Creedence Clearwater Revival Cosmo's Factory

At a time when rock was evolving further and further away from the forces that had made the music possible in the first place, Creedence Clearwater Revival brought things back to their roots with their concise synthesis of rockabilly, swamp pop, R&B, and country. Though CCR was very much a group in their tight, punchy arrangements, their vision was very much singer, songwriter, guitarist, and leader John Fogerty's. Fogerty's classic compositions for Creedence both evoked enduring images of Americana and reflected burning social issues of the day.

At a time when rock was evolving away from the forces that had made the music possible in the first place, Creedence Clearwater Revival brought things back to their roots with their concise synthesis of rockabilly, swamp pop, R&B, and country. Though the music of CCR was very much a group effort in their tight, punchy arrangements, their vision was very much singer, songwriter, guitarist, and leader John Fogerty's.

During 1969 and 1970, CCR was dismissed by hipsters as a bubblegum pop band and the sniping had grown intolerable, at least to John Fogerty, who designed Pendulum as a rebuke to critics. He spent time polishing the production, bringing in keyboards, horns, even a vocal choir. His songs became self-consciously serious and tighter, working with the aesthetic of the rock underground – Pendulum was constructed as a proper album, contrasting dramatically with CCR's previous records, all throwbacks to joyous early rock records where covers sat nicely next to hits and overlooked gems tucked away at the end of the second side…

Few bands of the 1960s retained as much a sense of the roots of rock and roll as did Creedence Clearwater Revival. Their music is rife with country, rockabilly, and R&B influences, a combination that produced several hit singles–most of which are present on this collection. These include "I Heard It through the Grapevine," "Lodi," "Up Around the B ," "Who'll Stop the Rain," and of course "Bad Moon Rising." This is an excellent greatest-hits collection, and a perfect introduction to the music of a band that has been enduringly influential…

For a group that was essentially inactive from 1972 on, Creedence Clearwater Revival had more than their share of sales revivals, mostly courtesy of Fantasy Records' periodic reissues and their attendant marketing campaigns, most notably with Chronicle (1976) and its follow-up, Chronicle, Vol. 2 (1986), and the various re-compilations and assembly of albums (plus the release of The Concert) between and around them. But Time Life also got into the act during the late '90s, and showed that even though they were limited to what Fantasy would let them have under license, they could do a better – or, at least, a more interesting – job…

Although not as flawless as 1969's WILLY & THE POOR BOYS or 1970's COSMO'S FACTORY, PENDULUM (also released in '70) certainly has its moments. It may only contain one certified hit single (the chugging, melancholic "Have You Ever Seen the Rain?," one of singer/songwriter John Fogerty's best), but both "(Wish I Could) Hideaway" and "Hey Tonight" have become staples on FM classic rock radio over the years, thanks to Fogerty's memorable melodies and inimitably gritty singing style…

This is the definitive review of the music of Creedence Clearwater Revival. Featuring an in-depth retrospective with bassist Stu Cook and drummer Doug Cosmo Clifford who revisit every Clearwater album to reassess the music and its impact…

Released in the summer of 1968 – a year after the summer of love, but still in the thick of the Age of Aquarius - Creedence Clearwater Revival's self-titled debut album was gloriously out-of-step with the times, teeming with John Fogerty's Americana fascinations…