Great Rock Albums of 1984: Chicago- 17

 

I'd like to thank Rich for this one. If he hadn't posted about Chicago's 11th album from 1977, I would not have remember that the band had a really good album in 1984. Thank you Rich for jogging my memory here. Once my memory got into full swing, I remember that there was a song on this album I really liked. That was the opening track, "Stay the Night," which I remember most because of the very amusing video got played quite a bit on MTV during the summer.

Reflections from my old age, I now realize that Chicago deserves more credit for "17" than what they actually received. There were two camps in 1984. Most bands were either going down the synth pop road or heading in a more harder direction. Chicago didn't go down either road. Instead, they stuck with the same formula that made them so successful throughout the 1970s. Their fusion of soft rock and jazz influences work just as well on this album as they had on all of their previous ones. That is precisely why Chicago was my 'not guilty pleasure' in the mid 1980s.

Proof of what I'm talking about can be traced to the success of "17." There were four singles, including my favourite track mentioned above, the best known of these was the ballad, "Hard Habit to Break." Sure, it's no where near a heavy metal power ballad but it's a good song anyway. Just as successful was the track "You're My Inspiration" which did just as well in the singles charts as "Hard Habit to Break." The fourth single is probably the hardest rock song on the album, "Along Comes a Woman." Guitarists Bill Champlin and Chris Pinnick deliver on the guitar on the track and the other instruments do well in support. It has a definite catchy vibe and that makes it my second favourite track. Of course, it wouldn't be me if there weren't any non single songs on the album to like. "We Can Stop the Hurting" takes the prize here as it is a definite reminder that Chicago were not about to compromise with their sound. "Remember the Feeling" does come closer to being a power ballad as there is some hard guitar in the background and a fairly decent solo on it. With some really great tracks to close, this album was just like anything you found on any Chicago album throughout the band's history.

Track listing:

1. Stay the Night
2. We Can Stop the Hurtin'
3. Hard Habit to Break
4. Only You
5. Remember the Feeling
6. Along Comes a Woman
7. You're My Inspiration
8. Please Hold On
9. Prima Donna
10. Once in a Lifetime

Chicago

Peter Cetera- bass, lead and backing vocals

Bill Champlin- guitars, keyboards, lead and backing vocals

Robert Lamm- keyboards, lead and backing vocals

Lee Loughnane- trumpet

James Pankow- trombone, horn arrangements

Walter Perazaider- woodwinds

Chris Pinick- guitar

Danny Seraphine- drums

The reason why I considered Chicago to be my not guilty pleasure from the 1980s was down to the fact that by then, I was a total metalhead. Chicago are definitely not metal but I've always liked their softer version of rock, especially in the 70s. So there was no reason why I shouldn't have carry it over into the next decade.

Next post: Roger Hodgson- In the Eye of the Storm

To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com 

Great Rock Albums of 1981: Quarterflash- Take Another Picture

 

Been filled with paranoia the past few days, worried that my credibility as a metalhead has been destroyed for posting the Bonnie Tyler album. Let's just say that in 1983, while I had declared myself to be a total metalhead, there was enough non metal material around that I liked. Most of which, I have already posted about and though I didn't miss anything from not buying Bonnie's "Faster Than the Speed of Night" it wasn't that bad. Besides, there are a ton of metal albums from this year waiting to be posted.

For those who have been following me for a while, you might remember that during my tour of 1981, I stated that the band Quarterflash were one hit wonders in said year for their enormous hit, "Harden My Heart." Nothing else they ever recorded reached my attention nor do I remember hearing anything played on the radio. Note: Commercial radio didn't completely suck in 1983. Like the last three albums I have visited, someone suggested I write about Quarterflash's 1983 album, "Take Another Picture." So, thanks to Youtube, I have given it a couple of listens and can post about it. Before I write anymore, given a choice, I would have bought this album before the Bonnie Tyler one.

