1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die #162. Chicago - Chicago Transit Authority (1969)

162. Chicago - Chicago Transit Authority (1969)

Label – Columbia
Producer – James William Guercio
Art Direction – Maria Villar
Nationality – USA
Running Time – 76:30

Track Listing (standout tracks listed in bold)

Side one
1. "Introduction" (Terry Kath) – 6:35
2. "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?" (Robert Lamm) – 4:35
3. "Beginnings" (Robert Lamm) – 7:54
Side two
4. "Questions 67 and 68" (Robert Lamm) – 5:03
5. "Listen" (Robert Lamm) – 3:22
6. "Poem 58" (Robert Lamm) – 8:35
Side three
7. "Free Form Guitar" (Terry Kath) – 6:47
8. "South California Purples" (Robert Lamm) – 6:11
9. "I'm a Man" (Steve Winwood/James Miller) – 7:43
Side four
10. "Prologue" (James William Guercio) – 0:58
11. "Someday" (James Pankow/Robert Lamm) – 4:11
12. "Liberation" (James Pankow) – 14:38

This is the debut record by Chicago – or as they were known at the time – the Chicago Transit Authority. (sometimes informally referred to simply as "CTA"). It is a double album which is rare for a debut release. By today’s standards the material would fit nicely on 1 CD – but a debut record with enough material to fill out a double-disc affair is just unheard of these days. In fact seeing as the band had no track record, their label – Columbia, only agreed to the double lp if the group would take a royalty cut.

I am of course familiar with Chicago and their ‘hits’, but past that I have not heard anything by them. This is an interesting record that actually sounds like it could have been made by two entirely different bands.

On the one hand there is a rock & roll quartet pounding out heavy guitar wailing rock and roll, and then there is the brass trio that augment the pop tracks with as jazz fusion rock. The rock tracks were a surprise as this is not what you think of when you think of Chicago. Perhaps that is why I enjoyed the material from this record that scored in the singles charts the most. Songs such as "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?," "Beginnings," "Questions 67 and 68," and the only cover on the project, Steve Winwood's "I'm a Man", it’s what feels right and comfortable for Chicago. Special mention goes out to “Poem 58” which has an exceptional lead guitar solo.

The record is not without it’s faults however. The 15-plus minute free for all "Liberation" and the meandering experimental avant-garde "Free Form Guitar" – which is exactly as the title suggests, left a lot to be desired.

Upon it’s release the record became an immediate hit, reaching #17 in the US and #9 in the UK. Oddly, the songs from the record that were released as singles initially failed to produce any hits. It wasn’t until the success of some of their later albums later in 1970 and 1971, did they prove to be hits! The album itself stayed on the charts for a then-record 171 weeks, and was certified gold , and has since gone double platinum. It is the only record by Chicago on the 1001 list.
It is recommended.