Customer Reviews

Heart of Chicago 2: 1967-1998

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We all know about the controversy behind those notorious "greatest hits" albums. Most of them leave off two or more of your favorite hits by that artist, and others don't include any new tracks so we can see if the artist still has it, but we can't help to buy these albums because of what they DO have. It's the rare greats that don't leave off any of the classics that you can't live without, and what's even more rare are the artists who have so many songs you like that one disc of hits isn't enough. And for that second compilation to be as chock full of hits and to be as great as the first is almost unheard of.

But this CD, The Heart of Chicago Vol. II, is living proof that some artists can go beyond the norm. Chicago has been making great music since 1967 and they've had more success than most artists could ever dream of, but somehow they remain very underrated. Why are they not in the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame yet!?? The first Heart of Chicago CD featured the best known tracks from Chicago's history, but there wasn't enough room for many of the band's best.

Heart of Chicago Vol. II has most of the lesser known hits that you seldom, if ever hear on the radio. As you listen through them, you'll scratch your head and wonder why the DJs never play most of these songs anymore. I'm only 23, so it may not be a surprise that I can't recall ever hearing the catchy "Stay The Night" on the radio (but I've learned to love it!); listening to "What Kind Of Man Would I Be?" (my favorite!) makes me feel old, on the other hand, because I remember when it was new, but I don't think I've heard it played this millennium on the airwaves. "Old Days" is full of nostalgic lyrics that could be a representation of what many fans of 'old' music think. Take us back to the old days when most of the new music was worth hearing more than once!

Myself, I'm usually not a big fan of artists including many new songs on compilations, but Chicago's are pretty good, especially "All Roads Lead To You". I bet it could have been a top 40 hit had it been released. I thought that Heart of Chicago Vol. 1 would've been plenty of Chicago for me, even though this one had "Baby What A Big Surprise", "Old Days", and even the overlooked "You're Not Alone". But then I listened to a clip of some of the others, like "Stay The Night" and "What Kind Of Man Would I Be?" and decided that I wanted to add it to my collection. Whether you're a seasoned veteran of Chicago's music or a clueless newcomer who wants to sample their music, I fully recommend adding both volumes of The Heart of Chicago to your library.

This is the second of Chicago's two 'Heart of...' compilations, and easily has to be the better one of the two! It gives quite a selection of the band's music from their long career just as the first did, but this time there is an even greater passion in the songs, namely 'No Tell Lover', 'Feeling Stronger Every Day' and 'I'm A Man' to name but a few, which you could become really moved by. There is also a great level of thoughtfulness too in songs like '25 or 6 to 4', 'Baby What A Big Surprise' and 'Old Days', so the listener is kept entertained the whole time, and with great singers/musicians like Peter Cetera, Robert Lamm and Terry Kath, you certainly would expect to be!
A point of interest is that Cetera appears to be the main lead singer on this album(Vol#2)no doubt due to the fact that most of the songs required his tenor voice(he's my favourite Chicago vocalist!), whereas the baritone/bass-like voices of Lamm, Kath(and later Bill Champlin) tend to be more prominent on the songs of Vol#1, although there are again some that feature Cetera and Jason Scheff. Still, the band's use of more than one voice adds to their diversity, just as much as their use of strings, keyboards, drums, and horns. So well done for keeping me entertained, Guys!

Since the late 60's, Chicago has created a dynamic vibe with their unique blend of rock n' roll and horns. The Heart Of Chicago Volume 2 1967-1998, is a delightful companion album to the previous Heart Of Chicago album from 1997.

The songs here blend in with classic songs like No Tell Lover, and Love Me Tomorrow, plus a pair of new songs added to the mix, All Roads Lead To You, and Show Me A Sign.

Now, set to celebrate their 35th anniversary in the spotlight, Chicago has crafted a energy that is well worth rewarded. From their early work as The Big Thing, to their power ballad triumph in the 80's, there are so many fans that enjoy the soulful sound of Chicago.

Hm...the first volume has a red cover, and this one is blue...anyone else notice a Beatles resemblance? That's perfectly alright, since our Windy City boys prove that they're also capable of mastering the modern pop song on this second volume of hits. "Baby What a Big Surprise" and "Feelin Stronger Everyday" are 70's classics that will no doubt make appearances on radio until the end of time, and "Love Me Tomorrow" and "Stay the Night" are the type of nostalgiac 80's fare that make it easy to recall where you were, which summer it was, and which love of your life you were kissing under the stars. "Call on Me" is one of the band's several forays into jazz, and the new "Show Me a Sign" is a sunny burst of bright pop. With its red companion this CD accurately reflects Chicago's biggest hits and finest moments...native Chicagoans like myself are done proud.

This collection gives a better picture of the band than the first volume. All but four of the tunes were written by band members. The four songs at the end of the CD can get one really pumped up listening to them in that order. One of those is a cover of Spencer Davis Group's "I'm a Man" which was on the band's first album. The song is a good showcase of Chicago's early talent. "Stay the Night" is one of the best tunes of the ballad-layden post Terry Kath era.

