"Pendulum: 40th Anniversary Edition" by CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL (October 2008 Concord Music 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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1960s and 1970s MUSIC ON CD - Volume 3 of 3

- Exceptional CD Remasters

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Folk-Rock, Singer-Songwriter, Country Rock and more

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"...Pagan Baby..."

CCR's popular catalogue had been subject to endless CD reissue in jewel cases and digipaks throughout the 80s and 90s – some good – some ok – some just plain naff. Determined to quash the digital mess – Universal unleashed once more this most American of bands (and their formidable back catalogue) onto the world in 2008 via Concord Music, Inc.

Each album from their July 1968 self-titled debut "Creedence Clearwater Revival" through to December 1970's "Pendulum" got all spruced up with '40th Anniversary Edition' CDs. All six sported cool-looking round-corner jewel cases, expanded booklets, extra tracks and stunning new GEORGE HORN remasters (the round-corner cases have been exchanged for the standard square jobbies of late).

But Creedence being such an iconic '60ts' band their opening salvo for 1970 – the mighty "Pendulum" - always seems to get overlooked in lieu of its more adored predecessors - "Bayou Country", "Green River", "Cosmo's Factory" and "Willy And The Poor Boys". Time to give their swing into the 70ts a proper rubdown...

UK released October 2008 (September 2008 in the USA) – "Pendulum: 40th Anniversary Edition" by CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL on Universal/Fantasy/Concord Music Group, Inc. 0888072308817 (Barcode 888072308817) is an 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster and plays out as follows (54:18 minutes):

1. Pagan Baby [Side 1]

2. Sailor's Lament

3. Chameleon

4. Have You Seen The Rain

5. (Wish I Could) Hideaway

6. Borne To Move [Side 2]

7. Hey Tonight

8. It's Just The Thought

9. Molina

10. Rude Awakening No. 2

Tracks 1 to 10 are their 6th studio album "Pendulum" - released December 1970 in the USA on Fantasy F-8410 and January 1971 in the UK on Liberty LBG 83400. John Fogerty wrote all songs and Produced – the album peaked at No. 5 on the US LP charts and No. 8 in the UK.

BONUS TRACKS:

11. 45 Revolutions Per Minute Part 1

12. 45 Revolutions Per Minute Part 2

Tracks 11 and 12 are the A & B-sides of a US promo-only 7" single on Fantasy 2832/3 released in 1970. Both sides are nearly all dialogue

13. Hey Tonight (Live in Hamburg, Germany, 17 September 1971) - Previously Unreleased

CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL was:

JOHN FOGERTY – Lead Vocal, Guitar and Organ

TOM FOGERTY – Rhythm Guitar and Backing Vocals

STU COOK – Bass and Backing Vocals

DOUG CLIFFORD – Drums and Backing Vocals

Quite why the tracks were put in a different running order on the rear sleeve has always puzzled me (why is "Borne" spelt with an 'e') - but it's nice to see that the live photo by Baron Walman of Fogerty fronting the band that was on the inner gatefold of my Liberty Records album is used as a centre-page spread in the 16-page booklet. JOEL SLEVIN provides insightful liner notes that include an interview with main man John Fogerty about their aspirations to fill the slot left by the recently broken up Beatles (Fogerty wanted John, Tom, Stu and Doug to be as well known as John, