97. Chicago Transit Authority – Self-Titled

Chicago Transit Authority – Self-Titled – GP8 CS9809 – 1969
Gatefold. Double album.

Columbia Records – Matrix number  o XSM139684-1A P K 2

Barcode – N/A

Vinyl/cover – VG-/VG-
Shelf wear on the cover, vinyl has some surface scratches but sounds OK.

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_Transit_Authority_(album)

Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/Chicago-Transit-Authority-Chicago-Transit-Authority/release/10803461

6-23-2020

Drinking – Diet Dr. Pepper

Spoiler: Chicago Transit Authority is Chicago, they changed their name after this album. Just thought I’d get that out there.* I’m not really a jazz guy but I am a rock guy, so I’m not sure where I’m going to fall on this debut album from Chicago Transit Authority (hereafter referred to as Chicago.) I have a feeling that I’ll like the earlier stuff better, as I have this disturbing suspicion that they started out as a rock band (or jazz rock if you believe Discogs) but evolved into easy listening as their career progressed. We have 6 or 7 of their albums to get through, starting here at 1969 and taking us to around the mid-to-late 70s. I feel like these are some of the albums that are just mandatory to have in your vinyl collection, and the prices reflect that – this double vinyl LP classic is available on Discogs marketplace for as little as $1.29. Also, another day of Diet Dr. Pepper, as I’m still on medication. I’ll try not to let it color my perceptions of Chicago…much.

Despite looking a little rough, the surface scratches on the vinyl are very superficial and the disc sounds decent with little surface noise (at least side 1, track 1, sounds fine.) “Introduction” starts out as a typical sounding classic rock song, albeit with a lot of horns, but the lyrics taper off pretty early in the song and it turns into more of a jazz instrumental. These are relatively long cuts, and there’s only 3 tracks on each album side. (That also may be due somewhat to being spread across four sides of a double album.) So far this is a nice, mellow way to start things off. There are several different tempos, styles, and emotions represented here – it reminds me of a rock opera overture, something in the vein of Jesus Christ Superstar. I don’t imagine we’ll be going track-by-track on this album, but you never know.

At track 2 we get a more traditional 70s rock tune, and the first song I recognize with “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is.” This still gets airplay on our local classic hits station, but I’m not sure what style I’d say this song (or this album) is. Kind of rock, kind of jazz, lots of brass, a little soul, a little blues maybe…it’s an enigma. Discogs just calls it “jazz, rock” so I suppose that’s accurate enough. “Beginnings” at track 3 is another long cut, but not nearly the longest – I see there’s a track over 15 minutes long coming up at the end of side 4. I’d also like to point out that the album sides are numbered in the traditional way with sides A and B on disc 1, and C and D on disc 2. (As opposed to the automatic record changer numbering which puts sides A and D on the first disc and fills me with an inexplicable rage whenever I come across it.)

You might notice that my copy of Chicago Transit Authority in the photo above has a lot of shelf wear and ring wear – unfortunately that’s very common with dark colored album covers from the 60s and 70s, especially solid dark colors. If you take a look at some of the other releases of this album on Discogs you’ll see that most of them show exactly the same kind of wear on the cover of every release. There are a LOT of horns on every track of this album so far – I like it, but it definitely stands out as something a little unusual, even for the 70s. (I actually played trumpet for a few years in elementary school and junior high, and though I didn’t stick with it I do have an appreciation for the skill it takes to play brass instruments well.) So there you go, another tiny bit of trivia. On to side 2…

Side B starts off with “Questions 67 And 68” and I have no idea what the fuck that means. It’s a pretty good song, similar to what was on side A, lots of brass, melodic vocals, etc. I just don’t know what it’s about. It’s probably very deep and over my head. I’m trying to put Chicago in a box, but I don’t know what that box is labeled, other than “70s!” It’s very nice and I’m enjoying it, but I wouldn’t say it’s blowing me away – it’s pleasant and inoffensive. (But is that an endorsement?) “Listen” at track 2 brings a little more intensity and adds some funky slap bass, a bit of blues and rock guitar to go along with the horns. This track is a good change of pace, as it was all getting a little too mellow, so this breaks things up a bit. The side finishes out with “Poem 58” clocking in at over 8 and-a-half minutes, I’d say that’s long but there’s still that 15+ minute track on side D forthcoming. This is another one with a lot of blues-rock intensity and pairs well with the previous track “Listen.” It’s several minutes in with no lyrics so far but I’m hesitant to call it an instrumental yet, there’s still a lot to go. I was curious what other people might have to say Chicago, so I Googled and came across another blog where the author broke down this particular song, and reading it shows me just how fucking little I know about music (not that I ever professed to, but still.) Apparently music bloggers with skill beyond the keyboard smashing of a syphilitic monkey can write this sort of article:

https://www.paulmorellimusic.com/poem-58.html

…as opposed to my inane ramblings. I will continue my keyboard smashing by saying that there are lyrics that come in eventually, several minutes into the song, but it’s mostly an instrumental. Lots of good blues-y jamming though, and a solid way to end the side and the first disc of the set. (Fucking hell though, did you read that article? Dude knows what he’s talking about.)

