We’ve got a double Chicago review for you today …
First up, their new album (“Born For This Moment” … aka “Chicago 38!!!” Can you believe it?!?!)
This is their first album of all new material in eight years … and yet the band still sounds exactly like you’d expect them to sound … this despite numerous personnel changes over the past couple of decades.
New lead vocalist Neil Donell aptly takes the reigns … the first time Chicago has ever officially HAD a lead singer. In addition to his wide range of vocal ability, Donell also wrote one of my favorite songs on the album, “Safer Harbours,” just one of several tunes that seem to favor the whole “Yacht Rock” motif that may gain the band some airplay with these new tracks. This cut, “Firecracker” and the first lead single, “If This Is Goodbye” (which has REALLY grown on me with repeated listens) rank as my early favorites. (If the band isn’t acknowledging “If This Is Goodbye” as their way of wrapping up a stellar career, it WILL become their fitting tribute once that time finally comes. When we saw the band in concert on Sunday night, trombonist James Pankow said he plans on doing this “until they take away my driver’s license.” He also quipped that when fans approach him these days and tell him “I grew up on your music,” he cannot help but reply “So did I!”)
There are a lot of “familiar” sounds on this new LP … “Our New York Time” (written by Robert Lamm, Jim Peterik and Joe Thomas) recalls the opening treatment of Chicago’s early hit “Beginnings” … and not in the least shameless way. (Peterik cowrote three songs on the new album, including the title track “Born For This Moment,” all with Robert Lamm.)
“The Mermaid” starts off a little bit like Stevie Wonder’s “Don’t You Worry About A Thing” and then morphs into a smooth jazz track reminiscent of some 1960’s Sergio Mendes material. (In fact, the vocal even sounds a little bit like something Herb Alpert might have taken a stab at during this era!) It’s another song that creates images of a boat on the water, in a Yacht Rock manner of speaking, of course) … and it even tosses in a little bit of a Getz and Gilberto feel into the mix. (Or, at the very least, something off of the "Mad Men" soundtrack!!!) Still, it’s a great little tune … and would make my short list of Top Four Favorites. #5 would have to be “Make A Man Out Of Me,” with some pretty heart-tugging lyrics by Jimmy Pankow.
All in all, a spirited effort. It already ranks amongst my collection of Chicago favorites. (kk)
And with all of that being said ...
Don’t even think about writing this band off …
As mentioned, we saw them in concert Sunday Night at the Hollywood Casino Ampitheatre and they rocked as solid as ever.
Speaking of which …
Very special thanks to Tom Cuddy, Chicago Manager Peter Schivarelli and the band Chicago for inviting us to see the show as their guests ... a GREAT hometown show with Chicago sharing the stage with co-headliner Brian Wilson.
Wilson’s band got things going immediately and never let up, playing a virtual jukebox of Beach Boys hits from start to finish. (I was a little surprised that none of Brian’s solo material was included in the set … especially “Love And Mercy” which typically closes his show as part of the encore … but there was not going to be an encore for this performance. Brian was not in good enough physical shape to leave the stage and come back again, needing the aid of a couple of handlers and a walker to get him to and from his piano.)
[Wilson's image looms large ...
On stage ... and in the whole scope of popular music]
They probably should call the show “The Music Of Brian Wilson” … because during the course of the night, Brian only sang one song … and it wasn’t even one of his! (His reverence for Phil Spector’s production of “Be My Baby” is legendary … it’s what inspired him to become the producer that he became. I swear if pressed, Brian would rank The Ronettes’ version of “Be My Baby” head and shoulders above anything he ever achieved with his own band, trying to emulate the master.)
In fact, Brian never sang more than two lines of ANY song the rest of the night … and spent most of it just looking incredibly uncomfortable and staring off into space.
This put the bulk of the burden on Al and Matt Jardine who, I am VERY happy to report, rose to the challenge and put on a great show (with Al handling all of Mike Love’s leads and Matt covering all of the high falsetto parts that Brian used to do in the good old days.) Al’s voice was back to his high standards throughout this show … and he had a LOT more material to cover here than he did in the recent “Friends And Family” show we saw at The Des Plaines Theatre … proving ANYONE can have a bad night.
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Blondie Chaplin was on board to sing three Beach Boys tunes … an extended, “over-stayed your welcome” version of “Wild Honey,” the bulk of “Long Promised Road” (save the two lines that Brian sang in the middle), a song that has become a late-blooming Beach Boys classic, really coming into its own over the past decade … it was COMPLETELY ignored at the time of its original release in 1971, when it peaked at #89 in Billboard … and, of course, his signature Beach Boys tune, “Sail On Sailor,” another song that has grown greatly in stature since its original release in 1973 (#79) and re-release in 1975 (#49).
Musical director Darian Sahanaja took the leads on “Darlin’” and “I Can Hear Music,” both BRILLIANTLY performed to perfection. (The Chicago horns did NOT join Brian Wilson’s band on stage for “Darlin’” as they had been doing in earlier performances … and “Wishing You Were Here,” which previously included some of Wilson’s background vocalists returning to the stage during Chicago’s set, wasn’t performed at all … two highlights I had really hoped to see.)
