Customer Reviews

Chicago 18

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

When I first bought Chicago 18 in 1986 (just about the day it came out), I was anticipating a rebound from 17, which I thought was a little too vanilla at the time. I hoped for something more like 16 - the 80s, techno Chicago, except that I was hoping that after two or three albums we would finally have a decent trombone or trumpet solo a la Chicago III or V. I KNEW that Chicago could put the jazz and brass into their 80s sound, and couldn't figure out why neither they nor David Foster had figured it out yet. And I still had hopes that something more like the Kath approach to guitar would finally be discovered (and that there would not be this corps of studio guitarists).

But - I was like a lot of Chicago fans that were so absorbed in what we thought Chicago had to sound like (we wanted CTA over and over again), that we failed to hear good music and to realize that, yes, this was Chicago, too.

What I saw and heard broke my heart. I listened to it maybe only once or twice. I hated the picture - what was all this Hollywood glitz clothing (dressing like 25 years olds instead of the middle-aged guys they had become). I wondered where Peter Cetera was. And for some reason - the sound really disappointed me. This was the album that caused me to give up on Chicago for over ten years (I came back after hearing, and loving, the Christmas album).

Cut to 1999 - when I finally bought the CD and listened to it anew, with a renewed appreciation for Bill Champlin and the post-Kath/Cetera sound. I find this album to be one of the most enjoyable listens of all of their albums. It does not have a true standout song, but the entire album heard at once, is a unique experience. Each song folds cleanly into the next. The 25 or 6 to 4 is a little detour in the middle of the ballads. The sax solo on Forever is a welcome addition. Free Flight has an almost comical "Hey, we're still here!" feel. I personally believe that Side Two (cuts 6 thru 10) is among Chicago's best Sides Two. It is possibly even better than V's Side Two. Over and Over, and It's Alright are dynamite back-to-back cuts.

Chicago 18 may be an acquired taste to many die-hard Chicago fans. You have to get beyond thoughts of Terry and Peter being gone, and get used to the idea of, "yes, it's Chicago." Enjoy this legendary band in all of it's flavors.

Pop music collectors should love this Chicago effort - which, as Chicago XI did for their second Guercio Era, shows them at the top of their craft, during the Foster Era. But it is not as good as 16, and Jason is still learning the ropes, so I give it just 4-stars.

"Chicago 18" came out the in September of the same year that I graduated from high school, 1986. During high school, I played trumpet in the concert band and piano in jazz band. I was introduced to Chicago via the radio when "17" hit the charts in 1984; moreso, when my brother bought the album and I got a chance to listen to the entire thing. What drew me to them was the brass. Not only could they play fast, but Lee Loughnane could play high, which is any trumpet player's aspiration - the higher the better, especially when you're a kid (any trumpet players out there laughing? "Maynard" your childhood hero?) Chicago was also my band director's favorite band. He got me listening to the older albums - so I purchased "Chicago V," a greatest hits album, "16," and when eventually all of his albums from "V" through "13."

When I first heard "18" on the radio in the fall of 1986, I was devastated. What was this new sound? It wasn't the Chicago I listened to in high school. I hated it! Fortunately, a college education in music and twenty years of hindsight have softened my tone. It really wasn't as bad as I had thought and I own both the LP and CD and totally enjoy listening to the songs.

"Chicago 18" was Chicago's third installment with producer David Foster. Foster again brought in a host of studio musicians, including Steve Lukather from Toto and tunes written by many outside sources. The album spawned three hits: "Will You Still Love Me" which went #3 in the fall of 1986; the lesser known "Niagra Falls," which peaked at #91 during the summer of 1987; and "If She Would Have Been Faithful," which got up to #17 in October of 1987.

On the whole, the approach is a new direction towards more synth pop/drums and less emphasis on the brass and jazz influences. Most of the tunes follow the typical 1980's pop format - likeable melodies, catchy choruses, and lots of electronics - not much acoustic here (except for the brass). Since nothing unique stands out, both in the arrangments of the songs and performance by the musicians, I can't give it five stars.

