Chicago VIII [Original recording remastered]

Product Description
Expanded & Remastered features the original albums 10 more pop-oriented tracks, including the hits 'Old Days,' 'Harry Truman' and 'Brand New Love Affair.' Also includes 3 bonus tracks 'Sixth Sense' (rehearsal version), 'Bright Eyes' (rehearsal version) & 'Satin Doll' (live, 1974). Rhino. 2002.

Chicago VIII,Chicago,Rhino / Wea,Pop,Pop/Rock,Popular Music,Rock,Rock/Pop,Soft Rock

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Chicago VIII [Original recording remastered]

Average customer rating: CHCAGO V111 With Bonus Tracks, The Album Is Finally Complete Better album than I remembered!! VIII The Formula Has Spoiled..............

Chicago VIII Chicago Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Rhino Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Chicago VII Chicago VI Chicago X Chicago V Chicago Xi ASIN: B00006LJ6Z Release Date: 2002-11-05

Tracks:

1. Anyway You Want
2. Brand New Love Affair - Part I & II
3. Never Been In Love Before
4. Hideaway
5. Till We Meet Again
6. Harry Truman
7. Oh, Thank You Great Spirit
8. Long Time No See
9. Ain't It Blue?
10. Old Days
11. Sixth Sense (Rehearsal)
12. Bright Eyes (Rehearsal)
13. Satin Doll (Live, 1974)

Album Description

Expanded & Remastered features the original albums 10 more pop-oriented tracks, including the hits 'Old Days,' 'Harry Truman' and 'Brand New Love Affair.' Also includes 3 bonus tracks 'Sixth Sense' (rehearsal version), 'Bright Eyes' (rehearsal version) & 'Satin Doll' (live, 1974). Rhino. 2002.

Customer Reviews:

CHCAGO V111.......2006-08-01

Excellent album, this album was recorded when the band was with its original members Featuring Terry Kathy(Fantastic guitar player) who taught Jimi Hendrex things he did not know about the guitar. The song on this album called Oh thank you great spirit was in memory of Jim Hendrex written by Terry Kathy and perfomed with a lot of heart. The other tracks were well written and featured exceptional brass as only Chicago could deliver. If you are a Chicago fan and have not purchased this album for your collection then you must purchase it now. Chicago at its best!!!!

Eric J Mazzi

With Bonus Tracks, The Album Is Finally Complete.......2006-06-15

I love these bonus tracks. Chicago VIII had always seemed to be missing something to me. After the epic Chicago VII, this effort was, to put it mildly, underwhelming. I disagree that it had turned the corner to too much "pop". Anyway You Want and Thank You Great Spirit are worthy rockers. And a lot of people seem not to get Harry Truman. It's a tongue-in-cheek retro song, a la Your Mother Should Know by the Beatles.

The production throughout is seamless - nearly perfect crafting. The problem is that it all just seems, well, flat. Chicago is a rock-jazz band. You must not follow VII with straight middle of the road rock-pop.

But the three bonus tunes fix that once and for all. And I love Satin Doll. Get over it, folks, and just enjoy it! With the bonuses, Chicago VIII can finally almost attain the heights of VII.

A word, too about the absence of horns. It always surprised me that the purists didn't get that Hideaway and TYGS are a look back to the classic power quartet songs that everybody loves so much from CTA thru Carnegie Hall. It definitely is Chicago!

Laudir is now a full member of the band. They continue to create amid the altitudes of the Rockies, and here, in the middle of their second era, the boys are doing nothing if not having fun. Don't be so serious, everybody! Drop in Chicago VIII, sit back, relax, and smile!

I recommend this album for all music lovers.

Better album than I remembered!!.......2006-06-10

An album that has been criticized way too harshly, Chicago VIII holds up well 30 years later. Coming after the diverse and superb Chicago VII, it's understandable that many people would have been underwhelmed by VIII at first, and some of the criticism that 'this was the beginning of the decline' for Chicago IS true, for here is where the first signs of age and fatigue are beginning to show for the band, but having listened to it for the first time in years, I was surprised that it was better than I remembered it.

