Customer Reviews

We're an American Band

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

 

 

When released in 1973, the first 100,000 units were on virgin gold vinyl. Grand Funk was the only group to release their albums on virgin vinyl. It was sign of things to come for the band and was truly the most successful year for the group, which they needed after dumping Terry Knight and embroiled in lawsuits and fears that maybe they wouldn't succeed but they did. Although more POP then previous albums, this was a Grand Funk album no doubt; introducing the songwriting abilities of Don Brewer (who had co-written other songs previously, but this album has songs written only by him). It was more upbeat then the previous "Phoenix" album and had a party theme to it, yet Mark Farner did contribute a soul-searching song on how American Indians are treated in " Loneliest Rider". It's the second album with keyboardist Craig Frost now a full fledge member of the band, posing nude with the rest of them on the inside gatefold of the cover. "The Railroad", "Stop Looking Back" along with the Mark Farner signature type song "Ain't got Nobody" are well worth the price of this CD along with the hits "Walk Like a Man" and of course "American Band". Capital is planning to re-release this on a gold CD so watch out for that!

Grank Funk Railroad, often lost respect of the critics, but never of their fans. Employing the production talents of Todd Rundgren, and introducing full time keyboardist, Craig Frost, Mark, Don and Mel came up with a highly succesful meeting of commercial ditties, with a hard rockin' edge. The best example on this album, "Creepin'", which has an almost mystical background, with strongly hypnotic vocal, that no hard rock fan should be able to resist. Although the title track, "We're an American Band", has become a rock and roll anthem, little else on the album will disapoint. You can feel the blue collar ethic of the band in the driving beat of "The Railroad". You'll find yourself moving without control to the power chords of "Black Licorice". Try it out. You'll find it's true, Grand Funk is An American Band.

This was 1973 GFR just barley survived a huge brake up with there manager Terry Knight. Mark, Don and Mel got the name Grand Funk Railroad, Terry Knight got everything else. GFR in 72 Added a forth member in Craig Frost (now with Bob Segar's Silver Bullet band) to round out the sound and put out an album called Phoenix which had the hit Rock N Roll soul on it. Even with that Hit song many GFR fans felt GFR was gong soft and they needed a much better album, yet they also needed radio friendly songs. Don Brewer, Grand Funk's GREAT Drummer, stepped forward and wrote Were An American Band, his first song that he wrote himself, it was a smash hit for GFR and one of the biggest rock songs of all time. The Album We're An American Band rocked from start to finish. Of course We're An American Band became a rock anthem (ask Garth Brooks, Kid Rock, Jackal, Bon Jovi, Joe Lynn Turner, Halloween and On and On), Stop Looking Back a Brewer and Farner composition has a wonderful chorus Shoot for the starts when my eyes can't see the sun light. Reach for the sun in the night, Stop lookin back at the times I was defeated, I pick myself up and move straight ahead and stop lookin back. The album also contains The Railroad and Creepin Two of Mark Farner's best songs. Black Licorice and Walk Like A Man Two rocker's by Don Brewer. Ain't got Nobody and Loneliest Rider both by Farner, The Former a mid tempo song and the later a song about the plight of Native Americans in the USA. All in all a Great album, a classic and must have for every hard rock fan.

Grand Funk is one of those bands that had huge success that were loathed by critics and some of the public. However, it was unfair and this album proves it. We're An American Band expands the band's sound with drummer Don Brewer and keyboardist Craig Frost taking on larger roles, along with the superb production from Todd Rundgren.

The title track opens the album and was also the hit single. A good song about life on the road, Brewer's lead vocals are inspired and believable. My favorite song on the album, Stop Looking Back, follows. This song has a great, funky intro with Frost's clavinet, Mel Schacher's bass, and guitarist Mark Farner playing in unison. Brewer's sings about being in jail and "pick myself up, stop looking back". The song concludes with some percussion/conga type soloing. Creepin' follows with its fine keyboards from Frost and great bass playing by Mel Schacher. Black Licorice follows and received little airplay on the radio, but should have. A good, old fashioned, fast paced rocker that shines. Another top song, The Railroad, follows. This is a song that builds as Farner sings "come on and ride the railroad, one more time". There are also some good percussion sound effects at song's end. Ain't Got Nobody and Walk Like A Man move the album along at a good pace. Loneliest Rider closes the album and is about the plight of Native Americans. Farner's vocals are very good and he ends the song with a nice little guitar solo.