Wilson’s set was a rapid-fire assault of Beach Boys hits … and the show closed in good old Beach Boys fashion with “Surfin’ USA” and “Fun Fun Fun,” accompanied by the choreography of concert goers batting the beach balls around the pavilion, just like the good old days.
After a 45 minute break, Chicago took the stage and cut right in with a hit assault of their own. (Think about this … these two co-headlining acts have had nearly 120 charted hit singles between them!!! Where are you going to find that kind of star power performing on the same bill?!?!)
Chicago’s set ran the full gamut of early rockers like “Make Me Smile,” “Feelin’ Stronger Every Day” and show-closer “25 or 6 to 4” … to soft ballads like “Colour My World,” “Searchin’ So Long” and a couple of the Peter Cetera-era soft-rock ‘80’s hits like “You’re The Inspiration” and “Hard Habit To Break” ... on to political statements like “Dialogue.” (They opened their set with “Introduction,” a track from their first LP which, as Lee Loughnane pointed out, was NOT a big success when it was first released. It was their SECOND LP that got things moving for the band … and prompted Columbia Records to re-release several tracks from “Chicago Transit Authority” as singles to help fuel sales of their first LP. It worked ... in the short span of just two years, Chicago had EIGHT Top 50 singles!)
The band performed before a beautiful and ever-changing backdrop of "fancy colours" as well as many other scenes that incorporated creative use of their infamous logo.
Missing in action Sunday Night was original founding member Robert Lamm who, we later learned, flew back to California after testing positive for Covid. (I couldn’t help but wonder how they were going to fill those big gaps in the their set list without him … a Chicago concert without “Saturday In The Park,” “Beginnings” and “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is” … and indeed, they were all absent from the first hour of the show, as was any mention as to why Lamm was absent.)
But then in the second hour, Donell performed all three of those tracks to make sure the audience got what they came for. I like his style … he just goes out there and gets it done, no matter what type of song it may be … he is able to adapt to any style and range of singing. Although, I’m told, he has been with the band now since 2018 handling vocals, this was our first time seeing him … and coupled with his 9 vocals out of 14 on the new LP, he has already settled in as a familiar sound of Chicago 2022 … their 55th YEAR if you can believe it!!! (Again, I have to smile at Pankow’s remark that HE grew up on Chicago’s music, too!!!)
All-in-all, a great double bill … we quite enjoyed ourselves. (kk)
THE CHICAGO / BEACH BOYS HIT LIST
(every National Top 50 Hit by both bands)
# 1 - THE BEACH BOYS - Kokomo (#1, 1988)
# 2 - THE BEACH BOYS - Good Vibrations (#1, 1966)
# 3 - CHICAGO - If You Leave Me Now (#1, 1976)
# 4 - THE BEACH BOYS - I Get Around (#1, 1964)
# 5 - THE BEACH BOYS - Barbara Ann (#1, 1966)
# 6 - CHICAGO - Hard To Say I'm Sorry (#1, 1982)
# 7 - THE BEACH BOYS - Help Me Rhonda (#1, 1965)
# 8 - CHICAGO - Look Away (#1, 1988)
# 9 - CHICAGO - Just You 'n' Me (#1, 1973)
# 10 - THE BEACH BOYS - Sloop John B. (#2, 1966)
# 11 - THE BEACH BOYS - Surfin' USA (#2, 1963)
# 12 - THE BEACH BOYS - California Girls (#3, 1965)
#1 3 - CHICAGO - Saturday In The Park (#3, 1972)
# 14 - CHICAGO - You're The Inspiration (#3, 1985)
# 15 - CHICAGO - Hard Habit To Break (#3, 1984)
# 16 - CHICAGO - Will You Still Love Me? (#3, 1987)
# 17 - CHICAGO - I Don't Wanna Live Without Your Love #3, 1988)
# 18 - CHICAGO - 25 or 6 to 4 (#4, 1970)
# 19 - CHICAGO - Baby What A Big Surprise (#4, 1977) featuring The Beach Boys on backing vocals
# 20 - THE BEACH BOYS - Surfer Girl (#5, 1963)
# 21 - THE BEACH BOYS - Fun Fun Fun (#5, 1964)
# 22 - THE BEACH BOYS - Wouldn't It Be Nice (#5, 1966)
# 23 - CHICAGO - Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is? (#5, 1970)
# 24 - CHICAGO - Old Days (#5, 1975)