It opens with the Peter Cetera rocker "Anyway You Want". There's nothing spectacular about this track, but it moves nicely and is an enjoyable listen. Next is one of the best tracks on the album, James Pankow's two-part "Brand New Love Affair". Here we begin to see the first signs of the production overtaking the band with the lush string arrangements, but it fits this track nicely. There's some nice jazzy chord changes, and Terry Kath's soulful vocal in the first part is one of his best. The second part rocks with Cetera's soaring vocals. A great track.

Next up is Robert Lamm's "Never Been In Love Before" which shows Lamm pulling out all the stops trying to craft a contemporary ballad. Here it works. A nice ballad with some great production touches throughout. The weakest track is Cetera's "Hideaway", a lame attempt at a hard rock song that is barely listenable. Side 1 (for those of us who remember the original LP) is ressurrected with Kath's sweet "Till We Meet Again"--a two minute ballad featuring nothing but his voice and accoustic guitars that is maybe the very best of these sort of ballads Kath had on nearly every album.

Side 2 opened up with "Harry Truman"--Robert Lamm's almost prerequisite political statement song and one that is more than a little inspired by Randy Newman. This was a Top 20 hit for the band at the time, but the political nature of it dates itself, and it's pretty clear the band doesn't think too much of it since it's never appeared on any of the numerous Greatest Hits albums (except for the boxed-sets) that they've released. It has little relevance today, but it's a nice nostaligia bit for those of us that remember the single.

The surprise of the album is Kath's "Oh, Thank You Great Spirit". I didn't really get this song when I had first bought the album when I was 14--it's seven-minutes long, has no hook, no horns, and just didn't feel like a Chicago song to me at the time. But this is a great track--one of Kath's very best--that clearly shows his Hendrix influence. In fact, this could have been from "Axis: Bold As Love" or "Electric Ladyland". It slowly builds for the full seven minutes and the rhythm section is just jamming and rocking by the end. For anyone that ever doubted that Chicago was a ROCK band---here's the proof.

Up next is Lamm's "Long Time No See". A bit of a throwaway, but miles above the filler that started to crop up on their next albums. After that is Lamm's "Ain't It Blue?", a great rocking track featuring Kath and Cetera trading-off lead vocals that could have easily been on Chicago II or III--it's as good as any of the best rockers on those albums. The album closes with Pankow's "Old Days"--one of the band's biggest hits and one I think best exemplifies the band at this period: on one hand, this is a great track--Pankow's chord changes, melodies and horn arrangements are all top-notch, Cetera's singing is great and it's a great catchy single. On the other hand, to a certain degree, the band is almost TOO good at this stuff by this point--things are starting to sound a bit too polished and insincere. This would be nearly the last big hit single to come from Pankow--from this point on, he began to dry up as a hit songwriter.

The CD offers 3 bonus tracks: "Sixth Sense", a Kath-penned tune that seems to have been dropped before the vocals were recorded or even written; "Bright Eyes" a rather dull Robert Lamm song that deserves to be a bonus track; and their live version of Duke Ellington's "Satin Doll" from the Dick Clark New Year's Rockin' Eve show of 1974. They're a bit loose on this one, but it's a nice track to hear and I'm glad they included it.

VIII.......2006-05-15

I find this chicago record to be kind of rushed. During this time period Chicago was releasing an record almost ever 10 months.
When you have an classic record like VII it's really tough, to follow it up.
"Brand new love affair pt 1 & 2" and "Oh, Thank you Great spirit", shows Terry at his very best. He was concidered the white Ray Charles. He shows that he not just an great guitarist he is also an excellent vocalist.
This was also the time when Peter started to take more active role in the group. "Never been in love Before" and "Old days" shows the talented vocalist Peter is.
Robert Lamn also shines in "Harry Truman", eventhough I find this to be one of weekest singles during that era.
Walt Parazaider shine in his flute solo in "Ain't it Blue".
My favorite part about this Cd is creative album cover. It's my favorite Chicago album cover.
This record has some really great songs and some not great songs. This is a lower mid-card Chicago record.

