Chicago Transit Authority

[Redo]

Any CTA fans (Chicago's first album)? This may be one of the better known overlooked albums out there. Terry Kath's best guitar work, Chicago steadily gets pop-ier after each release. This one is deep rooted in the beginnings of classic rock, experimental guitar work, a unique horn section, and some heartful vocals throughout.


Edit: I forgot to mention the drums, they come alive on this album.

 

[GlendaleViper]

Easily their best album. Things go on a rapid downslide after Chicago III though...

 

[Jigglybootch]

C'mon! You mean to tell me you don't sit by candlelight and sing along with "Your the Inspiration" to pass the time?

 

[NiceCans]

I have always had a great respect for Terry's guitar work, sad he is gone.

And I also agree that they "went downhill" after the first few albums.

 

[Jigglybootch]

On a more serious note, yes, Terry was a hell of a guitar player. Though things were on a steady decline, I can't help but wonder if things might have turned out different had he not died.

 

[fatcat28037]

This is my favorite Chicago compilation.

 

[Orcin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GlendaleViper /img/forum/go_quote.gif Easily their best album. Things go on a rapid downslide after Chicago III though...

x2

 

[Febs]

Agreed. Great album.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redo /img/forum/go_quote.gif Terry Kath's best guitar work, Chicago steadily gets pop-ier after each release.

I would agree that Chicago gets "pop-ier" after Chicago III, but I don't think that Chicago II or Chicago III are any more pop-oriented than Chicago Transit Authority. True that that there is probably nothing in the second two albums that is quite as "out there" as, say, "Free Form Guitar," but things like the "P.M. Mourning" on Chicago II and "An Hour in the Shower" on Chicago III are hardly commercial pop.

Edit: Don't forget about Peter Cetera's bass playing. His bass playing on "Questions 67 and 68" is just fantastic. It's hard to believe that the same person could put out some of the garbage he was responsible for in the 80s.

 

[Jigglybootch]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Febs /img/forum/go_quote.gif Edit: Don't forget about Peter Cetera's bass playing. His bass playing on "Questions 67 and 68" is just fantastic. It's hard to believe that the same person could put out some of the garbage he was responsible for in the 80s.

I know you're not dissing the Karate Kid soundtrack!

 

[sno1man]

Great album and arguably one of the best debuts ever. What a shame that it was a steady downhill decline from there. II and III were pretty good and there was an occasional moment up to about IIV. but after that.....

 

[Jigglybootch]

I've said this to people many times before; while Chicago wasn't exactly in the cellar before it happened, the death of Terry Kath was the beginning of the end. After that, it all went to hell real fast.

 

[tjohnusa]

The first album I ever plunked my hard earned money down for. One thing nobody has mentioned is the sound quality. The recording is amazing for something from 1969.

 

[cosmopragma]

I do have most Chicago albums back from my P2P days.
Chicago Transit Authority, II, III and V were worth to get the original CDs.
Anything after VIII is pretty much unlistenable, and from X on it's mostly the "If you leave me now" style ballads what my girlfriend likes to call " annoying supermarket background noise".I do call it "elevator music".
I can't understand how an initially great band can emit such a crap later.
Probably the wrong drugs and way too much of them I guess.

I've just googled "Chicago" and had to learn that 16 was the commercially most successful album in Germany.
The "hard to say I'm sorry"-crap makes me vomit and I want to sue someone when I'm forced to hear it anywhere.I'd rather listen to some yodeling german hillbillies ........
------------------------------------------

I never heard IV.Is it in the same ballpark as the other early albums?
And those remastered versions of the first albums, are they any good or are there even some Hoffman league masterings around?

 

[Jigglybootch]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cosmopragma /img/forum/go_quote.gif I can't understand how an initially great band can emit such a crap later.

You can thank Peter Cetera for that.

 

[GlendaleViper]

Chicago II definitely deserves its propers when it gets home, too. Colour My World alone is a Classic Rock ballad basically considered a standard, now. And what a song.