John Fogerty - Long Road Home: Ult Fogerty Creedence Collection
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Free Music Notes for Long Road Home: Ult Fogerty Creedence Collection
Free Music Review: The best CCR as well as John Fogerty coll.
Hit: 5 Stars
This is a great, and I think the best Creedence Clearwater best of. I prefer it in part because of the bonus of Fogerty's best solo material, which holds up its head well in the lofty company of his former band's greatest hits, and also because it avoids the long, jam-like tracks (Grapevine, etc.) that just are not on par with the shorter tracks from the CCR catalog. While one need not be religious about it, there is a reason that most great rock and roll songs are executed in around three minutes or less. This collection is rock solid--a real pleasure. Even a few live tracks and a scrambled sequence add to the cohesion and the enjoyment rather than detract from it. I have had the standard CCR collections, and I prefer this one. There is also a non-musical reason to get it. If you tend to believe John Fogerty, and I do, that he was ripped off and mistreated by his record co. and even fellow band-mates (I like democracy most of the time myself, but John conceived and did the conceptual theme, the lead guitar, the great songwriting, the singing, etc. all himself, for hit after hit after hit, so it was a bit silly for his band members to demand equal time, however worthy their instrumental contributions may have been) there is an extra-musical reason to buy this as well. After the long years of bitter lawsuits, including one where Fogerty was brought to court charged with stealing from songs he himself had written, the higher up at CCR's label Fantasy finally left. This opened the door for smarter and cooler, if not more ethical, heads to prevail at Fantasy. After decades of not owning the music he had written and created, etc., John finally got some consideration. He was welcomed home (thus the title) at last and offered the deal of doing this collection of his old CCR and newer solo material and odd live track, making a glorious collection and long-deserved victory and vindication of sorts. Good for him. Who knows how many years the nonsense under his nemesis took off John's life, but here's hoping this puts 'em back. Thank you John--we are happy for you!
M. Bazin
Free Music Review: Great single disc collection of CCR/Fogerty classics
Hit: 5 Stars
Although it's missing a few important tracks, "The Long Road Home" is a great single disc collection of JF's solo hits and CCR classics. Fogerty returned to work with Fantasy after the original owner Saul Zaentz (Fogerty felt that Zaentz cheated the band out of the royalities they deserved and was generally less than honest with them)sold the company. Interestingly, the live tracks concentrate on his CCR material for the most part ("Almost Saturday Night" was originally recorded for Fogerty's second solo album "John Fogerty" aka "Old Shep").
Regardless, there's a consistency to Fogerty's songwriting throughout his career and a return to the same themes much as Springsteen or Lennon returned to similar themes throughout their career. Sonically these have never sounded better on CD. I am disappointed that some of the singles that Fogerty recorded for Fantasy in an effort to fulfill his contract and tracks from the MIA third Fogerty solo album aren't included here as well (the third solo album original mastertapes were destroyed at Fogerty's direction but some solid sounding bootlegs have been floating around for years). That would make this a definite must buy for fans who have most of his material. Heck, even if they were offered in a limited edition two CD set fans would eat this up.
Nevertheless, if you're looking for a one-stop shop grab bag of great CCR titles, Fogerty solo songs and live tracks this is the CD to purchase. The tracks aren't arranged chronologically--which actually works pretty well and makes some of the more familiar material sound fresh again.
Like The Beatles' "1" this is far from comprehensive but has some of Fogerty's most important songs from throughout his career. You can argue about which tracks are missing (I've always loved "It Came Out of the Sky" with its biting satiric story of a farmer who makes a bundle off a crashed UFO but it wasn't a hit so probably doesn't qualify for inclusion) but it's hard to argue with the quality of the man's songwriting. Highly recommended.
Free Music Review: The Long Road Home
Hit: 5 Stars
The Long Road Home CD includes 25 songs by Creedence Clearwater Revival as well as some of John Fogerty's solo work. I have always enjoyed CCR and Fogerty, and this is an amazing single-disc CD collection that includes some of the greatest CCR and Fogery songs ever recorded.
The CD runs 77 minutes and includes 18 CCR songs and 7 Fogerty songs. The CD starts with the rousing Born On The Bayou and continues with the high-energy Bad Moon Rising. The more mellow but equally moving baseball anthem Centerfield by Fogerty is next. The follow up song, Who'll Stop The Rain from CCR, is equally strong and moving especially when you listen closely to the lyrics. Next up is Fogerty's Rambunctious Boy, from the "Blue Moon Swamp" CD is here, and the rockin Fortunate Son from all of CCR.
