Chicago-Hot Streets (Friday Music) 1978
One of the most played albums during my high school years, Columbia reissued this as a cheapo cheapo Collector's Choice Series to which the horns sounded bizarre but for years I kept the cd simply of the fact I didn't have the album anymore, I had a scratchy LP bought used. Rhino reissued the CD in the late 90s and now Friday has reissued Hot Streets with a bonus track, a Donnie Dacus version of Love Was New, a more MOR and jazzier take than Robert Lamm's version.
Chicago was at a crossroads, after Terry Kath shot himself. They not only got a new guitarist but also a new producer, Phil Ramone (Billy Joel) to replace longtime James William Guercio. And with the start of Alive Again, Chicago comes charging out with a very rocking track which sets the tone for Hot Streets. The Bee Gees add their harmonies to Little Miss Lover and Ain't It Time borders on hard rock with Dacus' beginning guitar. Still a band effort, Peter Cetera did the majority of vocals, sans one by Donnie Dacus (Take A Chance) and three from Robert Lamm (Love Was New, Hot Streets and Show Me The Way). The new direction didn't set too well with the Chicago faithful, although No Tell Lover and Alive Again did get radio airplay, Gone Long Gone flopped as a single which surprised me since it was one of my favorite tracks. Show Me The Way with the strange end chorus a runner up. Still it remains a high B plus in my book, likewise the followup, the unlucky Chicago 13 to which Dacus would leave and 14 which did even worse chartwise. Friday Music will reissue those albums at another time.
The new remaster corrects the problems of the Columbia Cd and has a more fuller bottom sound. The bonus track is a curio but you can live without it.
Grade B+
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