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Originally Posted by neardeathexperience
Personally I don't think it was the fact that they did not have enough time to write more new material because wasn't their previous album just songs which they had already written quite some time ago and just played live on their double album?
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Being their fourth studio album in four years with a lot of touring to go for them, and if it was a rushed situation, it was possibly a decision between the band and Terry Knight to go for a couple of covers. Their first three albums were released within a time span a year, and there were a lot of standards that they possibly felt that they had to live up to, especially with "I'm Your Captain" already being a major favorite with their fans and FM Rock radio. The originals on that album certainly showed that they were trying to keep up the quality of their music, but I can imagine them doing some double checking on their writing. GFR's covers were a good way to keep the listeners interested, so it was a good move in the long run, although their critics were possibly getting their typewriters ready for a downfall that did not happen.
The odd thing was that the covers were two of the three singles from the album! "Feelin' Alright" was #54 in The US where "Gimme Shelter" was #61" on the Billboard. Another single was "I Can Feel Him in the Morning" which did not chart, but I'm thinking it was a UK release (The Wiki article stated a three-track EP with "Mean Mistreater" and "Are You Ready").
I can see Survival being the one that has listeners divided.
To me, it is a good GFR album, but it did suggest that things were a little strained through heavy work and trying to live up to what they did in the space of the first year. The message songs, especially "I Can Feel..." (a major aim for the Critics of the album), might also be seen as trying too hard as well. Still, the musicianship is still very much solid.