-- Grand Funk Railroad - Closer to Home | (Audio CD) MSRP $ 11.98 Amazon Price $ 7.97 Savings $ 4.01 | |  Release Date: 27 August, 2002, Capitol
TRACK LISTING - Sin`s A Good Man`s Brother
- Aimless Lady
- Nothing Is The Same
- Mean Mistreater
- Get It Together
- I Don`t Have To Sing The Blues
- Hooked On Love
- I`m Your Captain
- Mean Mistreater (Alternate Mix)
- In Need (Live)
- Heartbreaker (Live)
- Mean Mistreater (Live)
Usually ships in 24 hours | | | GRAND FUNK RAILROAD ROCKS OUT CLOSER TO HOME. | I will be writing a review on the legendary album entitled "CLOSER TO HOME"by one of Rock`s greatest bands and one of America`s favorite sons. I give you Flint, Michigan`s own GRAND FUNK RAILROAD. "CLOSER TO HOME" was originally released in 1970 on Vinyl/LP and 8-Track on the Capitol Records label. As always, if I hear any new additional information concerning this legendary album or the artist, I will edit this review immediately so that you the consumer will get the best informative and most accurate review possible.
By this time, GRAND FUNK RAILROAD was making Rock n` Roll history and was quickly gaining a reputation for being one of the loudest Rock bands in the world considering that the band only consists of three band members. Also by this time, GRAND FUNK RAILROAD would soon be compared to another legendary three-man band, the great CREAM. In reality, GRAND FUNK RAILROAD IS TRULY FOR REAL AND KNOW HOW TO PLAY THEIR ROCK N` ROLL. The band was hot and on fire with their popularity growing non-stop. With everything on a very positive note, it would be the perfect time for GRAND FUNK RAILROAD, or should I say, guitarist Mark Farner, drummer Don Brewer and bassist Mel Schacher to head back into the recording studio and record their new follow-up album. It would also be on this new follow-up album that GRAND FUNK RAILROAD would record one of their greatest hits ever and one of the greatest Rock anthems in Rock n` Roll history. The song is "I`m Your Captain. With time already flown by, GRAND FUNK RAILROAD would evolve from the studio with a new completed album and hand it in to Capitol Records. The result was the legendary album "CLOSER TO HOME." In my opinion, "CLOSER TO HOME" is a true testament of the creative genius` of three extremely talented individuals and a great tribute to a band that was changing Rock n` Roll forever with a new sound. Without a doubt, GRAND FUNK RAILROAD will always be remembered as the band that was truly ahead of their time.
Now its time to review the killer Rock n` Roll on this legendary album. If you want to hear some real Rockers, listen to the songs such as the classic slow Rocker "Sin`s A Good Man`s Brother," the breathtaking "Aimless Lady," the blistering killer Rocker "Nothing Is The Same," the funkish and soulful "I Don`t Have To Sing The Blues," the slow bluesy Rocker "Hooked On Love" and the blistering groundbreaking Rocker "I`m Your Captain."
There are only two slow Rockers on the album and are the songs such as the slow paced turned fast paced Rocker "Mean Mistreater" and the slow/fast Rocker with a good beat "Get It Together." Farner really sets new ground with new riffs and new guitar arrangements and techniques that would forever revolutionize the way the guitar would be played. Brewer would also break new ground as a drummer and would demonstrate how vital perfect timekeeping has to be in order to create the ultimate Rock n` Roll sound. Schacher would also break new ground as a bassist and would demonstrate the importance of getting the perfect sound and beat out of his bass. Combine all three of these elements together and you will have some of the greatest sounding Rock n` Roll ever.
Overall, "CLOSER TO HOME" is one hell of an album that KICKS A*S.
I would like to highly recommend purchasing this legendary album to own as a valuable and important part of his or her own personal music collection. This legendary album without a doubt has already proven to stand the test of time and will always be around to be enjoyed, appreciated and cherished for many years to come, NOW AND FOREVER.
