Time for a Witness is the fourth studio album by the American rock band the Feelies, released in 1991 on A&M/Coyote.[1][2] The band supported the album with a North American tour.[3]
| Time for a Witness | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1991 | |||
| Recorded | October 29 – December 19, 1990 | |||
| Genre | Rock, college rock | |||
| Length | 42:04 | |||
| Label | A&M/Coyote | |||
| Producer | Bill Million, Gary Smith, Glenn Mercer | |||
| The Feelies chronology | ||||
| ||||
Production
editMost of the lyrics were written by Glenn Mercer.[4] The album was coproduced by Gary Smith.[5] The band would tape their rehearsals and look for interesting parts in the jams.[6] "What She Said" uses harmonica and slide guitar.[7] "Real Cool Time" is a cover of the Stooges song.[8]
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [9] |
| Calgary Herald | A−[11] |
| Chicago Tribune | [12] |
| Robert Christgau | A[13] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [14] |
| Entertainment Weekly | B[10] |
| Orlando Sentinel | [7] |
| Pitchfork | 7.9/10[16] |
| Rolling Stone | [15] |
| Spin Alternative Record Guide | 7/10[17] |
The Chicago Tribune wrote that "guitar lines become modal-jazz arabesques, dissolve into dissonance, then finally return to some vigorous variation of the three-chord strum, while the rhythm section builds a mantra-like momentum."[12] The Calgary Herald deemed the album "melodic mood pieces from the musical children of Lou Reed wrapped in fragile swirls of electric sound and lit by the neon's red glare."[11] The Washington Post concluded: "Such tracks as 'Sooner or Later' and 'Doin' It Again' offer as many twangy thrills as a great Rolling Stones song, but the Feelies don't pretend that their guitars express passion or rage or fear. Their guitars express guitars."[18]
The Toronto Star determined that "Mercer and fellow guitarist Bill Million build dense, unrelenting guitar textures shot through with simple solo lines."[19] The New York Times called Time for a Witness "a musically austere record in which the guitars of Mr. Million and Glenn Mercer, the band's lead singer and lyricist, interlock eloquently."[20]
Track listing
editAll tracks are written by Bill Million and Glenn Mercer except where noted
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Waiting" | 3:36 |
| 2. | "Time for a Witness" | 3:34 |
| 3. | "Sooner or Later" | 2:33 |
| 4. | "Find a Way" | 7:01 |
| 5. | "Decide" | 4:51 |
| 6. | "Doin' It Again" | 2:41 |
| 7. | "Invitation" | 3:00 |
| 8. | "For Now" | 4:47 |
| 9. | "What She Said" | 5:38 |
| 10. | "Real Cool Time" (Dave Alexander, Ron Asheton, Scott Asheton, Iggy Pop) | 4:23 |
| Total length: | 42:04 | |
Personnel
edit- Glenn Mercer – guitar, vocals
- Bill Million – guitar, vocals
- Dave Weckerman – percussion
- Brenda Sauter – bass, vocals
- Stan Demeski – drums
References
edit- ^ Takiff, Jonathan (25 Jan 1991). "Down Memory Lane". Features. Philadelphia Daily News. p. 46.
- ^ Robins, Wayne (20 Feb 1991). "New Jersey's Great Guitar Hope". Part II. Newsday. p. 53.
- ^ Reynolds, Bill (9 May 1991). "Pop Review". The Globe and Mail. p. C2.
- ^ Schoemer, Karen (17 Mar 1991). "Record Briefs". The New York Times. p. A28.
- ^ McLeese, Don (21 Mar 1991). "Not just for college anymore". Onward. Austin American-Statesman. p. 17.
- ^ Macnie, Jim (20 June 1991). "Feelies Get the Pulse Racing". Los Angeles Times. p. F2.
- ^ a b Gettelman, Parry (26 Apr 1991). "The Feelies". Calendar. Orlando Sentinel. p. 28.
- ^ Sullivan, Jim (4 Apr 1991). "The Feelies Time for a Witness". The Boston Globe.
- ^ Ned Raggett. "Time for a Witness – The Feelies | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2015-11-10.
- ^ Wyman, Bill (1991-03-29). "Time for a Witness". EW.com. Archived from the original on December 5, 2008. Retrieved 2015-11-10.
- ^ a b Muretich, James (17 Mar 1991). "Recent Releases". Calgary Herald. p. A13.
- ^ a b Kot, Greg (7 Mar 1991). "Recordings". Tempo. Chicago Tribune. p. 9.
- ^ "CG: feelies". Robert Christgau. 1991-03-26. Retrieved 2015-11-10.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 3. MUZE. p. 415.
- ^ Betts, Stephen. "Album Reviews, Ratings, and Best New Albums". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2015-11-10.[dead link]
- ^ "The Feelies: Only Life/Time For A Witness". Pitchfork.
- ^ Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. 1995. pp. 146–147.
- ^ Jenkins, Mark (12 May 1991). "In the Tradition". The Washington Post. p. G9.
- ^ "The Feelies Time for a Witness". Toronto Star. 30 Mar 1991. p. H8.
- ^ Holden, Stephen (15 May 1991). "The Pop Life". The New York Times. p. C13.