New Chicago box set due July 22

Below is the tracklisting for the 5 CD box set. The positive note are the three unreleased tracks from Stone Of Sisyphus. But what one notices which is typical of a Rhino box, they make it a large affair (more than enough discs to cover the artist), then give you song edits so they can cram in more album tracks so their boxes end up feeling like too much and not enough at the same time.

Notice that Beginnings, I'm A Man, Happy Man, Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is? are once again edited. Probably the same edits that appeared on the 2-CD anthology.


DISC 1: CTA-CHICAGO:
1. Introduction
2. Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is? - (special edit)
3. Beginnings - (special edit)
4. Questions 67 And 68
5. Listen
6. South California Purples
7. I'm A Man - (special edit)
8. Movin' In
9. Wake Up Sunshine
10. Ballet For A Girl In Buchannon: Make Me Smile / So Much To Say, So Much To Give / Anxiety's Momen...
11. Fancy Colours
12. 25 Or 6 To 4
13. Poem For The People
14. It Better End Soon: 1st Movement / 3rd Movement / 4th Movement - (special edit)

DISC 2: CHICAGO III-VII:
1. Loneliness Is Just A Word
2. Travel Suite (Excerpts): Flight 602 / Free
3. Mother
4. Lowdown
5. An Hour In The Shower: Hard Rising Morning Without Breakfast, A / Off To Work / Fallin' Out / Dre...
6. Hit By Varese, A
7. All Is Well
8. Saturday In The Park
9. Dialogue (Part One)
10. Dialogue (Part Two)
11. Just You 'N' Me
12. Something In This City Changes People
13. In Terms Of Two
14. Feelin' Stronger Everyday
15. Searchin' So Long, (I've Been)
16. Mongonucleosis
17. Wishing You Were Here
18. Call On Me
19. Happy Man - (special edit)

DISC 3: CHICAGO XIII-HOT STREETS:
1. Harry Truman
2. Old Days
3. Brand New Love Affair (Parts 1 And 2)
4. Never Been In Love Before
5. You Are On My Mind
6. Mama Mama
7. Hope For Love
8. Another Rainy Day In New York City
9. Gently I'll Wake You
10. If You Leave Me Now
11. Mississippi Delta City Blues
12. Baby, What A Big Surprise
13. Take Me Back To Chicago
14. Prelude (Little One) / Little One
15. Gone Long Gone
16. No Tell Lover - (single version)
17. Alive Again - (single version)
18. Greatest Love On Earth, The
19. Little Miss Lovin'
20. Hot Streets

DISC 4: CHICAGO 13-18:
1. Street Player - (single version)
2. Must Have Been Crazy
3. Manipulation
4. Thunder And Lightning
5. Song For You
6. American Dream, The
7. Love Me Tomorrow
8. Chains
9. What You're Missing - (single version)
10. Hard To Say I'm Sorry / Get Away
11. Stay The Night
12. We Can Stop The Hurtin'
13. Hard Habit To Break
14. Along Comes A Woman
15. You're The Inspiration
16. Good For Nothing
17. If She Would Have Been Faithful
18. Forever
19. Will You Still Love Me? - (single version)
20. Niagara Falls

DISC 5: CHICAGO 19-HEART OF II:
1. Heart In Pieces
2. Look Away
3. What Kind Of Man Would I Be?
4. I Don't Wanna Live Without Your Love
5. We Can Last Forever
6. You're Not Alone - (single version)
7. Hearts In Trouble - (single version)
8. Only Time Can Heal The Wounded
9. You Come To My Senses
10. God Save The Queen
11. Chasin' The Wind
12. All The Years
13. Stone Of Sisyphus
14. Bigger Than Elvis
15. Caravan
16. Here Is My Heart
17. Only One, The
18. All Roads Lead To You
19. Show Me A Sign


Brian

 

Rhino seems to be lowering the bar with their recent box sets. In the old days Box sets seemed to aim at both the collector and those looking for a good overview of the artist. This one would seem to miss both markets. There really isn't that much "new" material and it really is overkill for your casual fan who probably has all the chicago they need with the 2 cd anthology. I thought the same has been true with the recent Yes box set..... steve c

 

Wow. What a waste. The 4CD is better than this content-wize, if you MUST have a box of Chicago.