There are a few interesting items to note about this album – at first Columbia was hesitant about the band since they felt the sound was similar to another act on their label, Blood Sweat, and Tears. They balked at the band wanting to release a double album and in exchange for that got the band to agree to a royalty cut. I’m not sure if that means a cut of the royalties instead of a straight payment or a reduction of the amount of royalties (like a pay cut.) In either case, this album ended up on the Billboard top 200 chart for 177 weeks, so it’s likely they did OK. The album was slow to climb the charts and build an audience though, and initially it had no singles. It was only after the band’s second and third albums came out that interest in their debut album continued to rise (which is likely part of the reason it stayed on the charts for so long.) Eventually “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?,” “Beginnings,” and “Questions 67 and 68,” became singles and the album climbed the charts to number 17, remaining there through 1975, reaching double-platinum sales and the Grammy Hall of Fame. By the next album the band had dropped “Transit Authority” from their name as they were threatened with a lawsuit by the actual CTA, so from the second album on the band became known simply as “Chicago.”

Track 1 on side C is seemingly not just an instrumental, but a single electric guitar playing for the entire song. There’s also more scratches and surface noise on this disc, which are especially apparent on this particular track. Since it’s called “Free Form Guitar” I suppose should have taken that literally. Track 2 is a more traditional blues track with “South California Purples.” I have no idea what it means, but it’s an excellent funky, jazz-blues exploration with lots of deep bass, synth keyboards, and Chicago’s requisite horn section. The side finishes out with another long one – “I’m a Man” is well over 7 minutes, and another jazz-rock song with a strong dose of blues (and horns, of course.) I’m still baffled by what exactly Chicago is…I think I enjoy it, but I’m not entirely sure. Also, much to my chagrin, this song reminds me of the theme song to the film Orgazmo (from Trey Parker and Matt Stone of South Park fame) “Now You’re a Man.” It has nothing to do with this song whatsoever, just the title – but i can’t get it out of my head:

Amazingly hilarious film as well (if you’re into South Park-style humor) about a Mormon missionary who becomes a porn star and superhero. (Sort of.) Despite that ever-so-slight digression, on to side D…

Side D has taken a bit of a political turn with “Prologue, August 29, 1968” at track 1, running less than a minute, with the anti-Vietnam chanting of “The Whole World is Watching” that leads directly into track 2 “Someday (August 29, 1968).” This one is a pretty typical sound for Chicago, but specifically references an anti-Vietnam protest outside of the Conrad hotel in Chicago at the 1968 Democratic National Convention. Anti-war sentiment and political activism was certainly common from musicians and music of the era, so there’s no surprise to find some here as well. The side, and thus the album, finishes out with “Liberation” but “finishes” implies it will be ending soon, yet this track is over 15 goddamn minutes long, practically the entire album side. …but is it really over 15 minutes? Discogs says 15:41, Wikipedia says 14:38, and the YouTube version of the song is 14:36. So it might be just under 15 minutes long…Either way, fucking long track.

So far this is an instrumental jam, but lyrics might come into play at some point. It’s actually very well performed, these are amazing musicians. I’m not a huge jazz fan but I have enjoyed how this album has combined jazz, blues, rock, and funk. I love a 70s screaming rock guitar, and this song has a ton of that as well, so there’s nothing not to like about it…per se. I feel about this song as I do about the whole album: I’m enjoying it, it has a lot I like about it, but I’m not sure overall if it’s for me. I don’t know if I can see myself reaching for it again, but I would if I was in the mood. I’d just have to be specifically in the mood for Chicago, and even more specifically this particular album. Despite giving my final thoughts on this album I can’t yet end with my signature “and with that, the album is over” because this last track is still going on. But I don’t think the final few minutes are going to change my overall assessment, so we’ll just wait it out.

Hey, there are few (very few) lyrics at the end. How about that. And with that, the album is over.

Rating: 6/10 – Very well performed, I just can’t see myself listening to it again unless I was in the mood for exactly this album.

Next up: Chicago – Self-Titled

*Also, Rosebud is the sled.