Customer Reviews

E Pluribus Funk

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Most people would argue that Grand Funk Railroad never sold out. However, I noticed that shortly after Craig Frost joined them, there was a bit of a decline in the quality of their music. The bombastic rhythms, over-amped bass, and monstrous thrashing power-chords and riffs so prevalent in their ealier music began to disappear.

E Pluribus Funk, the last album Grand Funk Railroad recorded as a trio (Mark Farner, Mel Schacher, and Don Brewer) is chock-full of all of these fine things. The maturity shown on albums like Closer to Home, as well as the brash, unrefined blues and hard rock of albums like On Time, came together perfectly on E Pluribus Funk. This was their fifth album, and I usually find myself placing their first two albums under one column, and their next two in another column. This one, however, falls right in the middle.

The first track, "Footstompin' Music," is little more than a jam session with some words placed at the beginning. I think the last time the band would do that really well is on this album. It starts simply, but Don Brewer has barely hit two notes on his drum when Mel Schacher starts up on the bass in earnest, and doesn't let up. What happens next is a furious kaliedoscope of rhythm, as Mark Farner switches back and forth between the organ and the electric guitar. It's ballsy, with just the right splash of laid-back blues twang. The band then plays something a little more mature, an anti-Vietnam song ("People, Let's Stop the War") that might remind one a song from the album Closer to Home. From there, we go to "Upsetter," a classic Farner song about a lecherous woman. This, and the two songs that come after it ("I Come Tumblin'" and "Save the Land") move at a hectic pace. Farner writes some outstanding lyrics about peace, love and understanding, and at the same time writes some incredible music to go with it. The stamina of Don Brewer is awesome; I don't think he played the drums this well on any album that came later. Meanwhile, Farner is his usual nasty self on the guitar, exploding with rhythm one moment, tearing it up in a solo the next. His guitar playing here hearkens back to the days of Terry Knight and the Pack, but there's a gracefulness to his savagery, reflective of the years that have gone by. There's even a Schacher bass solo in the very long-winded (and scorchingly hot) jam session that "I Come Tumblin'" wraps up with.

Finally, after they're assaulted our eardums to the point where they might explode, the band finishes with "Loneliness," a very touching melody that's melancholy in the same vein as "I'm Your Captain," but with a slight edge to it. However, I enjoy the fact that the remastered version wraps up with some live tracks that were rejected from Live: The 1971 Tour. These, more than anything, really help to sum up why this band is so underrated, and why it's a shame that most people only know them for radio tracks like "We're an American Band." All in all, this was, in my opinion, a very fitting swan song to the glory days of Grand Funk Railroad. It is a testament to their outstanding musicianship. The songs are full of energy, passion, joy, sadness, everything that their music began to lose in the later years.

E Pluribus Funk Is one of Rock Histories Greastest Hard Rock Albums. It is also probably the beast played Bass Album in Rock History. Mel Schacher GFR's Bass god is just phenomenal from start to finish on this one; but he is on every GFR album as well; Mel really sets the litmus test for all bass players on I Come Tumblin,' it is lead bass playing personified. E Pluribus Funk Just Rocks from cover to cover with one exception of a slower, mellower, fully orchestrated, colossal work called Loneliness a great song, that never fully got the run it deserved. The Rocking songs are Footstompin' Music, People Lets Stop The War, Upsetter, I Come Tumblin,' Save The Land, and No Lies. This CD is also 24 Bit remasterred, with Bonus tracks and new liner notes, and cool pictures. The Bonus tracks are all Live songs from the 1971 Tour including the Closer To Home Medley (I'm Your Captian/Hooked On Love/Got To Get It Together and the total Jam Mark Says Alright. This is a must get for every GFR fan and every fan of Good Hard Rock.

I remember when Grand Funk was to play Shea Stadium in New York City back in the day and when I got off the train to get a ticket, I took one look at the huge line and turned back. The critics never much cared for this band but I have no use for critics. Their opinions don't run my life. Grand Funk was an underrated band and I was a huge fan. I still remember my band at the time playing 'Aimless Lady' and a few other GF nuggets.

