John Fogerty’s survival of the iron-fisted copyright entanglement of
his old record company boss, Fantasy record’s Sal Zantz, is a testament
to the singer’s spirit and tenaciousness. The guy has always come across
like a swamp-fed Springsteen, with his flannel shirts, distinctive guitar riffs
and slightly sardonic lyrics. When Concord Records bought Fantasy, in effect
reuniting the singer and songwriter with Creedence Clearwater Revival’s
back catalog, it seemed like a breath of fresh air. On The Long Road
Home: In Concert, Fogerty’s new 26-song live CD, we hear a singer/songwriter
finally content with his past.
Assembling seasoned band for a show that took place at the Wiltern Theatre
on September 15, 2006, this “audio companion piece to his 2006 DVD”
of the same show features a set list leaning heavily on Fogerty’s Creedence
catalog. In fact, these old tunes are so well played by the band I find if I
have any criticism it would be that I would have welcomed a little branching
out, maybe a tempo change here or there. But hell, we’re actually able
to hear Fogerty play Creedence again. When he runs through the one/two punch
of “Fortunate Son” into “Bad Moon Rising,” can anybody
really be disappointed that they are note for note perfect and maybe not as
updated or newly interpreted as they could be?
Although Fogerty can get a bit too ‘twangy’ for my tastes, as he
does on “Rambunctious Boy” and “Hot Rod Heart,” he’s
still in great form…and in great voice! I challenge anyone to notice much
of a difference in the guy’s pipes. As anyone will recall, those rocking
Creedence tunes, though short, require some mighty vocal muscles; they are,
for the most part, out and out rockers! Fogerty sounds especially good on rousing
versions of “Born on the Bayou” and “Run Through The Jungle,”
perhaps the two best sounding songs on this two-CD set.
For those unfamiliar gems (unfamiliar to me that is), there is a great version
of “Blue Moon Nights,” featuring some great guitar playing of Bob
Britt. I especially liked the playful “She’s Got Baggage”
which shows off the singer’s quick-witted lyrical ability, as well as
how loose (yet tight) his band plays. And with guys like Britt, Billy Burnette
on drums, George Hawkins on bass, the incomparable Billy Burnette on guitar,
and Matt Nolen on keys and guitar, this is definitely one smoking band!
There’s a little political banter (lest we forget Fogerty’s CCR
material was written during and influenced by the Vietnam War) and the band
intros, but mostly he’s ripping through the set list without much vamping
or jamming. Like I said before, any deviation from or change to even a few of
the “classic” CCR tunes would have been welcomed, especially from
players obviously as good as these guys are. But with the smattering of ‘solo’
numbers like “Rockin’ All Over The World” and “Centerfield,”
The Long Road Home: In Concert is an excellent live account
of a truly classic American rock songwriter.
~ Ralph Greco, Jr.
