Though Chicago was headed towards a mellower mindset, “You Get It Up” grips tight to the group’s original mission of improvising.

Comparisons to his former band Spirit were inevitable, but Jay Ferguson’s work with with the more rock-focused Jo Jo Gunne stood on its own.

Stuffed with ear candy, Bill Lloyd’s ‘Feeling the Elephant’ arrived three decades ago with a flair for shrewdly stitched pop rock.

Kiss’ ‘Rock and Roll Over’ appeared only months after ‘Destroyer.’ History shows, however, that the best rock music thrives on spontaneity.

Carved of ragged and jagged guitars, cutting melodies and loose and natural energy, ‘Banchee’ is one rocking record. Too bad it’s so hard to find.

There’s nothing deep or profound, to be sure, about Peter Cetera’s “Mama Mama,” yet the sentiment on this ‘Chicago X’ deep cut is pure and sincere.

Material Issue’s ‘Telecommando Americano’ was completed early in 1996, but wasn’t released until after Jim Ellison took his life – making for a rather bittersweet affair.

Despite garnering great commercial rewards, Tommy James and the Shondells harbored a desire for more expressive modes of experimentation.

Created as a parody of late ’60s sounds, ‘Present the Battle of the Bands’ highlighted the Turtles’ fun factor.

Damfino’s Oliver Ignatius captures our imagination on “Citys a Hell,” a moonlighting solo single which moves far afield of his main band’s quirky pop rock.