Shinin on [Import] [Original recording remastered]

Editorial Reviews
Album Description
1997 Japanese reissue of their top five gold 1974 albumfeaturing their #1 smash remake of 'The Locomotion' & thetop 20 hit 'Shinin' On', plus 'Destitute And Losin'' addedas a bonus track. Nine tracks total. Also contains theoriginal 3-D cover art. A Capit

Tracks:

Shinin' On
To Get Back In
The Loco-Motion
Carry Me Through
Please Me
Mr. Pretty Boy
Gettin' Over You
Little Johnny Hooker
Destitute And Losin'
Shinin' On (2002 Remix)

Album Description

The #5 chart topper from 1973 featuring 'The Loco-Motion', here reissued and 24-bit digitally remastered with the b-side 'Destitute and 'Losin' and a 2002 remix of 'Shinin'. Capitol Records. 2003.

Customer Reviews:

Good follow up to 'We're an American Band'.......2007-01-12

I've come to appreciate more then ever the post-Terry Knight era of Grand Funk Railroad (in particular their 'Good Singing Good Playing' album) and 'Shinin' On' is nearly as good as its predecesor 'We're an American Band'. Having Todd Rundgren produce was a genius move, since GFR by 1973 could have used some better production and overall help in bringing out the best in what they could do. Standout tracks for me are the title track, "Carry Me Through" and "Destitute adn Losin'" Of this period of GFR I would also recommend the very underrated and overlooked Born to Die album.

Was this album intended to sound like a bootleg?.......2004-06-03

Many tracks here sound like they were recorded in an empty club with house mikes instead of any line outs on the amps. Like when you're watching the news and there's a story about a festival and the reporter's on camera with the band booming and echoing in the background? Well, some of these tracks sound like footage shot by the cameraman without the reporter. There's fairly decent bottom, but that can be boosted in the final mixdown. One point of interest is that there are three tracks Mark Farner didn't participate in the writing of. The most obvious is the single release "Loco-Motion" (written by Carole King when she was a teenager). But "Carry Me Through" and "Gettin' Over You" are written by drummer Don Brewer and keyboardist Craig Frost. I think it's Brewer singing lead on these--he's soloed before, beginning back in the "Closer To Home" days when he swapped lines with Farner in the bridge section of "Hooked On Love". I thought "Little Johnny Hooker" would turn out to be some sort of nod to blues legend John Lee Hooker, which would be the first time this blues-influenced band has done that, but instead it deals with a kid bullied in school and getting sent up the river because he replied with a switchblade. If there's a message here about there being a certain injustice in getting busted for a fight you didn't start, it's too elusive to hang your hat on. Maybe the 3-D cover art, plus the presence of an early-1960s classic, was a warning that this album would have a cheesy retro 1950s/ 1960s blare in the recording quality, I don't know.

It could have been better........2003-09-27

First off, I just want to say that I'm glad they included 3D Glasses with the Trunk of Funk. This is a band that does outstanding things with cover designs, and although the CD is smaller than the original vinyl, people have the opportunity to view the cover the way it was originally intended. I must say that, all in all, Capitol Records has done an outstanding job with the remasters, as far as nostalgia is concerned.

While I'm on the subject of remastering, this is the fourth album I've purchased since the albums were reissued. The other three were The Red Album, Survival, and E Pluribus Funk. I've posted reviews for all of them, and on each, I felt that Capitol has also done an outstanding job going back and enhancing the old master tapes to the point where the audio was crystal clear and really gave the listener a feel for the brilliant, and much underrated musicianship of the band. I'm not sure if this is indicative of the differences in engineering styles between Ken Hamann and Todd Rundgren, but I felt that the audio on this one was not as clear as it could have been. Several songs, such as "Please Me," "Little Johnny Hooker," and their cover of "Locomotion" sound like every instument is swimming in feedback, and even Don Brewer's vocals in "Please Me" seem garbled. This is a shame, because there are instances where the music is multilayered, with several different things going on. It's good, but it would have sounded better if it were clearer. Mark Farner dusts off his harmonica for one of the songs, and the group brings back a small group of backup soul singers. Unfortunately, there's so much feedback in both instances that everything sounds like noise.