The Formula Has Spoiled.....................2006-04-14

Other than "Old Days" and possibly "Harry Truman" this is crap and the transition album that would never again see Chicago write songs as good as "Beginnings"......call this one "Endings" and forget everything that followed.....because the aftermath wasn't pretty.

Average customer rating:

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Average customer rating:

Richard Strauss: Don Quixote/Burleske Manufacturer: RCA ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Strauss | Strauss, Richard | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Piano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Cello | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music ASIN: B00000E6Q1 Release Date: 1994-01-18

Average customer rating:

Chicago VIII Chicago Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Pop | Styles | Music Soft Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: Chicago V Chicago VII ASIN: B00000DRW9 Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

1. Anyway You Want
2. Brand New Love Affair, Pts. 1 & 2
3. Never Been in Love Before
4. Hideaway
5. Till We Meet Again
6. Harry Truman
7. Oh, Thank You Great Spirit
8. Long Time No See
9. Ain't It Blue?
10. Old Days

Average customer rating: Lighter Effort after Chicago VII Chicago VIII - Last Rock Album Rockin' Chicago Chicago rocks! An Underrated Album

Chicago VIII Chicago Manufacturer: Chicago Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Pop | Styles | Music Soft Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Indie Music | Stores | Music Classic Rock | Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Chicago V Chicago X Chicago VI ASIN: B0000021RN Release Date: 1995-02-28

Tracks:

1. Anyway You Want
2. Brand New Love Affair-Pt. 1/Brand New Love Affair-Pt. II
3. Never Been In Love Before
4. Hideaway
5. Till We Meet Again
6. Harry Truman
7. Oh, Thank You Great Spirit
8. Long Time No See
9. Ain't It Blue?
10. Old Days

Customer Reviews:

Lighter Effort after Chicago VII.......2006-06-21

Chicago was up and down in this era. "Chicago VI" was downbeat and a lesser effort after Chicago's phenomenal early albums. "Chicago VII" was a return to form, and excellent. This album has moments of excellence, but is again a lesser effort than "Chicago VII" and even some of Chicago's later albums.

This album begins with the jazzy "Anyway You Want." This Peter Cetera penned song is somewhat unusual in that many of Cetera's songs tend to be mellow love songs. This song's lyrics are about love, but the power jazz music that backs the lyrics are uncharacteristic of Peter Cetera's typical music.

The second song is styled as blues. "Brand New Love Affair - Part I and II" starts slow and melancholy. The lyrics ask whether the relationship is over or whether they should try again. The "Part I" portion remains melancholy and down beat. There is a distinct transition from "Part I" to "Part II" about two and a half minutes into the song where the pace of the music picks up and suddenly becomes exuberant as the singer declares that he wants to start over because he loves her so much. The song switches from blues to jazz in the transition, providing an otherwise mundane song with a lot of interest and leaving a listener with a positive feeling. This song charted at #61 on the Hot 100 and #27 on the Easy Listening Chart, backed by "Hideaway."

The next song is a celebration of love. "Never Been in Love Before" captures the warm fuzzy feeling one can get from being powerfully in love with someone. Much of the energy of the feeling makes you feel as though as one could do anything. This slow song has a lot of power and perhaps would have been a good choice for being released as a single.

