Time for a Witness
Studio album by
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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