Tracklist

1. Once or Twice
2. You Are on My Mind
3. Skin Tight
4. If You Leave Me Now
5. Together Again
6. Another Rainy Day in New York City
7. Mama Mama
8. Scrapbook
9. Gently I'll Wake You
10. You Get It Up
11. Hope for Love

Thoughts

We wrapped up the latest series of Popmaster recently, and just at the last minute, Chicago popped up in one of the rounds. I realised, once again, there was a gap in my album archive, so picked an album with a classic ballad on there.

I suppose I had thought that Chicago were one of those rock bands that occasionally did a power ballad, so I thought I knew what to expect from this album. I couldn't have been more wrong. The very first track, Once or Twice, begins with trumpets and piano, and turns into a jazzy upbeat number that could not come from a rock band.

I didn't like it. It had that overly polished, corporate lounge feel, and every time I thought I knew what was going to come next, I was unpleasantly surprised. Another Rainy Day in New York City introduced steel drums mid-way through! If You Leave Me Now was the one safe space in the record, and I do still like that song, but it was swamped by the rest.

It turns out, Chicago in the 1970s were this kind of jazz, soft rock, horn section band, so my assumptions were way off. But still, it's not my kind of music. This might be the first time I've really looked forward to an album, but then disliked it so much I struggled to listen to it a second time. This is a 1 out of 5.

Rating: 1 / 5