The Peter Cetera song "Hideaway" has a heavy rock beat that is unusual for Chicago. The song is an escape song with simple lyrics and powerful vocals. This song is surprising only in that it was performed by a group better known for its jazz-flavored pop. The following Terry Kath song is also unusual in that its acoustics and beat would sound more familiar coming from John Lennon than Chicago. "Till We Meet Again" is a lovely pop song that is uncharacteristic of Chicago, though effectively done. Keeping on a roll with novel songs for Chicago is "Harry Truman." The song is a bit gimmicky with a mild political message and a style that occasionally sounds more like Randy Newman than Chicago. Chicago continues on with unique songs with "Oh Thank You Great Spirit," which begins like Pink Floyd, with synthesizer and eerie percussion. The lyrics are other-worldly and make a stab at being ethereal. Even the vocal is reminiscent of Pink Floyd. This song gets faster and harder as it progresses, a throwback to some of the music of the late 60s and early 70s.

"Long Time No See" feels much more like a product of the mid-70s. This pop song contains elements that would soon be identified as disco; catchy hooks and simple lyrics could have made this song a single. The song is short, yet another identifying characteristic of pop music. The following song, "Ain't It Blue," is also short and starts off with a pop style, but then switches to blues. The song is simply constructed and has enough horns to provide a typical Chicago feel, though with a funky flavor.

The last song of the original album was "Old Days," which is perhaps the best song on this album more because it stands out against a background of lesser songs. It seems that songs such as "Old Days" were the rule rather than the exception on some of Chicago's other albums, but on this album it is the one standout song. The flavor of the song is pop, with very catchy hooks, but the layered construction of the music and the lyrics with horn backing are classic Chicago. This song hit #5 on the Hot 100 chart and #3 on the Easy Listening Chart, an indication of the chord the song struck with listeners and a big part of the reason the album hit #1, even if it did not stay at #1 for long.

There are at least three versions of this CD available. This version was released in 1995. There is also a 1990 release and a 2002 remaster that includes three bonus tracks. If you like Chicago's jazz influenced music you may prefer the version with the extra tracks. I personally think that version is worth having because at least two of those bonus songs are worth having. You may wish to survey the available versions to determine which version best meets your needs before buying.

"Chicago VIII" continued the bumpy quality of Chicago's music. "Chicago VI" was fair, and "Chicago VII" was excellent. This album was probably better than "Chicago VI," but was disappointing after the quality of "Chicago VII." However, there is enough on this CD to make this recording a valuable addition to the collection of any Chicago fan. What is heartening is that there were yet other good albums in the Chicago catalog to come.

Chicago VIII - Last Rock Album.......2004-08-19

As far as I'm concerned, this is the last rock album Chicago ever produced. By '73 the major emphasis was on hits and ballads, much to the chagrin of guitarist Terry Kath. While the money was good, his monster playing was taking a back seat to AM radio hit fodder. One listen to Kath on CHICAGO TRANSIT AUTHORITY I, CHICAGO II, CHICAGO AT CARNEGIE HALL, or LIVE IN JAPAN show his amazing ability. When the band rolled into Nederland, CO to record VIII, they were torn and frayed. It seems to me either Kath took control of these sessions or producer James William Guercio gave him control of them. Either way, the focus essentially became a rock band consisting of Kath's guitar, Peter Cetera's bass, Robert Lamm's piano, and Danny Seraphine's skins. There are a couple songs that don't have horns at all. Kath's guitar work on this album is stellar: "Anyway You Want It", "Hideaway" (my favorite), & "Oh, Thank You Great Spirit" are prime examples. Kath's vocal work is soulful as usual on stand outs like "Brand New Love Affair Part I" and "Ain't It Blue". The true essential four piece rock outfit of Chicago is evident on "Hideaway"; a song that in its day, should've found its way on the album oriented FM stations of the day. The obligatory hits are here as well: "Old Days" was a top 5 hit (a song Cetera absolutely hates and refused to sing in concert after the tour to support VIII); Lamm's ditty "Harry Truman" reached the top 20 and "Brand New Love Affair Part I & II" by Kath and Cetera hit #61. The worst song on the original album by far was Kath's "Till We Meet Again". The guitar work is decent but overall the song is poor. Lamm's written Cetera sung "Never Been In Love Before" showcases the band's background vocal ability.
The album was remastered and partially remixed recently and released on Rhino Records. This is a great improvement over the edition released by Columbia Records in the late 80's. The packaging was poor and sound quality sub par. The new version sounds wonderful and the difference can be heard on "Hideaway" with the drums slightly remixed and "Oh, Thank You Great Spirit". Also included are two unreleased rehearsal songs and a remake of "Satin Doll" recorded for Dick Clark's Rockin New Year's Eve '74. Personally this album is my favorite Chicago album. The remastered version is a delight for me. This album ranks up there with CHICAGO TRANSIT AUTHORITY I & CHICAGO II. I highly recommend this album, especially if you like the early Chicago songs.

