John Fogerty - The Blue Ridge Rangers Rides Again
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Free Music Notes for The Blue Ridge Rangers Rides Again
Free Music Review: Only Few Surprises
Hit: 3 Stars
This second round with the Blue Ridge Rangers / John Fogerty is probably largely as one would expect it. Very accomplished and well-played! What it needs is perhaps a few more surprises. The traditional country are largely allowed to draw the picture. The song choice is probably okay; a mixture of well-known standards and a few more obscure country songs, but in either case the arrangements contain few surprises.
The album opens well with John Prine's "Paradise", which probably has all a good classic country song should. Among the following songs Rick Nelson's "Garden Party" definitely is a number that deserves to be revisited; unfortunately the arrangement is so faithfull to Nelson's original that experiment almost seems superfluous.
Actually I first really woke up when the tones of track 7th were to be heard. Where was it I'd heard this song before?? - Oh, yes. . It was Fogerty's own "Change in the Weather" from the overlooked album "Eye of the Zombie". Definitely one of this album's highlights and more "CCR" than the original version, which is also very good.
"Moody River" was a nice beat, and it is altogether a fine melancholy tune.
The final track is Everly Brothers' "When Will I Be Loved", which is one of the few songs which has really been given a different treatment - a more rocking arrangement, and with a surprise guest vocal by Bruce Springsteen.
All in all a solid album from Fogerty, which however, contains only few surprises.
Free Music Review: I WAITED 36 YEARS FOR THIS?
Hit: 3 Stars
Most Fogerty fans will rejoice in this feel-good effort of the last days of summer. They will take this CD to the mountains, the beach, the park and cook weenies and smores while singing along to all their familiar old favorite tunes. For you folks, I say, enjoy.
The question must still be posed as to why this release took all this time to come to fruition. Anyone who owns more than a handful of records could tell that this project was done on a limited time and financial budget. It will sell but it will not endure the way the original Rangers album did.
Fogerty's vocals lack any passion or commitment. The music is also less than inspired as is most evident on the flat-out duplication of Rick Nelson's Garden Party. The only musical high spot is some tasteful pedal steel work on a number of different tracks. At times it almost sounds as though Red Rhodes had come back to life. Still, I imagine that he and Papa Nez could have come out with a much improved final product with far less outside help
All in all, a nice middle of the road listen, but like Chinese food, you'll be hungry again in 2 hours.
Free Music Review: uneven effort, with some good moments
Hit: 3 Stars
As a lifelong Fogerty fan, I anxiously anticipate each new release. Some have fared better than others, and the same can be said for the song selection on "Rides Again." Unfortunately for every "wow" moment, I found myself saying, "Why the heck did he choose this song?" Best example is John Denver's "Back Home Again." You just don't mess with perfection, and this was an iconic song for an iconic artist.
On first listen, I felt the same way about Rick Nelson's "Garden Party," an immensely personal song for Rick. But oddly enough, I like JF's version. It's note-for-note faithful to the original, but the original is so good, that's probably good strategy.
Other standouts include the Buck Owens song (I had never heard it, but like JF's version on first listen), Pat Boone's "Moody River" (a pleasant surprise) and "I'll Be There." Generally good performances, but JF's song selection sometimes leaves me bewildered.
Free Music Review: Good, not great
Hit: 3 Stars
We all know the original Rangers album was awesome. A lot of the songs were traditional, so he was paying tribute to the song. Here, he seems to be paying tribute to the original artist. Which is not necessarily a bad thing, just different. Never ending song of love, garden party, and back home again were favorites of mine from the original artists,and John is faithful to their sound. Which is good and bad. I hate it when an artist takes a perfect song and screws it up by giving it "their" sound. So it is a good album, not great. If it introduces a new generation to John Prine, Delaney & Bonnie, Rick Nelson, Pat Boone, etc. it will have done its job. A good selection of songs, and easy to listen to.Free Music Review: Fair to middlin' cover album...
Hit: 3 Stars
Okay, so I recently relistened to a bunch of Fogerty since I'm 62 and on a nostalgia kick. I loved 'Revival' (even bought it) and looked forward to sampling more of this man's post-Credence music. 'Rangers Ride Again' I could have done without. Yes, it's J.F. all right, but he covers songs that weren't that interesting the first time around. If you wanna' hear Garden Party, find Little Ricky somewhere. Sorry Fogeristas, this album is background music only.