One of the 1970s' most successful hard rock bands in spite of critical pans and somewhat reluctant radio airplay (at first), Grand Funk Railroad built a devoted fan base with constant touring, a loud, simple take on the blues-rock power trio sound, and strong working-class appeal…

One of the 1970s' most successful hard rock bands in spite of critical pans and somewhat reluctant radio airplay (at first), Grand Funk Railroad built a devoted fan base with constant touring, a loud, simple take on the blues-rock power trio sound, and strong working-class appeal…

Either you love or you hate it. Live Album by Grand Funk Railroad was a smash when released and those who loved it played it to death. A hard rock phenomenon of the waning days of the Sixties, Grand Funk proved over and over that they were the live performing act of the time, and this album is a testament to their in-concert power.

Grand Funk Railroad continued to move further into the pop/rock mainstream with this hit album. They are aided considerably in this aim by the ultra-slick production of Jimmy Ienner, a producer best known for his work with the Raspberries: songs like "Runnin'" and "Memories" boast rich yet punchy horn and string arrangements that beef up the group's sound without softening its energetic edge. The album's combination of high-gloss production and the band's energy resulted in some impressive hits: "Some Kind of Wonderful" is an exuberant, organ-drenched soul song that highlight's the group's strong harmonies while "Bad Time" mixes a delicate, string-laden melody with a pulsing beat from the rhythm section to create a one-of-a-kind power ballad.

Closer to Home, the trio's third album, was the record that really broke them through to the commercially successful level of metal masters such as Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath. Rather than rushing headlong into their typical hard, heavy, and overamplified approach, Grand Funk Railroad began expanding their production values. Most evident is the inclusion of strings, the acoustic opening on the disc's leadoff cut, "Sins a Good Man's Brother," as well as the comparatively mellow "Mean Mistreater." But the boys had far from gone soft. The majority of Closer to Home is filled with the same straight-ahead rock & roll that had composed their previous efforts.

Many people have thought many things about Grand Funk Railroad, but chances are, no one ever thought they were politically conscious, despite songs like "People Let's Stop the War," "Save the Land," and "Freedom Is for Children." That's only one of the reasons why the double-disc Bosnia seems so odd: it's hard to believe that the band had even heard of Bosnia, much less care about what was happening there…

"The Best Of Grand Funk (Railroad)" contains ten original hits from the hard rock outfit from Flint, Michigan. All of the group's hits featured in this collection cover the band's most productive period between 1969 and 1975. The first half of the disc has songs from Grand Funk's "heavy metal" period, such as the charming "Time Machine", the bluesy "Mean Mistreater" and the upbeat remake of Traffic's "Feelin' Alright"…

Once called by Rolling Stone magazine "the worst band of all time," Grand Funk Railroad never seemed to care. They always pleased their fans and even found time to release a few hit singles…

This Grand Funk Railroad concert recording from Detroit, Chicago, and Shea Stadium on the band's enormously successful 1971 tour captures them in all their mega-stadium excess…

By 1975, Grand Funk Railroad had reached a new level of fame and fortune thanks to pop-friendly albums like We're an American Band and Shinin' On. However, they had not dropped the turbo-charged rock & roll that built their early success and that fact is proven by this exciting double-live album…

Grand Funk/Hits is an adequate collection of Grand Funk Railroad's biggest hits from the early '70s, featuring such familiar cuts as "The Loco-Motion," "Some Kind of Wonderful" and "We're an American Band." …

One of the 1970s' most successful hard rock bands in spite of critical pans and somewhat reluctant radio airplay (at first), Grand Funk Railroad built a devoted fan base with constant touring, a loud, simple take on the blues-rock power trio sound, and strong working-class appeal…

There is a clear-cut divide in Grand Funk Railroad's material; this chronicles the band's early period under flamboyant manager Terry Knight, who was bound and determined to prove that Grand Funk wa the biggest thing in rock and roll. This collection is a great overview of this period and is suggested for those who don't want to wade through the chaff in order to get the gems…

Grand Funk Railroad was, at best, a singles band, capable of turning a couple of crunching rockers and hooky singles out with each album. Though it may be missing a fan favorite or two – and that could mean something concise and catchy or meandering jams like "T.N.U.C." – this does have the overwhelming majority of their best songs, including not just hits like "We're an American Band" and "Some Kind of Wonderful," but also album tracks. Some longtime fans, like Homer Simpson, may find favorites missing, but this remains a nearly ideal summary.