Time for a Witness
Studio album by
The Feelies
Released1991
RecordedOctober 29 – December 19, 1990
GenreRock, college rock
Length42:04
LabelA&M/Coyote
ProducerBill Million, Gary Smith, Glenn Mercer
The Feelies chronology
Only Life
(1988)		 Time for a Witness
(1991)		 Here Before
(2011)

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]

Production

Most 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

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[9]
Calgary HeraldA−[10]
Chicago Tribune[11]
Robert ChristgauA[12]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[13]
Entertainment WeeklyB[14]
Orlando Sentinel[7]
Pitchfork7.9/10[15]
Rolling Stone[16]
Spin Alternative Record Guide7/10[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."[11] 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."[10] 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

All tracks are written by Bill Million and Glenn Mercer except where noted

No.TitleLength
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

  • Glenn Mercer – guitar, vocals
  • Bill Million – guitar, vocals
  • Dave Weckerman – percussion
  • Brenda Sauter – bass, vocals
  • Stan Demeski – drums

References

  1. ↑ Takiff, Jonathan (25 Jan 1991). "Down Memory Lane". Features. Philadelphia Daily News. p. 46.
  2. ↑ Robins, Wayne (20 Feb 1991). "New Jersey's Great Guitar Hope". Part II. Newsday. p. 53.
  3. ↑ Reynolds, Bill (9 May 1991). "Pop Review". The Globe and Mail. p. C2.
  4. ↑ Schoemer, Karen (17 Mar 1991). "Record Briefs". The New York Times. p. A28.
  5. ↑ McLeese, Don (21 Mar 1991). "Not just for college anymore". Onward. Austin American-Statesman. p. 17.
  6. ↑ Macnie, Jim (20 June 1991). "Feelies Get the Pulse Racing". Los Angeles Times. p. F2.
  7. 1 2 Gettelman, Parry (26 Apr 1991). "The Feelies". Calendar. Orlando Sentinel. p. 28.
  8. ↑ Sullivan, Jim (4 Apr 1991). "The Feelies Time for a Witness". The Boston Globe.
  9. ↑ Ned Raggett. "Time for a Witness – The Feelies | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2015-11-10.
  10. 1 2 Muretich, James (17 Mar 1991). "Recent Releases". Calgary Herald. p. A13.
  11. 1 2 Kot, Greg (7 Mar 1991). "Recordings". Tempo. Chicago Tribune. p. 9.
  12. ↑ "CG: feelies". Robert Christgau. 1991-03-26. Retrieved 2015-11-10.
  13. ↑ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 3. MUZE. p. 415.
  14. ↑ Wyman, Bill (1991-03-29). "Time for a Witness". EW.com. Retrieved 2015-11-10.
  15. ↑ "The Feelies: Only Life/Time For A Witness". Pitchfork.
  16. ↑ Betts, Stephen. "Album Reviews, Ratings, and Best New Albums". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2015-11-10.
  17. ↑ Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. 1995. pp. 146–147.
  18. ↑ Jenkins, Mark (12 May 1991). "In the Tradition". The Washington Post. p. G9.
  19. ↑ "The Feelies Time for a Witness". Toronto Star. 30 Mar 1991. p. H8.
  20. ↑ Holden, Stephen (15 May 1991). "The Pop Life". The New York Times. p. C13.
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