Power of Metal.dk Review

Chicago
Now (Chicago XXXVI)
Rating
Style: Melodic Rock/AOR
Release date: 4 July, 2014
Playing time: 50:27
 


The classic melodic battleship, Chicago is back with a brand new studio album, 'Now'. Chicago has accumulated 22 gold and 18 platinum records and, according to Billboard chart statistics, Chicago is second only to the Beach Boys as the most successful American rock band of all time, in terms of both albums and singles. Chicago was formed in 1967 by Peter Cetera, Terry Kath, Robert Lamm, James Pankow, trombone, Walter Parazider, Lee Loughnane and Danny Seraphine.

I was never been a big fan of Chicago, but I liked the classic album Chicago 17, which contained the hits "You're the Inspiration" and "Stay the Night".  After that album Peter Cetera left the band and he began to focus on his solo career. Much water has run under the bridge since the 80's and I wonder how does this band sound in 2014? This is more of a fusion rock album with fat brush strokes of jazzy influences. Very melodic, clean and smooth jazz/rock, which doesn't grabs me. If you like Chicago and their sound, it will be a given purchase.

I like one song especially and that is the first song 'Now'. It will be saved in my special folder for my lonely evenings with my wife... There are flashes of brilliance here and there and some parts of the songs stick in the mind, but overall, one cannot shake a looming sense of redundancy.

Nothing new under the moon. Only for the hardcore fans of Chicago.

Current line-up:
Chicago:
ROBERT LAMM (keyboard, guitars, vocals),
LEE LOUGHNANE (trumpet, guitar, percussion, vocals),
JAMES PANKOW (trombone, percussion, keyboards, vocals),
WALTER PARAZAIDER (woodwinds, backing vocals)
JASON SCHEFF (bass, vocals),
TRIS IMBODEN (drums, percussion),
KEITH HOWLAND (guitars, vocals),
LOU PARDINI (keyboards, vocals),
WALFREDO REYES, Jr., (percussion)


Tracklist
01. Now
02.
More Will Be Revealed
03.
America
04.
Crazy Happy
05.
Free At Last
06.
Love Lives On
07.
Something's Coming, I Know
08.
Watching All The Colors
09.
Nice Girl
10.
Naked In The Garden of Allah
11.
Another Trippy Day
Label: Frontiers Records
Distribution: Target (Denmark)
Artwork rating: 73/100
Reviewed by: Patrik J Skoglund
Date: 8 July , 2014
Website: www.chicagotheband.com