Label: Toshiba-EMI LTD. (Japan), TOCP-6350
Style: Hard Rock, Rock
Country: Flint, Michigan, U.S.
Time: 41:28
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 248 Mb
Charts: US #7, AU #13, CA #8, JP #21, NO #20. US: Gold.
Now,
this is indeed the beginning of a different period in the life of Grand
Funk. As far as actual music goes, though, it is a slight dropdown from
a slight improvement, because the band is again reclining from its
funky formula; the rockers are more restrained, and the dreaded gospel
makes its reappearance once again, even if it's mainly drifting on the
fringes. If you ask me, it all probably depended on how much "God-sent
inspiration" Mr Farner chucked out of his entity during the recording
sessions. The more there was of Farner, the more the final product
looked like Survival.
And these particular fringes are hideous - with
the absolutely detestable 'So You Won't Have To Die', Farner fully
embraces Christian rock in its most disgusting, banal form, i. e. the
one that includes brainwashing and primitive preaching. Sample lyrics
for youse: 'He said overpopulation is the problem of today/There's too
many children on Earth and more on the way/If you don't start some birth
control then you won't last much longer'. It's a wonder the band never
got the idea of distributing free condoms for its live shows of that
period. Mmm, maybe you'd better start singing in Chinese or in Hindi, Mr
Farner; I don't think America is quite the perfect place for your
message.
This, and its immediate follow-up, the gospel chant 'Freedom
Is For Children' ('I wrote the words of freedom/I've even sung the
song' - well, now we know who the Father of all things Libertarian
actually is), transform the second half of the record into a virtual
nightmare. Need I add that the music lacks any punch whatsoever? Because
when Mr Farner sings an "inspired" song, he usually reasons that his
vocal talents alone suffice to carry the music along. Frantic guitar
solos? Nah, nah, the more you get carried away by guitar solos, the more
you forget about Important Philosophic Maxims like "man's invention is
gonna be the prevention of their life" (I'm not joking - this is an
actual lyric, and it's about CONDOMS! Well, actually, I guess it's
rather about the H-bomb or something. But I like it more when it's about
condoms. Especially considering the previous song was about condoms,
too.)
(full version: starlingdb.org/music/gfr.htm#Phoenix)
01. Flight Of The Phoenix (03:40)
02. Tryin' To Get Away (04:13)
03. Someone (04:05)
04. She Got To Move Me (04:49)
05. Rain Keeps Fallin' (03:27)
06. I Just Gotta Know (03:54)
07. So You Won't Have To Die (03:23)
08. Freedom Is For Children (06:10)
09. Gotta Find Me A Better Day (04:11)
10. Rock & Roll Soul (03:32)
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