My favorite tunes are written by veteran's of the band: Robert Lamm's "Forever" and James Pankow's "One More Day." "Forever" is an awesomely written song about commitment in a relationship/marriage and perhaps has the best saxophone solo ever performed by Walter Parazaider. The brass solis on both tunes are also equally impressive- in fact, if you're a "17" fan, they're similar to the one on "Once in a Lifetime." Outside of those two tunes, the brass really play a minor role - one that reaches it's unfortunate demise on their following album.

Two items that I must mention because of the bad press they receive are the addition of Jason Scheff, who replaced lead singer Peter Cetera, and the remake of "25 or 6 to 4." It is this reviewer's opinion that Scheff has done a great job filling the void of high tenor/bass. He's a fine song writer, plays equally as well on bass as Cetera did, and also has a strong, clear voice. I would not call him a Jaco Pastorius, for those bass fans, but he more-than fills the job.

As far as the remake of "25," when I was a teenager I hated it. As a musical purist, if it had been any other group, I still would hate it. However, being that Robert Lamm and James Pankow, both still members of Chicago, wrote the tune and approved of the changes, who am I to talk? Didn't the major classical composers revise their own pieces and are still respected? Richard Wagner rewrote Tannhauser for the Paris opera some twenty years after it's initial production; Rachmaninoff altered his entire 2nd piano sonata because the first version was unplayable except by the most technically talented; Robert Schumann his 2nd piano sonata, because his wife Clara, a concert pianist, declared that the 4th movement was too difficult (incidentally, I performed both sonatas when I was in college). I still like the original better primarily because Terry Kath's guitar solo is so extraordinary and unusual.

In conclusion, if you're new to Chicago and looking to explore new territory, this is a start, but not what I'd call the definitive Chicago. If you want that, definitely do not start with a greatest hits album! Start with the original "CTA" album, then listen to "II," "VII," and "17." I'd even recommend "Twenty 1." After that, you'll have a good idea of their sound and can start filling in the holes.

Chicago 18 was the first record without the unmistakable tenor, Peter Cetera, and it was every bit as worthy (if not more) as Chicago 17. With the combination of technical prowess, superior songwriting, performance, and production, every song is a hit on this record. Unfortunately, Warner Bros. only gave 3 of the 11 tracks serious promotional backing, relegating much of the blissfulness to b-sides.

Sonically, the record is superb. I love the "morphed" sound on the vocals, a combination of performance talent and technical wizardry on part of the band and engineer, Humberto Gatica. Studio musicianship and songwriting are stellar. LA cats like Bobby Caldwell, David Foster, Steve Kipner, Steve Lukather, and Michael Landau contributed greatly to this record's work. It should be noted that Chicago 19 ushered in the era of Diane Warren contributions, marking a fan-recognized "sell-out." Horn arrangements on 19 were more compromised or absent, but on 18 they're every bit as dizzying as 17's.

The production on 18 can't be beaten. This was David Foster's swan song as Svengali, but nonetheless... the man knows melody, aesthetics, and smoothness. As I alluded to before, his presence was greatly missed on subsequent Chicago releases.

Though the whole record is a highlight, I will only highlight Chicago 18's most obvious items. "Niagara Falls" (remember this one?) was the upbeat release that never cracked the top 40, vocally featuring Chicago rookie, Jason Scheff. "Forever" was another upbeat number touching on the significance of eternal commitment amongst divorce casualties. This features an awesome sax solo and Robert Lamm's smooth, baritone lead vocal (it's nice to hear him every now and again). "If She Would've Been Faithful" was a top 20 hit featuring 18's best lyric. "25 or 6 to 4" was an excellent remake in terms of work, but---in my only criticism---why fix unbroken nostalgia? "Will You Still Love Me?" was the top 10 hit, shades of David Foster's "Theme from St. Elmo's Fire" all over---perfect for weddings. That one always takes me back to grade school, as it's my favorite Chicago hit. "It's Alright" is a good upbeat clap-along number, featuring Bill Champlin in all of his gruff splendor. "One More Day" is my personal favorite. It features the sweetest horn solo turnaround and intro of all time (the intro reminds me of Richard Marx)! It's not the greatest lyric, but it does have a message that's every bit as sweet as its vehicle. The children's chorus is a heart-warmer, too.