This is a top effort by an underappreciated band and shows their versatility. All the album's tunes are strong and I recommend buying it if you like good, creative rock and roll.

I still feel Grand Funk Railroad was carrying on with their normal garage rock sounding style for the majority of We're an American Band (except on the title song, which seems like the band just wanted to whip out a big hit). The rest of the album contains what you would expect from Grand Funk, if you've heard their previous albums. I think it was immediately following this album when the band decided to change their sound drastically.

The keyboardist Craig Frost became a full-time member of the band, and immediately the sound change became more than obvious. Only traces of Grand Funk's early raw groovy hard-rock with a distinctive blues-base are left on "We're An American Band". Instead, the band's music here is perfectly defined by a term "American arena-rock" with accessible melodies and anthemic songwriting style. Surely, this was a very successful album of the time. It hit #2 at Billboard and the title track even topped the Singles chart. On some tracks Frost's playing is pushed to the front, and it gives the band a completely different sound to what we used to hear earlier. But his addition to the band is a mixed affair, which works well with some songs, and completely destroys the band's spirit in others. There isn't a single improvised studio jamming on the record. Everything is well thought over, put in place, and... dull? Yes, it gets dull in many places.

Some say this album is their best, because the band matured and finally succeeded in composing and playing serious developing tracks. But boy, do I miss the raw power of their debut, listening to this album! I think that Grand Funk's best albums are "Closer to Home" and "Survival". "We're An American Band" is a decent album, but it sounds like another band playing.

I never would have thought GFR was capable of such melody and twists in their music! The ascending riffs in "Black Licorice" and the slow menacing crawl with an orchestra of "Railroad" are enough to purchase the album. However, the title track is a full-time classic, and "Lonelist Rider" is a darn good song with meaningful lyrics to boot. In short, this is where the harder edge of GFR met with Todd Rundgren's expert hand and together they created an album any Michigan rock fan can be proud of.

I had this on vinyl when it first came out. In the center of the LP is a note that states "To Be Played At Maximum Volume". That says it all.

What a fantastic recording. Grand Funk Railroad was on a downswing. They asked Todd Rungren (of Utopia fame) to assist in producing and arranging this one. Excellent move on their part. Todd had switched from a performer to a producer and arranger a few years back and was very successful with other bands.

The entire recording on the CD is extremely clean and crisp. I still get up at the appropriate time to turn the record over.... Oh, the memories....

I won't go over what the group was experiencing at the time of this release, but this is something they really needed. It's a hard core rock album from beginning to end. The other reviews are pretty much right on track with what this group and this album in particular are about.

Buy it! I have it on vinyl, CD and if you can believe it, 8-track. Of course, the 8-track has not been played in about 20 years!

Buy it!

...but what happens when you've got it right? I got interested in the Grand Funk of "On Time", "Grand Funk" and "Closer To Home" as a blues metal outfit in the tradition of the Cream and Mountain material I played as a bass player at the time. Neil Young's Crazy Horse albums were later to fit into that niche very nicely. That was the Grand Funk that Pearl Jam fans would be interested in as an antecedent. "Survival" was interesting in terms of a country-blues Creedence Clearwater approach. That was followed by "E Pluribus Funk", which extended Mark Farner's fairly adequate keyboard skills. Then came "Phoenix", when Craig Frost rejoined the group on keys and pretty much reinstated the sound they had when they were The Pack and backed their eventual producer Terry Knight on vocals (see the Elvis-like "I Who Have Nothing" from the mid-1960s). Which meant they were now more like Journey than the Grand Funk that got them noticed by metalheads like me. This album has some points of interest to be sure. "Black Licorice" is a lot more spicy than the Stone's "Brown Sugar" could ever be. Farner actually screams the refrain, becoming Axl Rose's stylistic papa in the process. "Loneliest Rider" is a nod to the Native American dilemma, but the solid relevant lyrics don't carry the sluggishness of the beat, nor does what sounds like Farner's first use of bottleneck guitar. Much is said about the appearance of production by Todd Rundgren to revive a sagging popularity, but (I hate to be a purist here) Rundgren has made them a pop band rather than a rock'n'roll band. Which they remained for the remainder of their studio output. And the existence of bands like G'n'R and AC/DC is proof that the hard rock trio sound they drew my attention with is not and never could be "dated". That wasn't why their popularity was fading, and they didn't have to bail on it. Especially when younger outfits (like Pearl Jam) even today cite them as influences.