Some of my favorite CCR songs fill out the middle with Lookin' Out My Back Door, Up Around The Bend, Down On The Corner and Have You Ever Seen The Rain?. Layered in the middle of this set is Fogerty's Almost Saturday Night live track, from his self titled album. It's obvious by the way the Fogerty solos are mixed in with the rest of the CCR songs that this ablum focusses on Fogerty the composer as well as Fogerty the performer.
The album includes the lesser known but well-loved Bootleg, as a live track, Have You Ever Seen The Rain?, Sweet Hitch-Hiker and Hey Tonight, another live track. The mix of studio tracks as well as live tracks works as well also. Other live tracks include Rockin' All Over The World and Keep On Chooglin'. The Old Man Down The Road, Travelin' Band, Proud Mary, and a second (but live) rendition of Fortunate Son help to bring the album to a close.
Noteably missing from this collection are Suzie Q, Midnight Special, and a few others, all of which are greatly missed. The 24-page booklet in the album has an essay by Billboard writer Jim Bessman, photos and complete track listing information. Highly recommended.
Free Music Review: Fogerty Comes Full Circle
Hit: 5 Stars
Since I already owned everything on this career retrospective except the four live tracks from a July 2005 concert date, I figured I'd just pass. But when an area retailer discounted it to under nine dollars, I couldn't resist. Listening to these 25 tracks is a jaw-dropping experience. It illustrates in no uncertain terms why Fogerty was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame this past summer.
CCR tracks like "Fortunate Son" have the same urgency today as they did 35 years ago. And "Deja Vu (All Over Again)" from last year's release shows that Fogerty hasn't lost his poignancy when it comes to crafting lyrics that strike a responsive chord with the working class.
But Fogerty also knows that rock 'n' roll is mostly about having fun, and that's exactly what songs like "Almost Saturday Night," "Travelin' Band," "Rambunctious Boy" and "Hot Rod Heart" are all about.
In a two-year period from February 1969 through February 1971, CCR not only had eight songs in the Top 10; each of those singles sold more than a million copies, making CCR the most successful American band in the history of pop music.
The compilers obviously chose to focus on Fogerty the composer as well as the performer. So you won't find CCR's million-selling rendition of Dale Hawkins' "Suzie Q." You also won't find any of his covers from his first solo album THE BLUE RIDGE RANGERS.
However, the 24-page booklet with an essay by Billboard writer Jim Bessman includes some terrific photos and thorough track listing info.
While this collection could easily have been expanded to two discs, it's great to find Fogerty back on the label (Fantasy) that he began his career with back in 1968. And almost forty years later he's still an amazing live performer and releasing new music that maintains the high standards set by CCR. [Running Time - 77:02] VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Free Music Review: The Long Road Home is well worth the trip
Hit: 5 Stars
The Good
This collection is pretty much a no-brainer for John Fogerty fans. After years and years of waiting, you finally get a collection of Fogerty's biggest hits with Creedence Clearwater Revival and his solo hits. I know I don't need to go into detail about CCR hits like "Born on a Bayou", "Bad Moon Rising", "Who'll Stop the Rain", "Fortunate Son", "Proud Mary", and the 9 others. You know them and you love them no doubt. The do sound crisp and clear, as they have been remastered. I'm also sure you don't need to be reminded of Fogerty's solo hits; the baseball anthem "Centerfield", the guitar chunky "Old Man Down the Road, or the centerpiece of his 2004 album "Déjà vu (All Over Again).
What greatest hits album would be complete without a few new nuggets to entice the consumer? You're not exactly getting any new songs, but you are getting six unreleased live tracks from last years tour. If you've heard Fogerty's last live album, then you know you're getting quality stuff. Great melodic vocals and a catchy guitar run make up "Almost Saturday Night". Strong southern-tinged acoustic strumming set the pace on "Bootleg". Fogerty is at his string-bending best on "Rockin' All Over the World", and shows his virtuoso side on the bluesy "Keep On Chooglin". The live version of "Fortunate Son" is much faster than the original.
The Bad
Rather than separating the CCR songs from the solo songs, they mixed them up.
The Verdict
The Long Road Home is well worth the trip.