After Chicago 16, 17, and 18, there was not much room for improvement. Good job, Chicago. They don't make records like this anymore.

David Foster's 3rd (and final) hi-tech CHICAGO album continued the trend of overproduced synthesized ballads & rockers. At the time of its release, this was my favorite of the 3 "new sound" albums. Much lyrics reflect not only society of the day, but seemed like a "soundtrack" for my OWN life-- that can be spooky when it happens! "As long as Niagara Falls..." (cute play on words), "Forever" (lamenting high divorce rates) and "If She Would Have Been Faithful" (life can have unexpected twists) only serve as a warm-up for 18's one-two punch. A trend that started in the mid-80's was hi-tech remakes of "classic rock" tunes-- in the case of "25 Or 6 To 4", CHICAGO must have figured they'd beat anyone else to doing it first! The first time I heard this, I KNEW many fans would consider it the musical equivalent of sacrilege-- but I LIKED it! It was almost a single-- but at the last minute, sanity prevailed and the intended flip side got pushed instead. What can I say? "Will You Still Love Me?" is my FAVORITE of all the slow love ballads they ever did!! It affected me emotionally for years (I guess I just related to it an awful lot!) The rest of the album's not bad, either-- "Over And Over" and the upbeat rocker "It's Alright" add a lot of zip, while "One More Day", with its optimism and children's chorus seems to have wandered in from an Earth Wind & Fire album. CHICAGO 18 is still a cool listen!

I bought this album thinking it would be just as good as Chicago 16 or 17, but I was wrong. The sound on this album was so not them. When Peter Cetera left the band to pursue a solo career, it's almost like he took the magic with him. However there are some great songs on this album like "Niagra Falls", "Will You Still Love Me?", and "Over and Over". The remake of "25 or 6 to 4" should've been aborted. I never thought in a million years that a band could butcher one of their own songs (a classic at that), man was I wrong. This is why I gave this album 3 stars.

When held up next to Chicago 17, 19, or Twenty 1, Chicago 18 looks very dark and brooding in comparison.

It's rather refreshing.

From the open, with Niagara Falls, it becomes clear that this album is not a 'pick-me-upper' as 17 was. Niagara Falls is a very somber song with a driving beat, which seems to jump ahead of itself in its anticipation as the vocals overlap. Splendid effort on Jason Scheff's part. The album proceeds through Forever, an elegant Robert Lamm work, and then If She Would Have Been Faithful, which (along with Will You Still Love Me?) doesn't seem to fit with the industrialized sound of the remainder of the album. The sound fits well with the more sleek voice of Jason, the newcomer to replace Peter Cetera.

As for the atrocious cover of 25 or 6 to 4, it sounds like one of the boys said to the other, "You know what? Let's do the song like Genesis would if they did it!" Think about it. The drum machine sounds strikingly familiar to something off Invisible Touch.

Then is Will You Still Love Me? which once again doesn't fit with the somber, machined feel of the album, but is never the less a fantastic song.

The rest of the album is largely uneventful. Nothin's Gonna Stop Us Now is nice, and the Horn Interlude is odd, at best. But One More Day has a good message and a terribly placed childrens' choir.

All in all, a great effort from Chicago, and an excellent follow-up. For every ounce of pep and vigor in Chicago 17, there is contemplation and commentary in 18, a welcome change in my eyes.

Chicago 18 was developed and released on the heals of the successful 17, which was also Cetera's fairwell. It is the first of what the group calls their "A.C." (After Cetera) albums. Like most bands coming off a successful album, Chicago had difficulty duplicating the success of 17 however.

"Niagra Falls" IS a play on words and on music, yet it's too much of one, as though the band was trying for a new sound, and salvaged a song from it.

"Forever" seems better sung by Steve Lawrence than by Robert Lamm. Perhaps it's an indication of Lamm's diminishing creative edge which led the band in their early years.

"If She Would Have Been Faithful" sounds suspciously like "Hard Habit to Break" from 17, with Scheff filling in for Cetera, with the music twisted, and with a thesaurus consulted for the new verses.

"25 or 6 to 4" symbolizes the age of the band: trying to modernize a old classic. Pankow and Lamm would have been better using their efforts for a new composition, not changing the old one. Hey guys: There is a saying about not fixing something that's not broken.

