cetera's "In Terms of Two" is a foray into CSN/Poco acoustic turf with humorous quotes on the harmonica. Next, "Rediscovery" is another slow funky burner from Bobby Lamm, and the original set closes with the hit, "Feelin' Stronger Every Day."

Folks can argue that this release was a bit of a let down following the amazing run these guys had from 1969 - 1972, but to these ears, it contains all the same ingredients, just in different doses. There are still strong melodies, tight performances and incisive lyrics, with maybe just a bit more sheen and less improvisation than they had delivered before.

It's worth a listen unto itself, and as a precursor to the progressive explorations which characterized the follow-up release, "VII."

3 out of 5 stars Inconsistent but Still a Must-Have.......2006-05-23

Some of the songs here are so bad they're painful to listen to (such as "Critic's Choice").

But there are some brilliant ones here, too, meaning that you have to get this album. "Just You And Me" is some of their best singing and instrumental playing, for example.

"Darling Dear" is strong albeit a little compromised. "What's This World Coming To" offers a strangely optimistic message which is hard to resist. "In Terms of Two" is great fun and very listenable, if a little unusual as an admixture of styles.

And then, "Something in this City Changes People" is the first inkling of the downer stuff to come - expressing disillusionment with the fruits of success is honest, but not necessarily interesting.

[sigh] You just have to buy it, whether you want to or not...

4 out of 5 stars

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