Customer Reviews

On Time

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It just goes to show you how a sound can stand the test of time. When this album came out, critics called them "heavy metal kids" (which was the first time I ever encountered the term). Early reviews of this album said stuff like "simplistic" and "drumming guaranteed to drive you up the wall." But really, when you have a sound as basic as the blues, what needs to be added? Given our generation's taste for towering Marshall amps, bands like GFR just cranked up the volume. If drummer Don Brewer wasn't as facile as Buddy Rich, so what--he made the beat fit in. And Mark Farner's vocals were the first place I seem to remember hearing that chesty rock tenor that a lot of people nowadays think Foreigner's Lou Gramm invented. If his guitar work seemed a ripoff of Hendrix, a lot of us missed Jimi and were only to glad to see the torch passed. It's easy to forget that this album is a first album--you'd think this trio had at least two previous under their belt. The sound is as tight as any of their later work.

When I was in high school I saved up enough money to buy one of the first LPs in my freshman year. Since I was looking for the best value, I usually added up the times of all tracks to see how much music was on each LP. This one had over 20 minutes a side. I bought it not knowing what was in store for me. I have since replaced the LP six times since college life and life after college took its toll on this one. I consider this one of the all time greatest rock albums and was glad to see it come out on CD. Buy it and sit back and enjoy. It only gets better with time.

This was the first Grand Funk Railroad I had ever heard. The only thing you needed was time to listen to it in depth. Now you can. I have all of the albums of these rockers and this one is a keeper. Time machine is the one to sell this album but the more you listen to the album the harder it is to pick just one. Not many people know that G.F.R. was not pushed buy the market they just sold records and played live. If that wasn't enough to get you, you wern't a real die hard rock fan. Even if it was studio it was the next best thing to being their live. You must get this one to be a real Grand Funk Fan.

Grand Funk Railroad burst onto the music scene with their debut 1969 release "On Time". Mark Farner, Don Brewer and Mel Schacher really turned a lot of heads, including those of the naysayers, who doubted "The Funk"'s abilty to deliver the goods musically. Mark, Don & Mel each contribute equally here, and don't miss a beat throughout the entire album. Perhaps Mark Farner was speaking on behalf of the youth of the late '60's/early '70's, with his display of angst and budding rebellion present in many of the selections featured on "On Time". For instance, Farner offers a display of defiance in the standoffish "Call Yourself A Man", as noted in the lyrics: "I'm not looking for somebody to defend my case. I've been scorned by more than one, so stop this paper chase." This kind of (pent-up) angst is also felt in Farner's guitar playing, as is the case in many of the selections here as well. Don Brewer's drumming is in fine, upstanding form, too. One listen to his drum solo in "T.N.U.C." will confirm that fact. The guys mix a little rhythm and blues into their "heavy-metal" odyssies as well, as in such standouts including "Time Machine" and "Heartbreaker". There's a bit of a passage of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" featured in the closer "Ups And Downs", which is somewhat of a minor embarrassment, but is workable, nonetheless. All of the selections here are "timeless", and thus, speak volumes of "Grand (Funk Railroad)" proportions. Grand Funk Railroad would continue down this musical path over the course of the next few albums, until "We're An American Band" came out in 1973. It was also by this time that the group dropped "Railroad" from their name and became "Grand Funk". Mark, Don & Mel also added a fourth member to their lineup by this same later time period as well - keyboardist Craig Frost. With this addition, "The Funk" began losing its hard-edged sound, and adopted a bluesier, more radio-friendly aura, thus going commercial. This change may have alienated some of GFR's longtime fans, but on "On Time", this band showed their hard-core fans that they do what they do best - delivering a unique brand of in-your-face, Midwestern-styled rock 'n roll, a path other Midwestern acts would soon follow, with the likes of such bands as Head East, Styx and REO Speedwagon, to name a few. Grand Funk Railroad was also the first "heavy-metal" band, although their early musical stylings are considered tame by today's standards. "On Time" definitely has a lot to offer for any serious hard rock fan, and is perhaps the best of GFR's early catalog, bar none. But, be warned - "On Time" is not recommeneded for those with weak hearts, or for the high falootin' crowd, for that matter. So, by all means, be at your local music retailer "On Time", or else they'll be fresh out of copies. Then where will you be?

This was THE GRAND FUNK RAILROAD in all their raw, nasty, sexual, high energy, Live sounding Power Trio madness. This is a Great debut Album and ranks out there with the great's of the 70s like Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin. This album was recorded live and one the only overdubs are putting some rhythm guitar where the leads are. It was recorded in one week and that shows, and yet adds to the charm of this sledge hammer album. This was what GFR was all about, Mel Schacher Playing his BOOMING BASS behind the note. Don Brewer Playing his POUNDING DRUMS ahead of the Note and Mark Farner playing his wild rhythms and screeching leads on GUITAR anywhere; before, after, or in the middle of the note. Don and Mark do great Harmonies and both are excellent lead singers. That magic gave GFR a special sound all to there own, It can't be faked or copied, its something natural to the three musicians. This album along with Live, Red Album (Grand Funk), and Closer To Home, captured millions of fans for GFR who still reminisce about these albums to this day. Are you ready, yes we were and are.