Rockin' Chicago.......2002-05-08

After Chicago had cooled down a bit with albums VI and VII, they rock once again with VIII. "Anyway You Want", "Ain't It Blue", and "Hideaway" will all have you bopping in your seat. You have the catchy "Harry Truman", "Old Days", and "Long Time No See". "Brand New Love Affair" is beautiful and heartfelt in Part I, and then rocking and energetic in Part II. But to me, the true gems on this album are the Terry Kath tunes. "Oh, Thank You Great Spirit" takes the same route as "Love Affair", starting off mellow, and winding up ROCKING! But Kath's guitar solo to round this one off will knock your socks off. Finally, I saw another review that said "Til We Meet Again" belonged in the "men's room". I couldn't disagree more. The lyrics are romantic, and accompanied by only acoustic guitar, it is everything a ballad should be.

All in all, I would probably rank Chicago VIII #3 out of their whole catalog, only following "Transit Authority" and "II". A must-have for true fans, and a good album to start with for new listeners. But remember, the Chicago of the 80's is NOT what you should expect. Instead, get ready to rock a lot more.

Chicago rocks!.......2001-05-03

Anyone who thinks Chicago does only ballads should listen to this CD. Chicago proves it can rock with songs such as "Hideaway," Terry Kath's "Oh Thank You Great Spirit," and "Ain't It Blue." Other songs include Top 40 favorites "Old Days" and "Harry Truman," but it's the songs that rock that really shine on this CD. The CD packaging is poor (in this case it's doesn't exist...no notes) but buy this CD for the music.

An Underrated Album.......2001-02-09

Of all the Chicago albums, this one seems to be the most underrated and overlooked. Where I lived, "Old Days" got a lot of air play for a while but then it dropped of the dee jays play list. Nevertheless, this is a solid album and I'd recommend it to anyone who's a fan of Chicago.

Peter Cetera's song writing is at its best on this album and Robert Lamm, as usual, delivers more than his fair share of home runs. Although "Old Days" is a good song, I think songs like "Anyway You Want," "Long Time, No See" or "Hideaway" would've made better singles because they're catchy, enjoyable tunes that never wear out their welcome.

"Brand New Love Affair Parts 1 & 2" is the group's last jazz influenced song. Kath's vocal is solid and the orchestral arrangement blends in nicely without being overbearing.

The only really weak songs on this album are Kath's "Til We Meet Again" and "Oh Thank You, Great Spirit." TWMA sounds like it was recorded in the men's room and that's where it should've stayed. "Great Spirit" is too long and too bizarre for my tastes but Kath does some neat guitar work on this cut so I guess it's not a total bust.

Rap Music:

1. Clouds in My Coffee 1965-1995 [Box set]
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5. Essentials [Original recording remastered] [Import]
6. Evil Powers of Rock 'n' Roll
7. Extravagenza [Original recording remastered] [Import]
8. Final Straw [DualDisc] [Enhanced]
9. For All The Drugs In The World
10. Forever Love: Greatest Hits [Import]

Rap Music

rap music

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