The CD begins with two of Chicago's best, but lesser known songs. "Dialogue" seems to have just as much meaning now, after the Lewinsky scandal and 9-11, as it did when it was first released. "Old Days" is a good follow-up no matter what generation you belong to.

The tunes sandwiched in between are some of the better but lesser known ballads. "What Kind of Man Would I Be?" is one of the few Chicago hits that truly showcases the talent of Jason Scheff, the underated Peter Cetera replacement, both as a singer and a songwriter. One of the new songs "Show Me a Sign" is proof that the band members can still write good music.

The CD also contains classics like "Love Me Tommorrow", "Baby What a Big Suprise" and "(I've Been) Searchin' So Long." I recommened this purchase if you don't have any Chicago records in your collection. Chicago fans should enjoy this one as well.

This disc, like its sister volume 1, is the perfect way to introduce Chicago to the people who need to know that incredible group; excellent songs like NO TELL LOVER (pecious ballad), I DON'T WANNA LIVE WITHOUT YOUR LOVE (powerful number), classics like LOVE ME TOMORROW, 25 OR 6 TO 4, BABY WHAT A BIG SURPRISE, including some of their 70's material like DIALOGUE, OLD DAYS and FEELIN'STRONGER EVERY DAY, some of their 80's songs like YOU'RE NOT ALONE and WHAT KIND OF MAN I WOULD BE; there are two new unreleased songs like SHOW ME A SIGN and ALL ROADS LEAD TO YOU... By the way, if you have the volume 1 and this volume 2, YOU HAVE ONLY THE BEST OF THIS INCREDIBLE GROUP!!

This is a great compilation. I usually don't like compilations like this but this one includes 3 songs from "the lost album", Stone of Sisyphus (SOS). Probably the band's best album since the early 70's. Too bad the tracklisting above is not correct. This is the right track list:

1. All roads lead to you
2. Niagara falls
3. The pull (from SOS)
4. Here with me (from SOS)
5. You come to my senses
6. Please hold on
7. Show me a sign
8. Bigger than Elvis (from SOS)
9. What you're missing
10. Forever
11. Explain it to my heart
12. 25 or 6 to 4
13. We can last forever
14. Along comes a woman (Dance mix)
15. Hard to say I'm sorry/Get away

Oh, all right. I'll admit this album is basically all the songs that didn't make it on the first Heart Of Chicago album. But if you liked the first album, you'll like this. The new songs, "All Roads Lead To You" and "Show Me A Sign" are actually better than most of the tried and true hits. I don't think that "Dialouge" or "I'm A Man" should have been left out. Still, songs like "25 or 6 to 4", "Baby What a Big Surprise" and "Old Days" definetly carry the album. The songs are more high octane, and there are plenty of power ballads. If you are a novice fan, get the album. If you are a seasoned Chicago fan, get the album for the two new songs to keep you happy until "Stone of Sisyphus" comes out.

This album, which features some of the band's greatest hits of the past 30 years, is truly a must have for every Chicago fan. With two new songs as well as 14 of its' greatest hits, this CD is an excellent collection of Chicago's love songs. Their latest release, "All Roads Lead To You" will surely become a hit. Also on the CD are some of their earliest hits, including "25 or 6 to 4" as well as "Baby What A Big Surprise". I highly recommmend this CD!

Luis Mejia (son) - The Heart Of Chicago vol. 1 may contain a better approach into their truly famous hits and most memorable songs, but The Heart Of Chicago vol. 2, while still having a group of famous songs, it also contains in its tracks some most comprehensible melodies, as Chicago is a band with some major numbers of hits, is really comfortable and correct to release two volumes of their hits. The album is as good for beginners as the first volume, while it keeps some really famous and comprehensible songs like the eternal "Feeling Stronger Every Day" and the most famous, fast paced "25 0r 6 To 4", making a more slight but correct approach into their famous hits, while they also focus in their eras, as their early, politically charged or meaningful hits like "Dialogue (Part 1 And 2)", as well as the other two songs past mentioned, "25 Or 6 To 4" and "Feeling Stronger Every Day". It also possesses a group of their most melodic and some romantic songs like the slow burning "No Tell Lover", the poppy "Old Days", and their jazzy but romantic "Call On Me" and "(I've Been) Searching So Long". And its this second volume which captures their latest hits from their latest albums like "All Roads Lead To You", "Love Me Tommorow", "Baby What A Big Surprise", "You're Not Alone", "What Kind Of Man Would I Be" and "I Don't Wanna Live Without Your Love". Still, this second volume, apart from the two very famous songs previously mentioned, it contains a big amount of comprehensible but minor hits, and it also keeps an excessive approach into their latest hits, while all the songs are pretty convincing and enjoyable, volume one is the compilation which captures their truly greatest, but still this sound excellent after hearing the first volume, so make sure to buy both.