We're An American Band
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''We're an American Band'' is the seventh studio album by American
hard rock Hard rock or heavy rock is a heavier subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and Distortion (music), distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the Garage rock, garage, Psychedelic rock, psychedelic and blues ...
band
Grand Funk Railroad Grand Funk Railroad (often shortened to Grand Funk) is an American rock band formed in Flint, Michigan, in 1969 by Mark Farner (vocals, guitar, keyboards, harmonica), Don Brewer (drums, vocals) and Mel Schacher (bass). The band achieved pea ...
, credited as Grand Funk. The album was released by
Capitol Records Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007), and simply known as Capitol, is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-base ...
in July 1973, and was
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by the
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a little over a month after its release. Two
singles Singles are people not in a committed relationship. Singles may also refer to: Film and television * ''Singles'' (miniseries), a 1984 Australian television series * ''Singles'' (1992 film), written and directed by Cameron Crowe * ''Singles'' ...
were released from the album. The
title track A title track is a song that has the same name as the album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-t ...
was the first single from the album released on July 2, 1973 and the second, " Walk Like a Man", was released on October 29, 1973. Both were sung by drummer Don Brewer. There was also an addition to the band's membership with this release - Craig Frost - who played the organ,
clavinet The Clavinet is an electric clavichord invented by Ernst Zacharias and manufactured by the Hohner company of Trossingen, West Germany, from 1964 to 1982. The instrument produces sounds with rubber pads, each matching one of the keys and respond ...
and Moog. Prior to ''We're an American Band'' being released, Grand Funk Railroad had been a
power trio A power trio is a rock band format having a lineup of electric guitar, bass guitar and drum kit, leaving out a dedicated vocalist or an additional rhythm guitar or keyboard instrument that are often used in other rock music bands that are quart ...
. Craig was credited as an additional musician on '' Phoenix'', which was released the previous year. The album cover was originally covered in gold-colored foil on the outside, and the initial run of pressings were pressed in clear, dark yellow vinyl to simulate or suggest a "gold" record. The album has been reissued many times and is currently available in the
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format. A
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mix of the album was available in the Quadraphonic 8-Track cartridge format. The album is #200 of the
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(NARM) Definitive 200 albums of all time.


Recording, production, artwork, and packaging

''We're an American Band'' was the group's first collaboration with producer-engineer
Todd Rundgren Todd Harry Rundgren (born June 22, 1948) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer who has performed a diverse range of styles as a solo artist and as a member of the bands Nazz and Utopia. He is known for his sophistica ...
. Rundgren and the band recorded the album at
Criteria Studios Criteria Studios is a recording studio in North Miami, Florida, founded in 1958 by musician Mack Emerman. Hundreds of gold, platinum, and diamond singles and albums have been recorded, mixed or mastered at Criteria, for many notable artists and ...
in
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,
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on June 13–15, 1973. Rundgren would go on to produce the band's next album, ''
Shinin' On ''Shinin' On'' is the eighth studio album by American rock band Grand Funk Railroad. The album was released in March 1974, by Capitol Records. Although not as successful as its predecessor, '' We're an American Band'' (1973), it peaked at #5 in t ...
'' (1974), before the band switched to
Jimmy Ienner Jimmy Ienner ( ; born ) is an American music producer, best known for producing albums for such artists as Bay City Rollers, The Raspberries and Three Dog Night. Biography He went to Stamford (Connecticut) High School and graduated in 1963. ...
. The album's original issue, as well as the "We're an American Band" single, was on
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yellow vinyl,
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ic of a '
Gold record Gold is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol Au (from Latin ) and atomic number 79. In its pure form, it is a brightness, bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile metal. Chemically, gold is a transition metal ...
'. The album labels, above the side numbers, instructed listeners to play "at full volume". It included four stickers (two blue, and two red) with the Grand Funk "Pointing Finger" logo. Emphasizing the shortening of the group's name, the word "Railroad" does not appear anywhere on the album sleeve, liner, or vinyl record, except as the title of the first song on side two of the album.


