‘Now’ showed Chicago could produce a better album than they have in years when given complete artistic control. But they still had to include a ballad.

Zan Zone’s ‘It’s Only Natural’ is all over the place, and it’s all over the place in a wonderful all over and very eclectic place way.

‘Tattoo You’ could easily be called the Rolling Stones’ last really good album of original material, given that ‘Blue and Lonesome’ was a covers project.

Similarities to Weezer and Fountains of Wayne abound on ‘Conflagration Vespers,’ but the Craig Torso Show possesses more of an experimental edge.

Caravan gets a chance to “do it all over again” with ‘It’s None of Your Business’ – and thankfully, they “do it all over again” really quite well.

Mark Saleski offers an in-depth examination of Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Nebraska,’ which was primarily recorded 40 years ago today.

Sometimes you want great chops and sometimes you just want good time music. Scary Goldings’ ‘IV’ has got both covered.

Steely Dan’s “Hey Nineteen” has aged reasonably well. Unfortunately, the live versions are now missing two critical elements that Walter Becker provided.

On Burnt Belief’s ‘Mutual Isolation,’ the music takes another step forward in the band’s progression with a relative ‘back to basics’ approach. That’s all due to the limitless creativity and musicianship of Colin Edwin and Jon Durant.

Once, the Robert Lamm-sung “Free at Last” might have had something to do with freedom’s fight, since he was the fierce political heart of Chicago. Not now.