Having the normal set of Chicago is a better experience though. Lowing the bar is right. More like release anything willy-nilly.

 

Rhino has really changed. WEA seems to have homoginized them. They seem to stick to the tried and true titles and they just sell them over and over again, like the Monkees comps.

Sigh.

 

This would appear to be a very unnecessary set IMHO. The Group Portrait box set offers a very good over view of the first 10 albums which are pretty much all I ever enjoyed. I also think that the Group Portrait box is still by far the best Chicago has ever sounded on CD. I wish the recent catalog reissues had been taken from that remastering.

 

Wait until you see the DVD. Ugh.

Mine is a "internal review copy" w/ a promo disclaimer "burned in", so I really don't know if this is The Release version, but the DVD is amazingly untouched, picture wise. It plays like a direct to DVD transfer from two inch videotape, even with the tape house bars and tone and slate !

I haven't had a chance to sample the music, but there are only 3 cuts from their notoriously not released "Stone of Sisyphus" album.

I would have felt it better, if they put the money into releasing a remastered version of the live box set and "Stone of Sisyphus".

How about you ????

 

Rhino as we knew it no longer exists. It's now merely WEA's catalogue division.

 

To make matters worse, two of the three "Stone" titles are available on a cheapie Canadian Hits anthology called Overtime which is readily available in most mall FYE stores.... steve c

 

I think I'll stick with my Portrait Box unless we get a major mastering (positive) suprise!

 

I don't get it. Hardcore fans will have the individual CDs that they want. Casual fans will already have the excellent 2-CD overview. Who exactly is the market for this? People who will spend $$$ for three Stone of Sisyphus tracks?? Hope this isn't a market test for releasing an SoS CD!

- Joe

 

I'm bitter that I have to spend over fifty bucks for the DVD with the Chicago 13 promo film! I haven't seen that promo since I first got HBO back in 1980!

 

I don't know about the current availability of the "Live in Japan", japan only cd, but my recollection of it, is, that it's worth the price, and money better spent.

Track down a copy of "Stone of Sisyphus" too...it's worth it, if not just for the collectibility.

I'm still "holding out" for the "Carnegie Hall" set !

 

Here's the story on the box from the band's website..with a look at the artwork...

The Ultimate Chicago Retrospective

Five CD's plus a Bonus DVD exploring the depth and breadth of their incredible career.

The only comprehensive Chicago boxed set to date covering their entire 36-year career!

Over 100 career-spanning songs encompassing full album versions, single edits, greatest hits, band favorites, and more!

Includes three previously unreleased tracks from the fan-requested Stone of Sisyphus project: "All The Years," "Stone Of Sisyphus," and "Bigger Than Elvis."

Includes a bonus DVD with rare live performances from the Aerie Crown Theatre in 1972, and a promotional film from Chicago XIII from 1979.

Detailed track-by-track information including original credits and chart information.

Produced with hands-on involvement from Chicago themselves.

Massive deluxe booklet packed with archival photos.

In-depth liner notes from two prominent writers: Part 1 by Phil Gallo and
Part 2 by A. Scott Galloway.

3 1/2 hours of brilliantly mastered music!

CLICK HERE to go to the Rhino information page and pre-order The Box now. Delivery will be timed with the July 22, 2003 release date.

http://www.chicagotheband.com/whatsnew.htm

 

I didn't go to the website, but I hope that this was just a typo. With 5 cd's and the tracklist provided, there is obviously way more than 3 1/2 hours of music. I wonder how the rest of it was mastered?