You only knew that if Fantasy Records and John Fogerty ever kissed and made
up, a full-bodied Fogerty retrospective was inevitable. And now the inevitable
has happened with The Long Road Home, a 25-song disc comprising
the best of Creedence and the best of post-Creedence. If you have other Creedence
Clearwater Revivial hit packages, you still might want to add this one to your
collection. All the signature CCR hits are here – “Born On The Bayou,”
“Who Stop The Rain,” “Proud Mary,” “Down On The
Corner.” Solo singles like “Centerfield,” “The Old Man
Down The Road,” and “Déjà Vu (All Over Again)”
are slotted in neatly amongst the Creedence numbers, like distant relatives
reunited with their long lost ancestors.
But there’s a lot more to The Long Road Home than the
expectant hits. Live versions of “Almost Saturday Night,” “Fortunate
Son,” “Hey Tonight,” along with “Keep On Chooglin’”
and “Bootleg,” two vibrant staples from the CCR setlist, all showcase
Fogerty’s undiminished skills as a live performer, vocalist and guitarist.
Even though the well-known, offbeat “Vanz Kant Danz” or a sampling
from the painfully ignored Eye Of The Zombie album are disregarded
for arbitrary tracks like “Rambunctious Boy” and “Hot Rod Heart,”
the disc represents an accurate and complete picture of John Fogerty’s
musical odyssey.
Now that Fogerty has successfully married his old songs with his newer songs,
one has to wonder if a reunion with former CCR band mates bassist Stu Cook and
drummer Doug “Cosmo” Clifford isn’t too far behind. No doubt,
their chops are up to the task as they’ve spent the last few years masquerading
as Creedence Clearwater Revisited, a Creedence “tribute” band. It
may, in fact, be best to content yourself with The Long Road Home,
which effectively encompasses Fogerty’s entire career, with Creedence
Clearwater Revival as a starting point. Forgoing the Blue Range Rangers for
a more refined career in the 80s and beyond, Fogerty remains a valid artist
who, with the support of his new pals at Fantasy, will undoubtedly be making
more music for years to come.
~ Shawn Perry
