Customer Reviews

Born To Die

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

ok, if your a true fan of the funk and this album meant as much to you as it did to me than you'll be siked that you got this remastered cd version.I searched high and low for this cd release a few years ago and finally found it through an import web site, and when i listened to it i found that the drum mix was lacking the crispness of the snare hits in particular, and the guitar, keyboard and vocal mix was a bit disappointing also. just so all you fans know - this remix is as good if not better than a brand new vinyl copy without all the pops and hisses and the snare hits and cymbol responses are where they're supposed to be along with the guitar,keyboards and vocals mixes. finally someone at the re- mixing of this release knew what they where doing.---- many thanks to capital records. its nice to get remastered hard to find, forgotten music, available on CD. thanks again .

Born to Die is the most underrated GFR album by a long shot. After GFR went the way of the HIT RECORD with Locomotion, Bad Time, Some Kind Of Wonderful, Etc., they lost a lot of there core hard Rock fan base who neevr have Born to Die a chane. Also many of the newer fans were into the hits and expecting more HITS. With Born to Die instead of a pop type album we received a very sophisticated hard rock album; and one which may very well be GFRs best. This CD is 24 bit digitally remasterred and sounds fantastic, it is also the first time Born to Die has been released on CD (besides the pirated ones out of Russia) anywhere. The album great from start to finish. Born to die (the title track) is about Mark Farner's (Vocals, Guitar) cousin who died in a motorcycle accident. Dues is a Don Brewer (Vocals Drums) composition and he sings the lead about searching for things spiritual and finding hypocrites. Sally is a silly Love Song and attempted to be the HIT from this album, it really did not fit the theme of this album, but it is not a bad song. I Fell For Your Love another Don Brewer song is probably GFRs most sophisticated song in there History, it is about how the lifestyle of a "rock 'n' roll star" can only lead to half a love. Talk to the people another Mark Farner song is political in nature and features a fantastic Guitar/Saxaphone duel, with Jimmy Hall playing the Sax and of course Mark on the Guitar. Take me (a Don brewer Song) is a hard rocker in the vain of Shinin On and the songs on that album. Genevieve is a fantastic instrumental that gives all four funkers writing credit Farner, Brewer; Mel Schacher (Bass) and Craig Frost (Vocals and Keyboards). Next comes Love is Dyin; a lost love song sang wonderfully by Don Brewer (and maybe an indecation of the coming break up of GFR) and it has a great lead guitar solo by Mark Farner. Another political song called Politician is next and the album originally ended up with Good Things a Mark Farner song sang in Falsato. The CD also includes two bonus tracks, one is a rehearsal version of Genevieve and another is an unreleased song called Bear Naked Woman, which is an 8 bar blues song, recorded in rehearsal. Both bonus tracks rock. The CD has excellent liner notes and artwork and is a must have for very GFR fan.
RickDC

This cd is much better and much harder rockin' than Grand Funk's previous studio album from 1974 ALL THE GIRLS IN THE WORLD BEWARE. This cd should have done better on the charts when it was out than it did. The songs "Sally" and "Take Me" were minor hits in 1976. All the songs are good rock tunes on this cd and the two bonus tracks including a live rehearsal of the instrumental "Genevieve" are pretty good as well. The album cover is pretty cool as well.

this band went from the heavy blues/funk with their 1st 5 studio (and 1st live album), to some really unpredicatbly 'fluffy' music ("bad time" la-la-la) to this - this is fantastic hard hittin' well produced - even "refined" - music - so well recorded and so well played, you'd never know they were a band in turmoil at the time - they are soo tight it's amazing - i'm glad to finally have it on disc - the 4th tape of the 2nd album was plain worn-out - this is a fine re-mastering job of one of rocks best under-rated albums - poor promotion prevented this from really bringing this band back from the disaster that was "bad time" (although "sally" - this records' single - is little more than a sequel - it doesn't fit on this album at all, it's way too 'fluffy') - proper promotion, a little time apart to work on some solo stuff, and maybe, just maybe this band coulda outlived the 70's (successfully)..... sigh ... oh well - this is a great recording and you should own it. add to shoppingcart and proceed to checkout - space puppy - out!