"Will you still love me" is a highlight to the album. It demonstrates the band's perpetual ability to put together a good slow dance tune. The song is over five minutes, yet uses the time effectively to crescendo to a proper climax and resolution.

The second half of the album saves the work. "It's Alright" and "I Believe" show why Bill Champlin is such an important part of the band's ongoing success. He's able to put the effort and creativity into his compositions and performances which the band lacks as a whole on this album.

"Nothing's Going to Stop us Now" introduces Scheff in the way he should be: with his own work, not compared with Cetera(PLLEEEASE don't mention Cetera).

"One more Day" is the highlight of the album. Pankow continues to demonstrate his ability for great compositional efforts (the only really bad one was on 13). And this song makes a political commentary, a direction which the band has largely lost in its compositional efforts (The last before this was on 14).

Overall, this album demonstrates the band's appeal to "what sells" to inspire their compositions. With the band being about 20 years together at the time of this album's release, it's a shame to see the members growing up to be adults rather than children.

Chicago-17 was painfull this album goes beyond that into a whole other catagory. First of all who ever came up with the idea to butcher and i mean butcher 25 or 6 to 4 should have their asss kicked all over the place. I feel sorry for anyone listening to it for the first time its plain torture. I also feel sorry for people who werent around in the 1970's to hear Chicago when the wrote and performed their best music. This album is cheesy pointless ballad laden just like Chicago-17 and like the albums to follow. The only good song on here is Bill Champlin's song called All Right. For people who have plain bad music taste you will love this album for true Chicago fans it will make you sick. This album has feature new wannabe Peter Cetera singer Jason Scheff and a horrible whiney voice he has WATCH OUT.

First, I wanted to say the only problem I had with this item was that it was NOT remastered. Some of us know that the Chicago catalog has been remastered from Chicago Transit Authority all the way to Chicago 17. This one is a part of the Rhino "Flashback Label" where it isn't remastered. I was disappointed but it's hard to be disappointed when it's Chicago. Remastered or not, this album is one of the best post-cetera albums out there. And to be honest, I'm more of a Jason Scheff fan anyways. I think the first 5 songs are some of the best Chicago songs to date, with "Niagara Falls", "Forever", "If She Would've Been Faithful", the new version of "25 or 6 to 4", and my all-time favorite, "Will You Still Love Me". This one is a terrific album and I recommend to anyone who likes to find new music to listen to. Just remember, it's not remastered! :)

Imagine having one of the most recognizable lead vocalists in history. Imagine he quits to begin a solo career, and out-of the box, prior to the release of your new album, scores a #1 hit, thanks to the formula developed by the band he left. That's the story that leads up to Chicago 18, an amazing adjustment, which could be the best example of the-forget about-the-trademark lead singer album that's ever been recorded. To top it off, the band was coming off their most successful album ever in 17. With Bill Champlin firmly ensconsed as the new foil to Cetera's tenor, Chicago, with help from musical genius and career catalyst, David Foster had begun a journey that started with Bill Champlin's solo projects and came full circle on 17. But 18 posed new problems. How would Foster make Jason Scheff into the new Peter Cetera? And could Chicago maintain their forward momentum without tumbling into the land of Chicago 13 and 14? Simple. Keep the formula in tact. Write great songs. Arrange great vocal interplay between Champlin and Scheff. 18 manages on all counts. One spin of "Will You Still Love Me" or the under appreciated "If She Would Have Been Faithful", and you'll understand that a band is more than just a single member. Cetera's shoes were big. Fortunately Jason Scheff has big feet. He made the jump without too many bruises. And the rest of the album is just good enough to make you press play from track 1 to 10 without complete boredom. In fact, you may get a few goosebumps along the way. For a real zen moment, check out the new and odd 25 or 6 to 4 with Jimmy Pankow's techie electronic redo. The purists will get a little woosy, whilst all who understand the decade in question will applaud loudly. Chicago morphs their way back to relevance without the guy with the "Glory of Love" and the secret formula. Peter may have taken his tenor away, but Chicago maitains it's integrity. If Foster hadn't played this so safe, it may have gotten 5 stars. Check out 19 and 21 for some real meat and spuds.