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Chicago '< By David Baker Gatrwcock FHm Critic Chicago 13 is the first Chicago album on which every momKor r?f fho flrnnn haH n ? *u <- a . ...ww.vx,. v.,^ ""h ??>u ? uaiiu hi uie wriung 01 at least one song. When the group went into the studio to record it HiH cn intnnrlinrf fn al l u? ? . ! u.tj v?vt qv >u^iiuiii5 ?.w give men suii^s me ouing eage tnat overproduction had removed from most of the group's postVII recordings. In keeping with the idea of "getting back to basics," Chicago recorded 13 in approximately one-half the length of time the group usually spends in the studio. And while the cutback on recording time didn't quite succeed in removing the excess of production, it did succeed in giving the album a grittier sound, indicating that the group may well produce a 14 that's every bit as good as anything they've ever put on vinyl. Side one of 13 opens with one of the album's best cuts, "Street Player." The song is neatly divided into two parts, much the same as was "Dialogue" on Chicago v. The first half of the song is a disco-tinged rocker that features Peter Cetera's best vocal work in years. The song's instrumental second half has a calypso feel reminiscent of "Mongonucleosis." The combined percussion of Laudir deOliveira and Danny Seraphine gives the song a barrage of energy that has long been missing from Chicago's work. Cetera again handles vocals on "Mama Take," but the highlight of the song is the intricate guitar work of Donnie Dacus. The song is a natural for radio play and is the logical choice for release as the album's second single. The album's ill-fated first single, "Must Have Been Crazy," was written by Dacus, who also does the lead c? "~~'Z V I 1 Capri's { ifSli Italian j ^ 7.i4 ll.micnSI 7<)<J-77r>4 ml ivrj^onUs Friday Night Special Chop Sirloin served > 1 K III II I 1IOC5, V f\ Ilv.^I 1 IMI Tossed Salad Lasagna . served with Antipa Glass of Wine and French Bret II $3.6r> " ' i i i i i i i !' 111 i' i i' 11 i I ' 1 > V.WVViVVAW*vVAVVW//. .\V.VWAV?V.<V/. .< ///> *ettinQ bach mmm vocal. The song has a country-music feel and sounds like nothing the group has recorded previously, a fact which may explain why it dropped off Billboard's Hot 100 survey after only three weeks. "Window Dreamin'" is the closest thing to hard rock Chicago has attempted since "Mississippi Delta City Rllioc " Knt thp mnrlHIoH v^vqIc nf P P MnKlmi Mmirluxi nf VV4V V??v ? VVUIO VTJL X . V> . ITiVk/lW W^VTUI IVOJ VI Peter Cetera Vocal Company, whatever that means) makes it the low point of side one. Robert Lamm's "Paradise Alley" closes out the side. It's a pretty, mid-tempo song that would have been much better if Lamm had sung lead on it, rather than allowing Dacus' scratchv vocals to ranppl out whatpvpr pvoit/>mpnt thp snnu ^ * ~ M?o once held. I % vtvsc el P ^ . i I SPF.< IFOR ROCK BB Frida This week f The MondJ m I Your Favorite and Nc Music Shaki wednes I Sixtips Musi HlH FOR J gggfl WE KNOW Y jjlljiS Monday 9 am?Steve MiMI Tuesday pm?Don U llSllfj Wednesday am?Larry BH FOR s finnrtc I Snc II call inanddiscu: IB Pro Sports11 Plus JV Football and L; || FOR CA I Campus Mac Call In and talk al FOR PURSUES Musical N i|) Avoid T mm fit Ll#ten |gg Jf|^^ ALTER1 ii- i i ^VV,(>V^wW.WaVC{{'v;A\ftX'<X.Vv * ? * I?*.# - 4-^ ? t iU OU5IL5 I The first few moments of "Aloha Mama," which opens side two, are flooded with horns, and the jazzy beat makes | 11 one 01 tne aioum s most aisiinctive cuts, despite sucn 1 ridiculous lyrics as "Surfridin' sister I wanna taste your love; let's make it in the garden beneath the stars above " "Reruns" is an excellent Lamm tune and the best song on the album, possibly the best song in Chicago's history. The chorus is highly infectious and. even thouch the lvrics are melancholy to the point of being apologetic, the song has a "good time" feel to it. The Chicago horn section shines towards the end of the song, with Lee Loughnane's trumpet and James Pankow's trombone blending together flawlessly. Another Cetera ballad, "Loser With a Broken Heart, follows. After a hundred plays, I'm sure it could endear itself to almost anyone, but at first listen it sounds thoroughly innocuous and I doubt anyone would consider listening to it often enough to grow to love it The "do do do do do do" background vocals on "Life Is What It Is" are enough to make one wish the death penalty would make a comeback. "Hun Away" is a Cetera-Dacus duet, written by Pankow. It features a bit of raucous guitar work near the end and closes out the album nicely. Though Chicago 13 manages to score a direct hit in only six of its 10 songs, the technical virtuosity the band exhibits goes a long way in making you forget about the four songs that fail. In any event, 13 is Chicago's best album in several years. If the group tours to support it, they could find themselves back in the top ten once again (Hot Streets, the group's 1978 release, was the first Chicago album that failed to make it to that plateau). E 9 I CIAL.S! 1 ; AND NEW WAVE: I ic Rock Hour I V Nights?10:30 P eaturing Led Zeppelin il } Dial is Stuck! 1 ay Evenings?6:30 |] if-^n-Fav/nrifP Di ink h. MP\A/ \A/CU/Q KJ 'V I VI ? \/i vw ? Ml ll\ I ?v YV V V U V . [ ;- j For The Massesl B| n' in The Sixties fej day Evening?6:30 p ic That will Never Diel j AZZ LOVERS: l! OU'RE OUT THERE* i Vella Thursday 8 pm?Dale Smoak pj pton Saturday 9 am?Carl Coe H McCoy ||| MTRWfansF 1 ?Tuesday Evening 7:30 l| ss your favorites on the air. || -Thursday Evening 7:30 IS ady Gamecocks Live Broadcasts! jlj MPUS EVENTS? ggj lazine?Wednesday 9 pm |1 pout anything on your mind. || IS OF THE EXTREME: II lii+lnif?Qnnrlax/Znm 11 ay IMU y w/ pn i i ptj he Repetition! <JI i to WUSC-FM. ]M