The rhythm section of Don Brewer and Mel Schacher was damn good. I never hear drummers mention Don Brewer as an influence but I loved the guy's playing. Sure, he was no Mike Portnoy but so what. I have not heard this remastered CD, I still have it on vinyl and I think it kicks butt! 'Footstompin' Music' is a song I used to blast, great way to start things off. 'I Come Tumblin', 'Upsetter', 'People Let's Stop The War' are great rock tunes and the band jams their butts off. The bass guitar sound on the vinyl recording is fantastic. I will gladly take Grand Funk over a lot of the crap that is out their today. These guys knew how to rock. And for the critics who had didn't have a kind word to say about GF, I didn't care then and I care even less now!!

www.electriceyes.us

When I first played this round coined record that belongs to my oldest brother from the early 1970s, I heard a whole lot of heart-pounding powerful guitar rock music by MARK FARNER, accompany by DON BREWER'S drumming and MEL SCHACHER'S bass guitar playing throughout the album, that I didn't hear on the other two albums titled "CLOSER TO HOME" and "SURVIVAL." I wanted to listen to this because of the HAMMOND B5 organ driven "FOOT STOMPING' MUSIC that also features outstanding sounding organ playing, guitar riffs, and vocals by MARK. Every song that is outstanding on this album should have been performed live in concert. A lot of the songs remind of LED ZEPPELIN, especially with MARK'S singing and best sounding guitar riffs and tones sounding a whole lot like JIMMY PAGE throughtout the album. I also like his harmonica on "UPSETTER" along with his singin and guitar riffs throughout the song. "I COME TUMBLIN' DOWN has outstanding fast-paced guitar riffs, drum solo, bass guitar riffs, and vocals. SAVE THE LAND that features drummer DON BREWER'S lead vocal and MARK'S guitar riffs and harmony vocal is also excellent guitar-rock song. PEOPLE LET'S STOP THE WAR and NO LIES are outstanding guitar rock songs, and LONELINESS that features and orchestra is an excellent ballad that kicks into high gear in the middle and the end of the song. This was the last album that featured their power trio signiture sound. I was so glad to finally got the remastered 7 track version on cd in 1996, which was six or more months after it first came out. That means I don't have this expanded version; however, I am satisfied. On the other hand, I don't understand why only a few of their albums got remastered on cd. But at least there were some available, including this one. Plus, the reissues of few of their albums from 1995 had the cd and liner notes looking a whole lot like like the records themselves, whereas the 2002 reissues do not.

I have always been a devoted GFR fan, at least pre-Phoenix GFR. In my opinion, E Pluribus Funk is GFR's last true rock album. After seperating from Terry Knight they simply sold out to top 40 AM radio hell! (see my review of the follow-up album Phoenix). E Pluribus Funk is one of the most political of GFR's releases and one of the most passionate (at a time when they actually seemed to still care about something other than their pocket books). Anyway, there is not a bad track on this recording. The anti-war theme is obvious (not out-dated much considering the current state of affairs). Man, they don't make music like this anymore. Highly recommended.

Grand Funk Railroad made yet another great album with E PLURIBUS FUNK. The band was having severe problems with manager/producer Terry Knight at the time, but that hardly shows on "Footstompin' Music" and "Upsetter", two of the great dance songs of all time. The group would split from Knight in time for its next album, PHOENIX, but this album implies that the collaboration could have continued forever.

Grand Funk Railroad hit thier creative Zenith with the release of this album. Following the rather poor "Survival" album, E Pluribus Funk kicks some serious ass right from the get go. This album is as hard, heavy, social, and of course funky as the band ever got.After this album the band's music became too polished and commercial for my liking.This is the last of the great Grand Funk Railroad albums, and what a way to go out. This album was handed down to me when I was about 5 or 6, so it must have been 1984, way past the bands heyday.I still have the LP with the coin cover, and just bought it on Cd.The songs touch on so many social issues that are still relevant today:War, the environment, loving fellow man, and good ol garage rock at it's finest.Don Brewer really stands out on this album, the guy never seems to get his props as a great drummer.LOUD, HIGH ENERGY, and lots of FUNK. Buy this album you really won't regret it.

Grand Funk Railroad / E Pluribus Funk 1972 (Bonus Tracks): Not a masterpiece, just a good ole Rock N Roll album that's exciting and enjoyable. The extra tracks add to the enjoyment. A solid Four Star album.

Grand Funk Railroad's Loneliness sings my song, awesome to listen to in the car with the volume turned all the way up. One of my all time favorite songs, I listen with my heart, from my loneliness. I own the album, neat idea that it looks like a giant coin.

Sounds SUPERB! Great Job! Great Songs brought forward with todays digital technology! Like the old days made loud to be played LOUD!!!!