In closing, GRAND FUNK RAILROAD will forever always be "the people`s band." In reality, the GRAND FUNK RAILROAD legend does not even come close to ending here despite all the tribulations and tragedies that should have killed the band, buried and laid to rest. But it didn`t. But most importantly, GRAND FUNK RAILROAD is the story of survival and perseverence. According to the MTV series BEHIND THE MUSIC, GRAND FUNK RAILROAD will forever always be remembered in Rock n` Roll history for two historic moments. The first, in 1971, GRAND FUNK RAILROAD became the first Rock band to sell out Shea Stadium quicker than THE BEATLES did in 1965 and even drew a larger audience attendance than THE BEATLES did in 1965. Second, also in 1971, GRAND FUNK RAILROAD will forever go down in Rock n` Roll history as being THE ONLY BAND TO HAVE EVER BLOWN THE MIGHTY LED ZEPPELIN OFF THE STAGE. This rare happening took place in Miami, Florida. GRAND FUNK RAILROAD was chosen to open for the MIGHTY LED ZEPPELIN. The only thing about this is that GRAND FUNK RAILROAD was so hot and on fire that they delivered a blistering set that was so devastating that ZEPPELIN Manager Peter Grant ordered and threatened GRAND FUNK`s Manager Terry Knight to get GRAND FUNK RAILROAD off the stage NOW! With the damage already done, LED ZEPPELIN was fearful and even hesitated in following GRAND FUNK RAILROAD. However, LED ZEPPELIN did go on stage and performed but their performance was no where near the blistering performance of GRAND FUNK RAILROAD`S. With all these accomplishments done in such a short period of time, I think it is fair to say that GRAND FUNK RAILROAD has forever left their mark and impact in Rock n` Roll history and will never be forgotten nor denied. With this in mind, there will also be new stories and tales in the GRAND FUNK RAILROAD legend and story that will still need to be conquered, told and written in pages and in new chapter`s. But that, my fellow readers and reviewers, you will have to stay tuned and read further about at a later date. So here`s to you Mark, Don and Mel. Keep Persevering. Keep The Faith. And as the saying goes, "AND THE REST IS ROCK N` ROLL HISTORY," am I wrong? Thanks for reading my review and I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it for your reading pleasure. I also hope that you will read all of my other reviews in the near future when time permits. GRAND FUNK LIVES. Long Live Rock n` Roll. Rock out always and take it easy. Forever In Rock, John L. | | | | metallurgy | `Closer To Home` is one of the finest heavy rock discs ever produced, plain and simple. While much is made of the title track, the album rocks steady from one end to the other, offering a showcase for the many methods to master (and in this case, remaster) metal music:
METAL GOES STOMPING on the opening track, the incisive `Sin`s a Good Man`s Brother` ("but is that right....?"). After lulling the listener with a soft acoustic introduction, the first question you`ll be asking is: can three guys really generate this many decibels all by themselves?
METAL GOES JOGGING on track two, `Aimless Lady`, with its heavy, loping strides. The testosterone laced lyrics ("if you can stand a real good man, take my hand and understand me, baby") are supported by fine falsetto backing harmony from drummer Don Brewer.
METAL GETS A FUNK GROOVE on `Nothing Is the Same`, complete with a sweet, fuzzy bridge from singer Mark Farner`s lead guitar. The songsmith observes how life has changed from when he was 16, to 18, to "just a little bit older", to "future years" and Nothing Is the Same.
METAL BLEEDS A LITTLE on `Mean Mistreater`, which starts out in slow-blues mode, but quickly builds steam into a blazing bridge before collapsing into the bluesy coda.
METALLIC PSYCHEDELIA emerges on `Get It Together`, which is for the most part an organ-driven instrumental, save the mantra-like coda, "got to get it together", delivered by Farner, Brewer, and several soulful ladies in the background.
METAL GOES STRUTTING on `I Don`t Have To Sing the Blues` which is really two songs, two songs mixed into one. A slick lead guitar riff provides the foundation over fat and fuzzy bass lines from Mel Schacher, supporting wicked lyrics such as, "she`s my dinner and my Midnight snack... she sets up and she begs and she even rolls over on her back".
METAL GOES POETIC in the coda, wrapping more great lyrics around the "I don`t have to sing the blues no more" chorus.
METAL BENDS AND DISTORTS on `Hooked On Love`, where a heavy bass line propels this song through several incarnations, and featuring a torrid bridge from Farner`s wah-pedal guitar.
METAL GOES ANTHEMIC on the title track, my favorite part of which is the rich, fuzzy yet smooth lead guitar bridge... but also the early, all too brief wah-pedal. The liner notes talk extensively about the accidental "Alright, stop it" from producer Terry Knight that appears one minute into the track. Although the author of the liner notes, Steve Roeser, makes it sound like the gaffe is hardly noticable, I`ve always been aware of it. It seems to fit right in with the "Stop it!, Stop it!" that appears in the `Hey Jude`-ish finish. But just in case you want to REALLY hear it, check out the hidden track following the bonus tracks where the miscue is isolated and amplified for you!
Bonus tracks are always appreciated, but two more versions of `Mean Mistreater` (one from a concert in Orlando in June of 1970, which isn`t appreciably different from the studio take, and the other IS the studio take, with only slight alterations in the finish), don`t add much in the first case, and amount to one too many renditions in the other. However, two other tracks from that night in Orlando will put some flash in your CD laser. The first is a nearly twelve minute excursion on `In Need` from the bands 1970 self-titled disc, and a seven minute-plus rendition of the classic `Heartbreaker` from 1969`s `On Time` disc. Add to all this a sparkling remastered sound, period photographs and memorabilia, snazzy graphics, detailed track information, and relevant liner notes, and you have what is known in the business as the complete package. `Closer To Home` is a milestone in rock history right out of my backyard of Flint, Michigan. The soundtrack of your life is incomplete without it. | | | | Closer to Home ~ Grand Funk Railroad | Hey
I have been looking for this album for the last 20 years.
Whenever radio stations played the title song i could never
catch the name of the album. Absolutely no regrets.It felt
Like i was a kid again and thanks to Amason i now own a copy.
For classic rock lovers this is a very good addition to any
collection.
hope you enjoy it! | | |
-- zzzz
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