As far as the music is concerned, the group moved farther away from the hard rock they started with, though they still managed to balance both it and their newer pop sound at certain points in the album. "Shinin' On," the title track, is probably one of the best Mark Farner/Don Brewer collaborations I've heard (with the exception of "I Can Feel Him In The Morning," off of Survival), with solid rhythm from Brewer and bassist Mel Schacher, fiery vocals ( also from Brewer, that sound clearer than any other song on the album), and a lengthy Farner guitar solo with all the right twists and turns. Keyboardist Craig Frost also has his turn at soloing, and the way he and Farner feed off of each other is magic. In addition to playing longer and better organ solos, Frost also tries his hand at songwriting on this one. His best effort is "Getting Over You," a collaboration with Don Brewer, that has all the energy of the title track, plus a solo on the moog synthesizer that complements the fast pace and energy of the track magnificently. "The Locomotion" is a classic cover, which the band always does in style, remaining true to the form of the original while putting their own unique stamp on it that says: "Hi, we're Grand Funk Railroad!" One of my favorite songs on here, though, and one that sadly suffers from the feedback problem, is "Little Johnny Hooker," one of Mark Farner's famous songs with morals. Each of the band members is in top form on it, and it transitions about halfway into a lengthy instrumental with a soul choir that provides a nice finish to a partially decent record.

However, this album did have a few unfortunate trends that started to rear their heads in Grand Funk's repertoire: it contained tracks that you can skip over! "Carry Me Through," for some reason, didn't sit right with me. I don't know if it was the excessive stereo fading (which I normally like, but in this case, everything was too echoey), or the fact that the producer was invited into the recording booth to play guitar for it. This was another unfortunate trend in the bands devolution, and that was way too many cooks. Finally, there's the second track on the album. "To Get Back In" is a fun pop song, with classic down-on-your-luck lyrics courtesy of Mark Farner, but it also contains horns, which complement the instrumentation of this song nicely, but were used too excessively on later albums.

I don't know, maybe the reason for the feedback is because the band intended this record to be played in a room with the curtains drawn, incense burning, and a joint being passed between friends. Or maybe I just got the one defective copy. But even without the remastering issues I have to say that as a pop album, this does very well. But as a Grand Funk Railroad album, you're better off starting with something like On Time or Closer to Home, and then coming back to check this one out.

excellent!.......2003-04-12

Shinin' On was the second album that studio wizard (and a true star) Todd Rundgren produced. Sound quality is excellent throughout--much better than the worn out vinyl copy I've been listening to for years. The disc includes two bonus tracks, the bluesy "Destitute and Losin'" (originally released as the b-side to "The Loco-Motion" and later available on the Thirty Years of Funk compilation) and an alternate version of the title track with a different vocal arrangement. The only thing missing is the 3D glasses that came with the original album. With songs like the title track, "Gettin' Over You" and "Little Johnny Hooker," Shinin' On is one of the band's best albums.

Mostly great songs, spacey production.......2003-03-15

This was Grand Funk's second album with producer extraordinaire Todd Rungren. He puts some spacey moments in (check out 'Carry Me Through) and lots of echo, but it doesn't detract from what is, with one exception, a very strong set of rock songs.

I'd buy this album for the title track alone. Drummer/vocalist Don Brewer proves his singing talents, belting this out like it's the last song he'll ever get to sing. And check out the R&B influence - complete with horns - on Mark Farner's To Get Back In. GFR was always influenced by the Motown sound, though that might have been hard to discern on their earlier efforts.

Of course, this was the breaking point for some fans, who simply couldn't stand how much the band had departed from it's loud 'n' proud garage rock roots. And, if you listen to its take on the old pop classic The LocoMotion, I suppose you couldn't blame them. This is a straight throwaway ditty, in my books. (But I still like it better than Farner's Mr. Pretty Boy, a dirge every bit as underwhelming as Mean Mistreater.)

One of the best things about this reissue is the inclusion of Destitute & Losin', a stretched out rocker with plenty of power. It showed the band was still capable of flexing plenty of muscle.

Tracks:

Catwalk
Sleepin' Alone
Street Level
Haze
Walk In The Night
Fly By Night
Chase The Sun
Ocean Sway
Can't Stop Running
Time Stretch
Paradise Island
Blue Azure

Customer Reviews:

Jammin' In the U.K........2000-07-11

Shakatak is one of the best jazz groups in the world. With the rich, soulful sounds of each of the tracks, Shakatak has a way of bringing it all together. "Shinin' On" is one of their best, although all of them are great. The track, "Paradise Island," will have you groovin' no matter where you are. The group has a fantastic way of combining vocals at just the right times and with just the right songs.

As one of your most loyal fans, I say thank you, Shakatak, for the usual "job well done!"

Smooth Acid Jazz Shines On.......1999-09-25

Shakatak is not everybody's bag, but if you're on this page you were at least curious. That's all it should take. This is a fantastic CD front to back with catchy tunes and a great style. One of my top CD's of the year.