# 25 - CHICAGO - I've Been Searchin' So Long (#5, 1974)
# 26 - THE BEACH BOYS - The Beach Boys Medley (#5, 1981)
# 27 - THE BEACH BOYS - Rock And Roll Music (#5, 1976)
# 28 - CHICAGO - What Kind Of Man Would I Be? (#5, 1990)
# 29 - CHICAGO - Call On Me (#6, 1974)
# 30 - THE BEACH BOYS - Be True To Your School (#6, 1963)
# 31 - CHICAGO - Beginnings (#7, 1971)
# 32 - THE BEACH BOYS - Do It Again (#7, 1968)
# 33 - THE BEACH BOYS - When I Grow Up To Be A Man (#7, 1964)
# 34 - CHICAGO - Feelin' Stronger Every Day (#8, 1973)
# 35 - THE BEACH BOYS - Dance Dance Dance (#8, 1964)
# 36 - THE BEACH BOYS - Heroes and Villains (#8, 1967)
# 37 - CHICAGO - Make Me Smile (#9, 1970)
# 38 - CHICAGO - Wishing You Were Here (#9, 1974) featuring The Beach Boys on background vocals
# 39 - THE BEACH BOYS - Darlin' (#10, 1968)
# 40 - THE BEACH BOYS - Surfin' Safari (#10, 1962)
# 41 - CHICAGO - You're Not Alone (#10, 1989)
# 42 - THE BEACH BOYS - Do You Wanna Dance (#12, 1965)
# 43 - CHICAGO - Alive Again (#12, 1978)
# 44 - THE BEACH BOYS - Wipe Out (#12, 1987) with The Fat Boys
# 45 - CHICAGO - Questions 67 and 68 (#13, 1971)
# 46 - CHICAGO - Harry Truman (#13, 1975)
# 47 - CHICAGO - Along Comes A Woman (#14, 1985)
# 48 CHICAGO - No Tell Lover (#14, 1979)
# 49 -THE BEACH BOYS - Little Deuce Coupe (#15, 1963)
# 50 - THE BEACH BOYS - The Little Girl I Once Knew (#15, 1965)
# 51 - CHICAGO - Stay The Night (#16, 1984)
# 52 - CHICAGO - Dialogue Parts 1 and 2 (#17, 1972)
# 53 - CHICAGO - If She Would Have Been Faithful (#17, 1987)
# 54 - THE BEACH BOYS - I Can Hear Music (#18, 1969)
# 55 - THE BEACH BOYS - Come Go With Me (#18, 1982)
# 56 - CHICAGO - Free (#19, 1971)
# 57 - THE BEACH BOYS - Don't Worry Baby (#22, 1964)
# 58- CHICAGO - Love Me Tomorrow (#22, 1982)
# 59 - THE BEACH BOYS - Wild Honey (#22, 1967)
# 60 - THE BEACH BOYS - In My Room (#23, 1963)
# 61 - THE BEACH BOYS - Shut Down (#23, 1963)
# 62 - CHICAGO - Lowdown (#25, 1971)
# 63 = THE BEACH BOYS - Getcha Back (#26, 1985)
# 64 - THE BEACH BOYS - It's OK (#29, 1976)
# 65 - THE BEACH BOYS - Caroline, No (#31, 1966) - released as by Brian Wilson
# 66 - CHICAGO - Another Rainy Day In New York City (#31, 1976)
# 67 - THE BEACH BOYS - Good Timin' (#33, 1979)
# 68 - THE BEACH BOYS - Friends (#34, 1968)
# 69 - THE BEACH BOYS - I Can Hear Music (#35, 1969)
# 70 - THE BEACH BOYS - Surfin' USA (#36, 1974) - reissue
# 71 - THE BEACH BOYS - Bluebirds Over The Mountain (#36, 1969)
# 72 -THE BEACH BOYS - God Only Knows (#38, 1966)
# 73 - THE BEACH BOYS - Add Some Music To Your Day (#39, 1970)
# 74 - CHICAGO - Chasin' The Wind (#39, 1991)
#75 - THE BEACH BOYS - Ten Little Indians (#42, 1962)
# 76 - CHICAGO - Brand New Love Affair (#43, 1975)
# 77 - THE BEACH BOYS - Wendy (#44, 1964)
# 78 - CHICAGO - Little One (#44, 1978)
#79 - THE BEACH BOYS - Here Comes The Night (#44, 1979) - Disco Remake
# 80 - THE BEACH BOYS - Please Let Me Wonder (#46, 1965)
# 81 - CHICAGO - 25 or 6 to 4 (#48, 1986) - new remake version
# 82 - THE BEACH BOYS - Sail On Sailor (#49, 1975)
# 83 - CHICAGO - I'm A Man (#49, 1971) - also charted as the B-Side of "Questions 67 and 68" in a "shared" position
#84 - CHICAGO - You Are On My Mind (#49, 1977)
# 85 - CHICAGO - Take Me Back To Chicago (#55, 1978) - bonus track
# 86 - THE BEACH BOYS - Little Honda (#65) - honorable mention as the B-Side to "Wendy"
# 87 - THE BEACH BOYS - Little Saint Nick (#69, 1963) - honorable mention - as it's been played every Christmas since
# 86 - CHICAGO - Colour My World (#75, 1971) - bonus as this also charted as the B-Side of "Beginnings" at a much higher "shared" position
# 87 - THE BEACH BOYS - Surfin' (#75, 1962) - honorary mention as their first charted single - and the record that got them signed to Capitol Records
# 89 - THE BEACH BOYS - 409 (#76, 1962) - Also listed as the B-Side of "Surfin' Safari"
# 90 - THE BEACH BOYS - Surf's Up (#124, 1972) - an unmitigated classic that never got its due - that's OK, it wasn't supposed to be a hit single ... it was written as a Symphony To God (kk)