Reception

Upon the album's release, ''We're an American Band'' became the band's best-received album by critics, so far.
Robert Christgau Robert Thomas Christgau ( ; born April 18, 1942) is an American music journalist and essayist. Among the most influential music critics, he began his career in the late 1960s as one of the earliest professional rock critics and later became a ...
gave the album a B−, his highest rating for a Grand Funk Railroad album at the time (although ''
Shinin' On ''Shinin' On'' is the eighth studio album by American rock band Grand Funk Railroad. The album was released in March 1974, by Capitol Records. Although not as successful as its predecessor, '' We're an American Band'' (1973), it peaked at #5 in t ...
'' (1974) and '' Grand Funk Hits'' (1976) would receive a B and B+, respectively). A modern review of the album by William Ruhlmann for
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
stated that the album was a departure from the band's usual material, which was mostly due to Todd Rundgren's production and
Don Brewer Donald George Brewer (born September 3, 1948) is an American drummer and singer who is a founding member and longtime original drummer of the rock band Grand Funk Railroad. Early life Brewer was born in Flint, Michigan, on September 3, 1948, ...
's increase in lead vocal work. Ruhlmann also said that the album sounded more professional than their previous ones. It peaked at number 2 on the ''Billboard'' 200, the band's highest position on the chart, but spent one week at number 1 on the
Cash Box ''Cashbox'', also known as ''Cash Box'', is an American music industry trade magazine, originally published weekly from July 1942 to November 1996. Ten years after its dissolution, it was revived and continues as ''Cashbox Magazine'', an online ...
, and Record World album charts.


Track listing


Personnel

''Per sleeve notes''


Grand Funk Railroad (credited as Grand Funk)

*
Mark Farner Mark Fredrick Farner (born September 29, 1948) is an American musician. He was the original singer and guitarist of the rock band Grand Funk Railroad, which he co-founded in 1969, and later as a contemporary Christian musician. Early life and ...
– vocals, guitar, acoustic guitar,
conga The conga, also known as tumbadora, is a tall, narrow, single-headed drum from Cuba. Congas are staved like barrels and classified into three types: quinto (lead drum, highest), tres dos or tres golpes (middle), and tumba or salidor (lowest ...
; electric piano on "Creepin'" *
Craig Frost Craig Frost (born April 20, 1948) is an American musician who rose to prominence as a member of the rock band Grand Funk Railroad, which he joined in 1973 after working with them the previous year.Craig was credited as additional personnel on t ...
– organ,
clavinet The Clavinet is an electric clavichord invented by Ernst Zacharias and manufactured by the Hohner company of Trossingen, West Germany, from 1964 to 1982. The instrument produces sounds with rubber pads, each matching one of the keys and respond ...
, electric piano, Moog * Mel Schacher – bass *
Don Brewer Donald George Brewer (born September 3, 1948) is an American drummer and singer who is a founding member and longtime original drummer of the rock band Grand Funk Railroad. Early life Brewer was born in Flint, Michigan, on September 3, 1948, ...
– vocals, drums, percussion


Production

''Per sleeve notes'' *
Todd Rundgren Todd Harry Rundgren (born June 22, 1948) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer who has performed a diverse range of styles as a solo artist and as a member of the bands Nazz and Utopia. He is known for his sophistica ...
producer,
engineer Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who Invention, invent, design, build, maintain and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials. They aim to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while ...
* Francesco Damanti –
engineer Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who Invention, invent, design, build, maintain and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials. They aim to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while ...
* Seth Snyder – assistant engineer * Lynn Goldsmith & Andrew Cavaliere – album design and concept * Lynn Goldsmith –
photography Photography is the visual arts, art, application, and practice of creating images by recording light, either electronically by means of an image sensor, or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film. It is empl ...
* John Hoernle –
art direction Art director is a title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, live-action and animated film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to super ...
* Andrew Cavaliere –
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2002 Remaster

* David K. Tedds – produced & compiled for reissue by, bonus track mix engineer * Kevin Flaherty – supervising A&R producer * John Hendrickson – bonus track mix engineer * Jimmy Hoyson – bonus track mix engineer * Evren Göknar – mastering engineer * Steve Roeser – liner notes


Charts

;Singles


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:We're An American Band 1973 albums Grand Funk Railroad albums Albums produced by Todd Rundgren Capitol Records albums