This record took a lot of hits when it was first released. The most common criticism was that the music was simple. Well, what's wrong with that? Rock and roll is not complicated. I have seen this band in concert twice, once before they got big and once after. They were a great live band, and their live CD is one of the best live CDs ever made. On Time is a debut any rock and roll group could be proud of, and Grand Funk Railroad was one of the best groups from the late 1960's/early 1970's. They played simple, straight-ahead rock and roll, and I can't think of anything much better than that.

This album sounds like a bunch of guys who read "How To Play Rock In Ten Easy Lessons" and then did it as well as it can be done.

Wow, what a great album! I can't believe critics used to bash Grand Funk back in the day. Oh well, it doesn't matter because what truly matters are what the fans think, and believe me, many Grand Funk fans admire these guys, which is why they became fans in the first place. They admire the bands songwriting talents and their creative abilities.

You can define the sound of this album in one word- RAW! I love the recording technology used back in the day because it made rock music sound so intense, so believable, and so overwhelming. What a great time period it must have been. I especially love "Time Machine". It's a blues song that's really pretty cool. The guitar riff that opens the song is spectacular. "Into the Sun" has some brilliant drumming and guitar playing that's out of this world, with a memorable funky vocal melody to back it up. "Heartbreaker" was the semi-big hit. At least, it was a popular favorite among the fans. What a perfect album..

Grand Funk Railroad aren't as well-remembered as their contemporaries like Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple or Jimi Hendrix, and this is a big injustice. In their earlier albums this trio played arguably the most energetic and raw hard-rock of the time. Perhaps their records lack finesse, but their passion is hard to surpass. GFR were more successful as a live band than studio workers.

The album in question is the band's debut. Having obvious blues-rock roots, the band also demonstrates jazz influence, and presents it all in 10 groovy hard-rocking songs (and I mean hard!), which are equally strong.
- "Are You Ready" is a good album opener, hard and speedy (for a hard-rock, that is), and comfortably short and to the point.
- "Anybody's Answer" begins with guitar and bass intro, then quickly changes into a faster chord progression, very reminiscent of what contemporary bands like Nirvana were often using. Later half slows down a lot, to demonstrate some impressive dual vocals and groovy rhythm-section.
- "Time Machine" is a strong blues-rocker with a groovy instrumental part and short lead-guitar licks, that is normally expected from this type of songs. This is the 1st song to show Mark Farner's harmonica skills.
- "High on a Horse" is another blues-rocker, this benefits from another dual-vocals work by Mark and Don, and an energetic piano solo in the middle, which interchanges with lead-guitar perfectly.
- "T.N.U.C." is perhaps the only dog of this CD. Very long, this 8+ minute song has an unbearably pointless and unnecessary 5 minute long drum solo in the middle. I understand that this is an attribute of that time, and many 60-70s bands included drum solos in their records, but it doesn't make this solo one bit more tolerable. The last minute or so is a pretty good hard-rock jam where all the musicians prove their strength.
- "Into the Sun" starts with an inventive and developing instrumental intro, and turns out into a vocally and rhythmically strong song, with the guitar mainly giving way to other instruments.
- "Heartbreaker" is the first GFR attempt at writing a sad bluesy song. Not that it completely failed, but the song defenitely fails to use its full potential. It is actually a good song, but it could have been much better, had the band spent more time on composing and lyrics. But the solo part is actually well-placed and good.
- "Call Yourself a Man" is a fairly generic hard-rocker with a peculiar rhythm-guitar work and nothing much else.
- "Can't Be Too Long" is the most standing out track. Unlike others, it's a fairly slow number with some excellent singing and some heavy guitar stereo effects thrown here and there, and a pounding big drum.
- "Ups and Downs" is another generic hard-rocker, very typical of Grand Funk Railroad. Again, it's quite good, but with more effort could be much better.

This was my 1st acquaintance to GFR, and I felt the need to hear more music from them, as I was naturally overwhelmed by their enthusiasm and passion. It's true that some instrumental parts here sound more like a live or studio jam, not like carefully written music. But that's what GFR were about, and I like them for that.

Apart from the boring drum solo the only major annoyance here is retro-style mixing. You have instruments thrown apart in different channels, so that the drums and solo-guitar are playing precisely in your left speaker, rhythm-guitar, harmonica and piano are to your right, and bass and voice are in the middle. Such mixing is very hard to listen to, and if there exists a remastered edition, I would definitely recommend to prefer it to the original.

Thank you for sending the cd of Grand Funk Railroad
(ON TIME). The cd was sent very
quickly and in good condition. It is one of my favorit
Grand Funk albums. Thank's again.