Published on Mar 15, 2001
One of the greatest thrills in rock music is when a band from
previous decades decides to get back together and record new
material. The Eagles did this with
Hell Freezes Over; likewise, comeback albums by such greats
as Tina Turner and John Fogerty have met with success.
The Ides Of March started in the 1960s, and they had their most
famous hits in the 1970s (“Vehicle” and L.A. Goodbye”). The Ides’
2000 release,
Ideology: Version II.0, features a greatest hits
compilation, plus new songs. But the one disappointing fact of this
album, like their previous release of the same nature,
Ideology (IOM release; not to be confused with Sundazed
release of their 1960’s
Ideology), is the fact that all of the songs that were
considered most famous in the 1960s and 1970s were re-recorded for
both I O M
Ideology releases. (Gratefully, the Sundazed release
features the original recordings.)
The Ides Of March’s most popular hits are here, unfortunately
they were all re-recorded. “You Wouldn’t Listen,” “Vehicle,” and
“L.A. Goodbye” are here; the re-recordings are good, but for the
“original recordings” fan, it may just be a disapointment, because
the songs do sound different than the originals, as if another band
had re-recorded the songs. These re-recordings feature original
lead singer Jim Peterik.
Other songs in the “Vehicle” era (1970), are the re-recordings
of “Aire Of Good Feeling” and “Bald Madusa.” These recordings
feature the sound style as “Vehicle,” with the horn section, as
featured in such groups as Chicago and Blood, Sweat & Tears. In
1971, The Ides Of March released the popular song, “L.A. Goodbye,”
and the re-recording of it is just as good as the original. I’m not
familiar with the original (1973) version of “Hot Water,” but this
recording is quite impressive, and is a good rocking number.
The remaining tunes were originally recorded in 1991 and beyond.
“I’d Love Her Anyway” from 1991 definitely has a 1990s sound, with
its pop style, as heard in the later years of .38 Special and
post-Peter Cetera Chicago. Having a good rock sound with a blend of
the horns featured in the 1970s, “Cry Of The Wild Heart” is another
good pop rock that is enjoyable by a band to emerge in the 1970s,
and recapture an updated sound nearly 30 years later. “Reflection
Of Desire” is another nice pop rocker, as these three songs could
easily have received well-given airplay on rock radio.
On that same notion, 1992’s “You, You, You” is another pop rock
song that easily get regular radio airplay, where the pop ballad
“Love Don’t Choose” is easily compared to the likes of Chicago and
the band Peterik was previously in, Survivor.
“The Spirit Of Chicago” is the band’s tribute to Chicago, being
a band from a Chicagoland suburb, Berwyn, Illinois. Two bonus
tracks are featured on this release, “The Star Spangled Banner” and
the tribute song to the Chicago White Sox, “Wild-Eyed Southside
Boys.” “The Star Spangled Banner” uses the guitar melody heard in
“L.A. Goodbye,” and the recently successful efforts by the White
Sox were admired in “Wild-Eyed Southside Boys.”
Despite the songs from 1966-1973 were re-recorded, the original
songs by the Ides of March recorded after 1990 are quite
impressive. The Ides’ previous I O M release
Ideology features the same songs as
Version II.0, except the following: “One Hit Wonder,” “The
Star Spangled Banner,” and “Wild-Eyed Southside Boys.” The actual
original 1970s recordings of The Ides Of March are being withheld
from re-issuing, due to contract negotiations, and copyright
authority. So it would be great to see a future release of the
original 1970s recordings of The Ides Of March, but until then, we
can enjoy their music (re-recorded), likewise enjoy new music by
the band as well.