This is THE best GFR record followed by E-Pluribus Funk. Buy it. You'll love it for decades.

this band went from the heavy blues/funk with their 1st 5 studio (and 1st live album), to some really unpredicatbly 'fluffy' music ("bad time" la-la-la) to this - this is fantastic hard hittin' well produced - even "refined" - music - so well recorded and so well played, you'd never know they were a band in turmoil at the time - they are soo tight it's amazing - i'm glad to finally have it on disc - the 4th tape of the 2nd album was plain worn-out - this is a fine re-mastering job of one of rocks best under-rated albums - poor promotion prevented this from really bringing this band back from the disaster that was "bad time" (although "sally" - this records' single - is little more than a sequel - it doesn't fit on this album at all, it's way too 'fluffy') - proper promotion, a little time apart to work on some solo stuff, and maybe, just maybe this band coulda outlived the 70's (successfully)..... sigh ... oh well - this is a great recording and you should own it. add to shoppingcart and proceed to checkout - space puppy - out!

While it didn't have any singles to speak of (well OK, "Sally" and an edited version of the excellent "Take Me" were released as singles), the album contained some of the band greatest songs. One of the best, and a personal favorite, is Brewer's "Dues." Great lyrically and musically, this song alone is worth the price of the CD. "Take Me" is another killer tune. "Genevieve" marked the first time that all four members of Grand Funk shared songwriting credits, and is one of few instrumental tracks that they recorded. The reissue includes two bonus tracks--live rehearsals of "Bare Naked Woman" (a blues tune the group was working on in the studio) and "Genevieve". The sound quality on the original vinyl was superb, and it's slightly better now. The only things missing here are the lyrics (which were on the album's original inner sleeve), and a copy of the original artwork would've been cool, too.

I have to say right at the start...I had no idea Grand Funk albums were being remastered and released on CD...until I was browsing here. After reading the reviews...I promptly ordered 4 of them....just to start with !

"Born To Die"...well...I had forgotten how great this album is...I haven't heard it since probably the late 70's ! Like reviewer Geoffrey in Albany...I bought it in 1976...I was 16...and probably didn't fully appreciate it either. It was cool among my friends to listen to Grand Funk in the mid 70's...any album.We were kids...it was hanging out...cruising in our cars...and Grand Funk was great "jams"! Now...hearing "Born To Die" again as an adult who's learned to appreciate and love music....let me say...WOW ! Start to finish
this is an awesome set...and the remastering...I was just thrilled with the quality...I've never heard the band like this !

I won't go through every song...read the other reviews here for that...but as a general review... Don Brewer and Craig Frost steal the show ! They're always great...but their work here is exceptional ! Mark Farner provides blazing guitar...his vocals are of course awesome...and Mel Schacher as usual... plays a great bass ! True...there are no familiar "hooks" here from previous albums that some of you reviewing have looked for...but that's part of what makes "Born To Die " special...this is a consistently great piece of work ! Besides the familiar Grand Funk "sound"...I think the album has a David Bowie "Young Americans" style to it in some places...just my opinion...but all I can say is it's great to have "Born To Die" on CD...and it's about time !

Now...I'm going to put a couple of their CD's in the stereo and head to the sofa !

I bought this in 1976 at 14 and liked it then, but probably didn't appreciate it fully. The older I got it seemed like it got played more and more. If this album has a drawback it's that it doesn't have a song with a hook like a "We're an American Band" or a "Bad time". But it's a solid album. I think this is GFR's best at showing the great musicianship of the players. Craig Frost ,who is often overlooked , is great here. The title track has a great melody and the lead guitar is great! "Dues" (I love this one) has a great drumbeat and fills, a great rocker. "Sally" released as a single is a great sing a long tune, that didn't receive as much airplay as it should have. I don't remember hearing it once. It might have done better otherwise. "I Fell for your love" probably would have done ok as a radio song also. "Talk to the People" has a great melody and some good guitar/sax at the end. "Take Me" is a good one. Marks lead is great in this one, although I always thought more volume on the guitar would have made it better. "Genevieve" might be my favorite on the album (or maybe "Dues") just a great instrumental. "Love is Dyin" is another good rocker. "Politician" is kind of overlooked. It's got a great intro of guitar and keyboards, simple but very cool, and Marks lead towards the end is awesome! Love it! "Good Things" has more great guitar by Mark and some cool harmonizing. The bonus tracks are both worthwhile, "Bare Naked Woman" is 3 minute blues jam, the highlight being Marks guitar playing. The "Genevieve" rehearsal is also cool with the most notable difference being the lead guitar part. As a fan that likes all GFR albums "Born to Die" may not be as instantly likable as a "Closer to Home" but is just as good. The music is more complex and it seems to take a little longer to grow on you. Anyway I think this is a great album and am glad it was finally released (by Capitol) on CD. It deserves to be.

An excellent precursor to "Good singin good playin".
These guys kept getting better with each album. Not as raw as early Funk but much more polished. Well worth buying!