Hidden Treasure Essential Albums 80's part II

[Scott]

Still working on essential albums. This time I'm revisiting the 80's, just because I can and because I want to go in some sort of order. I've already gave you an Axe and Scorpions album so why don't we play around with a different style this time. These two have several things in common.

• They were both released in 1982
• The bands names both begin with CHI...
• Each have something to do with Canada

OK, maybe not several things, but it was a good thought. Anyway, here's two more essentials, featuring slightly softer edged albums...


A kinder, gentler post this week... Enjoy!


PLAYLIST --> http://www.podsnack.com/sgabbert/avhjahxx

Chicago 16 1982 1 - What You're Missing 2 - Chains 3 - What Can I Say Although they had a moderate hit with 1978's Hot Streets, for all intents and purposes Chicago had been adrift since the tragic death of Terry Kath in January of 1978. Chicago 16 is where the band finally righted itself, in no small part due to the addition of guitarist/keyboardist Bill Champlin, the namesake of the '60s San Franciscan psychedelic outfit the Sons of Champlin, who in addition to joining the band brought into the circle the producer who would change Chicago's commercial fortunes: David Foster. The Canadian producer had worked with Champlin on a solo album, Runaway, which made a very small ripple on the Billboard charts upon its 1981 release, but did pave the way for the sound that Chicago developed on 16. Under the direction of Foster, Chicago turned away from any lingering jazz-rock roots they had, and they also backed away from the disco aspirations that sank their turn-of-the-decade platters. Instead, they pursued a glistening modern pop sound, anchored with dramatic drums, built on synthesizers, decked out in arena rock guitars, layered with harmonies, and stripped of any excesses -- which by and large included Chicago's famed horn section, which was now used for punctuation instead of functioning as the center of the group's sound. This was no-nonsense, all-business, crisp and clean pop for the Reagan era, and it not only became a smash hit for Chicago -- reaching the Top Ten, thanks to the singles "Hard to Say I'm Sorry" and "Love Me Tomorrow" -- it defined Foster's sound, which in turned defined adult contemporary for the '80s.

Chilliwack Opus X 1982 4 - Lean On Me 5 - Really Don't Mind 6 - Midnight Opus X is the tenth album (hence the "X") by the Canadian rock band Chilliwack, released in 1982. Producers Bill Henderson and Brian MacLeod received the Juno Award for "Producer of the Year" for their work on the songs "Whatcha Gonna Do" and "Secret Information" from this album. The precedent Chilliwack album Wanna Be a Star had provided the group with its first two U.S. Top 40 hits: Opus X almost continued that success with its lead single: "Whatcha Gonna Do (When I'm Gone)", rising as high as #41 on the Billboard Hot 100. Despite the success of this album, MacLeod and Bryant quit Chilliwack to play full-time with their group The Headpins just after the Juno Awards.

[Niels (Mod)]

Last week's Hidden Treassure's made me wanna listen to both albums in full. This week......not!

CHICAGO 16:

Well, it IS interesting to me, since the following two albums are the most wellknown Chicago-albums to me. I have never heard this album in full. I loved Chicago's sound in the mid-80's, "loved" is probably too strong a word, liked, then. 

The first track sounds good to me. A THICK 80's production, which usually doesn't sound so good these days (to me, anyway), but it's a good song. The second one is too much 80's-sound to me, and the song isn't as strong. Third one is a nice radio-song from the periode of time. Now, I don't care about this music. I can listen to it, but I don't really care. 

CHILLIWACK - 

Ydrk, the albumcover looks terrible. First song is as I feared: 80's easy listening AOR I guess, you didn't make this SHT for me? 80's AOR-guitars at the start of the second song. That one reminds me of John Fogerty. Not my style, they try to rock, but this is not rock. This is just plain boring. As the third song....boring as hell. 

So NIN was the worst VOTW ever? (you didn't say that, I know) This was (because of Chicago) not the worst SHT ever, but the last 10-12 minutes I want back!! That's pretty much the sound of the 80's , that I detest!!!

[RJhog (Admin)]

Chicago is definitely under-represented in my collection.  I think 17 is the album that I own.  That's it.  That first track is pretty good.  Definitely kinder and gentler.  The second song is kind of an oddball for me.  Doesn't sound anything like a Chicago song, other than Cetera's voice.  It's got that 80's sounding keyboard part, which isn't great, and his voice doesn't sound good in a couple of spots where it is as if he's singing too high.  But the song, as a whole, is interesting.  What Can I Say sounds much more like 70's Chicago.  Especially the horns and the droning piano/keyboards.  Overall, good listen but probably not where I'll start when I finally take the dive.

Chilliwack is a band that I remember for one song, but I do remember that you are a big fan.  I did notice when cataloging my vinyl that I have this album.  I have it downstairs with the stereo, so one of these Saturday mornings I'll spin it from start to finish.  The first song sounds like Player or Ambrosia, that type of music.  The guitar solo is simple, but it works really, really good on this song.  But track two sounds much different.  A definite rocker, more like April Wine or some band like that.  Is that slide guitar?  Nice.  And then, the obligatory ballad.  That's not a rip, I love good ballads.  It doesn't strike me as the typical ballad.  I like it.  I can tell you, if I would have had this album when it came out, I would have loved this song.  I think it's the Christopher Cross"ish" vocals during what I presume is the chorus. This band has sounded similar to 3 different artists in 3 songs.  I give this one the edge over the Chicago portion. I definitely want to listen to this whole album.  The only misstep on this last track is the outro.  They should have carried that out another 2 minutes at least.

[Jon]

Band names that begin with "Chi"?????

Jeez, why didn't you just say this was a list of SHT from 1982 with a couple bands named after North American cities? See how much better that would have been? WHY DO I HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING FOR YOU?????????????????????????

I have this Chicago album but didn't care enough about it then to pick it up. They were no longer rocking and jazzing up da house, instead they were going for the chick hits and I guess they did good. This sounds really 80's to me, plus I didn't like the direction they went in when Cetera took over. I did buy this a few years ago since I went on one of those kicks and also picked up some other 80's Chicago albums, but they don't really do much for me compared to their 70's output. COuld be that I'm not in a mellow mood today.

Now, this Chilliwack album I did buy when it came out, on cassette. The previous album had some really hard rockin' stuff going on and I really liked it. I did buy this mainly because of "Whatcha Gonna Do" because it was (and still is) catchy as hell. There's some really rockin' stuff on this album as well, but it's a fatastic album overall.

Whenever I see the title of this album, I think of a penguin and Bloom County. Why be that?

Semi-nice job this week. I'm just getting tired of having to do most of the SHT work for you.