I don't know how a remix would help. The 2002 version, the horns, bass and vocals are so punchy. Especially on Listen.
I believe the 2002 version is the Rhino remastered version of CTA on CD that was brickwalled to make it sound loud and bright.
I definitely will be waiting for the rip of this remix being posted on Youtube. If it's good, I'll buy.
I'm happy with the Steven Wilson remix of Chicago (aka Chicago II). I have both the vinyl and the CD. Although the Steven Wilson remix is superior to the original 2-track mix, I don't think it's a perfect replacement for the original mix. I still listen to the original mix by playing the MoFi SACD.
Fred Catero recorded CTA, but he didn't necessarily mix it. He may have, but it's possible that Puluse did. It's not clear why the second album sounds so much different. I wouldn't jump to the conclusion that it was the engineering staff.
There's no source or proof that indicates that it was Puluse who mixed CTA for vinyl. It is very clear that Catero's name is in the album CTA. The only people who can really shed light on why there's a sudden change in SQ between CTA and II are the people involved in the recording and mixing like Fred Catero, Donald Puluse, Brian Ross-Myring or James William Guercio.
Because in many opinions, Giles Martin’s remixes weren’t an improvement sonically - and more importantly, didn’t make the albums better. He could be considered a posterchild for a “young” person not being allowed to remix an old album (although I personally think his age had little, if anything, to do with it). Either way, not a great example in many eyes.
RE: "Free Form Guitar" : It is the one misstep in an otherwise perfect debut album. It really says nothing about TK as a guitarist, in an album where he shines brightly in many places. I blame this on the producer. For an album that is incredibly sophisticated for a debut album, where the writing, playing and production came together wonderfully, that track is the one sore point. "Liberation" is almost all guitar soloing but it rocks and hangs together beautifully.
I think 'Free Form Guitar' was put in there just to fill the (double) album a bit. Or maybe to compete with what Hendrix did with his guitar at that time? I've read the band already wrote and performed other songs like 'It Better End Soon' live but weren't ready to record it for the first album yet however.
I'm listening to Free Form Guitar as I'm typing this. Maybe it's not to everyone's taste, but this must have been pretty avant-garde in 1969.
TK's songwriting would really come into its own on Chicago(1970) with The Road, In the Country and the 4-part symphony on side 3. Also love his mini-suite An Hour in the Shower from Chicago III(1971).
Being a guitarist myself, I LOVE a good guitar solo, but to me, FFG isn’t much more than an exercise with the vibrato bar. If it was edited down to a maybe a minute or two, or even included as an introduction to another song, I would find it a lot more palatable. But at nearly seven minutes it’s just too long, IMHO.
I like 'Free Form Guitar' a lot. Unfortunately it didn't stay unique as Kath re-did these weird sounds on a few other songs later ('A Song For Richard And His Friends', 'A Hit By Varèse',...).
I listened to CTA the other day. I found Free Form Guitar to be a bit of a blight in the middle of an otherwise wonderful album. 15 minutes of Liberation was about 10 minutes more than I needed also but all in all a great album.
No idea what a stereo remix would sound like but I do know this: After listening once again to CTA in Quad last weekend, I can easily say I don’t really need anything else. What a great record this is.
yet another sublime and essential album gets a needless remaster. CTA is just so good and Terry Kath is right up there with the elite guitarists. I am listening to the 2002 remaster right now on tidal. The mqa version at 32bit is dreadful by comparison. Once again it all depends on what you are used to The cd sounds expansive and open. Some may find the sound too harsh. The mqa(a 16 bit upscale) sounds gentele and extremely restrained. I don't really like many other chicago albums other than their stunning debut. Yes they had to change from lots of improvised jamming with TK playing endless beautiful improvisations. Such much isn't exactly commercially viable. Its a real pity that these classic albums are getting treated so badly in the pursuit of extorting as much money out of people as possible. Its a complete antithesis of what this kind of music is about Avoid this remaster and any SW remix. If you want the proper album then go to its source and just wonder at its awesomeness Yes, this album is really that good. Theres nothing else like Chicago Transit Authority and Terry Kath has few equals.
I for one am looking forward to the remix. The album still has some harshness here and there, and some more clarity and balance would be welcomed in places. I hear some phasey-ness in the horns in places too I have the last Rhino and the CBS Mastersound and I am tempted to get the SACD ($40). So this morning I did a comparison between the two (Rhino vs. Mastersound) and this is what I found: Listening with two players (generic Sony BR/SACD player and OPPO 103) both via optical into the Marantz HDAC-1 to the Senn 598 headphones. Doing the switching with the Marantz (not blindly) I found that the Mastersound, objectively, is a tad louder and definitely brighter. Switched the discs between the two players and the Mastersound was still louder and brighter. But which did I find I subjectively liked better? Whichever was playing on the Oppo 103. Time and time again. I offer no explanation or defense or even understanding why. I know of all the discussions of bias, placebo and bits-are-bits in the SHF so do not want to get in to that. Just wanted to share the experience.
Yeah, I’m playing my Columbia 2 eye currently and to say the sound is beyond reproach is over stating it a bit. It’s a great album and sounds really pretty good. I look forward to the remix because it could sound better if done right.