Another good SHAKATAK........1999-08-25

Yes,Yes, another great one by a great one! Sleepin Alone is great,as well as Street Level. Blue Azure bring's this group back as another great smoothe jazz group! Really Good Tune's!

Average customer rating:

Shinin' On
Grand Funk Railroad
Manufacturer: Emi/Emi Plus
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00005O0WQ
Release Date: 2001-08-28

Tracks:

Shinin' On
To Get Back In
Loco-Motion
Carry Me Through
Please Me
Mr. Pretty Boy
Gettin' Over You
Little Johnny Hooker

Album Description

Todd Rundgren produced this album, including the cover of the dance classic 'The Loco Motion' now with a stomping beat and screeching guitar lead from Mark Farmer. Top five gold 1974 album featuring the top 20 hit 'Shinin' On'. 8 tracks. Housed in a slipc

Album Details

Digitally Remastered Edition of the Todd Rundgren Produced Album that Spawned the Huge Hits 'loco-motion' and 'shinin On'.

Average customer rating:

Shinin' On
Grand Funk Railroad
Manufacturer: Toshiba EMI
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Rock | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B0000896ST
Release Date: 2003-04-07

Tracks:

Shinin' On
To Get Back In
Loco-Motion
Carry Me Through
Please Me
Mr. Pretty Boy
Gettin' Over You
Little Johnny Hooker

Album Description

1997 Japanese reissue of their top five gold 1974 albumfeaturing their #1 smash remake of 'The Locomotion' & thetop 20 hit 'Shinin' On', plus 'Destitute And Losin'' addedas a bonus track. Nine tracks total. Also contains theoriginal 3-D cover art. A Capit

Average customer rating:

2ND Phaze Funk

Shinin' On
Grand Funk Railroad
Manufacturer: Toshiba EMI
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

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Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

Arena Rock | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000008G5M
Release Date: 1992-11-03

Tracks:

Shinin' On
To Get Back In
Loco-Motion
Carry Me Through
Please Me
Mr. Pretty Boy
Gettin' Over You
Little Johnny Hooker

Customer Reviews:

2ND Phaze Funk.......2003-02-26

Released in`73, this album truely confirmed the bands direction toward commercializm with hits like "To Get Back In" and "The Loca-Motion". Although I prefer the earlier Funk era, this album is a must buy. The title track, "Shinin' On" is a Classic-Rockin'-Masterpiece!

Average customer rating:

Shinin' On
Grand Funk Railroad
Manufacturer: Toshiba EMI Japan
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000EZ8BZC
Release Date: 2006-05-27

Tracks:

Shinin' On
To Get Back In
Loco-Motion
Carry Me Through
Please Me
Mr. Pretty Boy
Gettin' Over You
Little Johnny Hooker
Destitute and Losin' [*]
Shinin' On [2003 Remix][*]

Album Description

Digitally remastered Japanese pressing of this 1974 album packaged in a miniature LP sleeve and featuring two bonus tracks: 'Destitute & Losin'' and 'Shinin' On' (Remix 2003). Virgin. 2006.

Album Details

Japanese Limited Edition Issue of the Album Classic in a Deluxe, Miniaturized LP Sleeve Replica of the Original Vinyl Album Artwork, Including the Original Cut Out 3D Glasses Imbedded in the Cover!

Average customer rating:

I Am Ticked Off!

Sun Shinin' on Your Rain
Ticks
Manufacturer: Twintone
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000008LL3
Release Date: 1993-07-01

Customer Reviews:

I Am Ticked Off!.......2004-09-25

I'm mad because Amazon would display pest control products on the same page as my friends' album. Please fix it. ONe of these days I just might grow up and really have some extreme influence on you guys. angryyoungmandan, age 13. P.S. This Ticks record is nicely nostalgic.

Average customer rating:

Shinin' on {Import}
Grand Funk Railroad
Manufacturer: Phantom Sound & Vision
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B0002B9O9A
Release Date: 2001-11-13

Average customer rating:

Spacey production, mostly great songs

Shinin' On
Grand Funk Railroad
Manufacturer: Toshiba EMI
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Hard Rock | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

Arena Rock | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00005TSOZ
Release Date: 2003-03-31

Tracks:

Shinin' On
To Get Back In
Loco-Motion
Carry Me Through
Please Me
Mr. Pretty Boy
Gettin' Over You
Little Johnny Hooker

Customer Reviews:

Spacey production, mostly great songs.......2003-03-03

One of the best things about this reissue is the inclusion of Destitute & Losin', a stretched out rocker with plenty of power. It showed the band was still capable of flexing plenty of muscle.