Creedence Clearwater Revival (Hol)

Creedence Clearwater Revival: John Fogerty (vocals, guitar); Tom Fogerty (guitar); Stu Cook (bass); Doug Clifford (drums). Includes liner notes by Ben Fong-Torres. Digitally remastered utilizing the 20-Bit K2 Super Coding System. CCR seemed like something of an anomaly on their 1968 debut. They were miles from the mind-expanding flower-power explorations of their California contemporaries. They came across as a gritty, hard-hitting band respectful of their blues, country, and rock & roll roots. John Fogerty's cutting, raspy voice bore echoes of Howlin' Wolf and Little Richard as he delivered lyrics that alternately celebrated and bemoaned a working man's life, much like Merle Haggard and other '60s country artists. That the strong New Orleans swamp-rock flavor seemed so natural (Californian Fogerty's bayou tales were pure flights of fancy) was a testament to the strength of CCR's musical vision. The way they put a respectful but contemporary twist on Dale Hawkins's "Suzie Q" and the chilling "I Put a Spell on You" shows that they knew enough about the past to step confidently into rock & roll's future.