Rhino began its elaborate
Chicago reissue series in 2002 with
The Very Best of Chicago: Only the Beginning, a double-disc set that covers 39 hits from all of
Chicago's eras -- from the early jazzy records, through the
soft rock hits sung by
Peter Cetera, to the post-
Cetera adult contemporary records of the '80s, and beyond. It's the first compilation to cover this much ground, actually -- 1991's
Group Portrait stopped around
Cetera's departure -- and while it may go a little bit further than some would want (a cover of
Louis Prima's
"Sing, Sing, Sing" from their 1995 neo-
swing album closes the set; it happens to feature
the Gipsy Kings on support), it nevertheless is very satisfying, since it rounds up all of the hits, and
Chicago were at their very best on their hits. For anybody who has been holding on to all three
Greatest Hits collections, this will replace them all, since it has almost every song from all three, plus remastered sound. Indeed, this is the definitive word on the group -- perhaps a fan favorite or two is missing, but everything you need is here, in a more concise, user-friendly shape than the
Group Portrait box while offering more than any of the hits collections. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
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