THE CHICAGO TRANSIT AUTHORITY

This album had/has such a different feel than any/all other Chicago albums (even the half-jazzy "VII"); it is a true collection of experimental/progressive songs. From start to finish each song is testing boundaries, pushing composers' and performer's limits. The fact that radio play was achieved by any of these songs is miraculous cuz they're all long songs (much longer than the proscribed 2-3 minute AM pop standard), yet I heard over half of these songs on the FM radio in my home town of Detroit. (Thank you WABX!)

***** 5 star songs: "Introduction," "Beginnings," "Questions 67 & 68," "South California Purples," "I'm a Man"

**** 4 star songs: "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?" "Poem 58," "Free Form Guitar," "Liberation"

*** 3 star songs: "Listen," "Prologue/Someday"

4.5 stars rated up for creativity and sheer guts.