Grand Funk-Phoenix (1972)

In 1972, Grand Funk Railroad found themselves at a crossroads: continue showcasing their powerful and direct hard rock or veer towards a more versatile and accessible sound by incorporating keyboards for a more commercial appeal, without abandoning their muscular rock edge. With the addition of keyboardist Craig Frost, they released the album "Phoenix", a work that even features subtle progressive touches, as evidenced in the opening track, "Fight of the Phoenix". Furthermore, on this new release, they shortened their name to Grand Funk, albeit temporarily, and also parted ways with their manager and producer, Terry Knight. However, this new album also reveals a certain lack of creative freshness from their guitarist and leader, Mark Farner, even though he continues to display his electrifying and energetic side. Tracks like the semi-progressive "Trying To Get Away", the psychedelic "Rain Keeps Fallin' ", the boogie-blues "I Just Gotta Know", the hypnotic "Freedom Is For Children", and the catchy "Rock and Roll Soul" proved that the band still had enough talent to continue evolving musically. Although "Phoenix" didn't surpass its predecessors commercially, it did reach number seven on the Billboard charts and achieved gold status in the North American and Canadian markets.