With "Take Another Picture," Quarterflash don't seem to veer very far from the formula that made them big with their self titled debut album. Quite a few of the songs remind me of "Harden My Heart" and that's not a bad thing. Quoting an article I read about the band in 1982, there is a smoky jazz feel to many of the songs on the album and it fits in nicely to the rockier edge they have as well. The combination is nicely done and the best example is the track "Nowhere Left to Hide. "Take Me To Heart," and the title track and follow the jazz/rock formula much more and I do get the feeling that I have heard those to songs somewhere before. On the other hand, "Shakin' the Jinx" and "One More Round to Go" are good rock tunes with the latter song having a cool guitar solo. The rest of the tracks fall somewhere in line between those two points with "Make It Shine being the median. It could have easily be a rock single with its anthem feel. So why wasn't it released as one?

When I posted about Quarterflash on the 1981 tour, I mentioned that back then, many people identified lead singer Rindy Ross as the next Pat Benatar. She looks a little like Pat and her voice sounds similar and she plays the saxophone as well. However, there is only one Pat Benatar so I chose to point out that Rindy was talented musician in her own right.

Track Listing:

1. Take Me to Heart
2. Take Another Picture
3. Shane
4. Eye to Eye
5. It Don't Move Me
6. Shakin' the Jinx
7. Make It Shine
8. One More Round to Go
9. Nowhere Left to Hide
10. It All Becomes Clear

[caption id="attachment_2308" align="aligncenter" width="305"] Quarterflash[/caption]

Rindy Ross- vocals, saxophone

Marv Ross- guitars

Jack Charles- guitars

Rick DiGionallardo- keyboards

Rich Gooch- bass

Brain David Willis- drums, percussion

I'm surprised "Take Another Picture" by Quarterflash managed to escape my attention. Possibly because they were bigger in the Northwest than in the Northeast. I don't know. What I do know is that while it is an enjoyable album, it's not one I would have completely rocked out to. None of the tracks, with the possible exception of number 9, have me singing them long after they are finished. Maybe that was down to me turning into such a metalhead at the time.

Next post: Don Felder- Airborne

To buy Rock And Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com 

Great Rock Albums of 1979: Queen- Jazz



Coming off the success of the 1978 smash, "News of the World," Queen proved with the follow up album, "Jazz," why they were a force to be reckoned with back in the late 70s. For me, "Jazz" was every bit as good as their last albums and some of the predecessors as well. Track after track on this album is consistently good and has me bobbing my head along each time I listen to it.
I remember when I heard the very first track, "Mustapha," I wondered whether or not they were taking the proverbial. Maybe Freddie Mercury was doing a Frank Zappa bit and I had the paranoid worry that they were going disco. However, down the line of the song, the guitars kicked in and all was well after that. Then came my favourite track on the album, "Fat Bottomed Girls" and the hit "Bicycle Races" as well as some other fine songs climaxing with "Don't Stop Me Now." A very good album indeed and I'm glad I'm paying tribute to it here.

Track Listing:

1. Mustapha

2. Fat Bottomed Girls

3. Jealousy

4. Bicycle Races

5. If You Can't Beat Them

6. Let Me Entertain You

7. Dead On Time

8. In Only Seven Days

9. Dreamer's Ball

10. Fun It

11. Leaving Home Ain't Easy

12. Don't Stop Me Now

13. More of That Jazz

Queen

Freddie Mercury- lead and backing vocals, piano

Brian May- guitars, lead and backing vocals

Roger Taylor- drums, percussion, lead and backing vocals, electric guitar, bass

John Deacon- bass, electric and acoustic guitar

I have to confess, back in 1979, I tried very hard to dislike Queen, due to my homophobic views back then. Something I regret now. However, when I heard the singles from this album, I couldn't help liking them. The music of Queen has the aura that is very hard not to like and today, I am a full fledged fan.

Next post: Dire Straits

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