for their 5th cd chicago after relasing 3 double lp's and 1 triple lp chicago released their first single lp and it was less expieremnetal then their past records but it worked out well for them and also this disc contains the classic "saturday in the park" and while that song is the best known on here they're are plennty of songs on here that are better such as "a hit by varese" "all is well" "while the city sleeps" and my personal favorite of the disc "state of the union" this is a classic chicago disc my 2nd favorite cd of their's with cta being my all time fave well worth a listen

Beginnings? Hardly. This album was to signal a detour for the once and former cutting-edge group called 'Chicago' nee 'The Chicago Transit Authority'. A suttle change to some, for the better to others...that they went on to satisfy another audience is well and good but circa Chicago V and thereafter their quite singular and originality-tinged magic was lost forever (and rather quickly), at least in any superlative sense as had been indicated by their first three studio releases. Perhaps 'twas just that others passed them by, though if you are a fan of the post '71 and latter-day incarnations then enjoy this you likely will. If not, shed a tear and remember an earlier time - and 'make me smile'. Personal opinion? To be sure, yet shared by many fans and formers. Was it record company edict? Personal choice? Or perhaps boredom and circumstance? Irregardless, a demarcation clearly took place...truth be told, even before Terry Kath's demise a bit later and with it Chicago's resultant and quite precipitous fall, the band was already a tired sounding and sad caricature of its former self, morphing toward their future in pablum ballad-land.

Not satisfied with quick-death but content to linger and wallow in musical-mediocrity (albeit dollar making mass-superiority), the past 30 plus years to date in this once devoted (since 'only the beginning') CTA and early Chicago fan's/reviewer's opinion has been nothing less. Hey guys, maybe a couple more hits 'compilations' to go with the other 65 ad nauseam already out there will bring some back into the fold, huh? A new release is in the offing I hear...to expect the clock to be magically turned back to the former halcion days is unrealistic from these now (predominantly) 60 something guys, although the similarly dinosauric-age out here like myself still embrace such. Considering the equally decrepit and barren musical landscape circa 2005 that is still ever decaying, it probably wouldn't make any difference. Hopefully the new release is better than the unreleased SOS album of the early 90's, which despite bootleg fans claims is NOTHING on par with the early creations but (again) merely simple caricature.

Onward and backward then, let's revisit Chicago V. As a mid- teenager in 1972 and on current listen again as we speak, I searched for that early rough-cut 'CTA/Chicago' sound - it is not to be found. True enough, 'A Hit By Varese' explodes out of the chute at #1, 'Now That You've Gone' presently and the big commercial hit 'Saturday In The Park' is also here, as well 'Dialouge' (parts I & II) and the rest, but it's all a little too polished (and yes, I saw Chicago many times in the 60's, 70's, 80's and 90's.)

With the 60's in retreat by the time of this release perhaps so too was the incredible energy, spontaniety and any way of ever getting back musically...which is to say advance to decline, progress being replaced by mere perseverance. First Terry Kath, then Peter Cetera and finally Danny Seraphine - with their departures the 'heart and soul' of Chicago was no more. A former band member once suppossedly said Chicago could sh*t on a record and sell a million copies. Not today, and not for many years before now have they sold me...

I love all of the Terry Kath Chicago albums (Chicago Transit Authority through Chicago XI), but this one is masterful. It is the jazz fusion of A Hit by Varese, While The City Sleeps and Goodbye. It is the pure power of Now That You're Gone. It is the brilliant song writing, execution and message of Dialogue. It is the anger of State of the Union. It is the sweetness of All Is Well and Saturday in the Park.

This album represents the peak of a superstar band, taking risks as a group and firing on all cylanders. Musicians will perhaps appreciate this album more than others, but it's a great album for all.