CHICAGO [AKA: CHICAGO II]

Though best known for their slick jazz infused pop/rock later into their career, the first three albums (in particular) shows off a band hell bent on progressing music, beyond the realms and boundaries of common perception. The fusion of jazz and rock may not have been invented by Chicago but they did take it way past most of their contemporaries on this, their second album, fuzing brass rock, jazz rock or whatever you want to call it and adding not so small a dose of progressive elements. All that combined produced an album of extreme value and importance. I have called it THE jazz rock album of all time and I think i am in my right to do so. Simply because I am right.

I will not go into the album track by track but I will say this, the music on this album fuses together as with any great progressive album. This makes the experience somewhat otherworldly. It is like listening to an opera or any classical piece, whether it is made by Mozart or the prog greats. It is an amazing accomplishment.

The music in itself is a mix of jazz, rock, classical, brass, hard rock, prog and then some. Chicago produced an album of hard hitting, precise though not sterile, vibrant, progressive music which possibly left them gasping for air afterwards. They never sounded like this again. Never would the mighty Chicago produce anything as grand as this again. Every track oozes progressive jazz rock and the songs are in themselves gems. Combined the album is a crown worthy of royalty, littered with glistening jewels.

If you are searching for a progressive jazz rock album, look no further. This is all you need. Amazingly enough, considering their coming history. Chicago II is without a doubt worth every single star I give them.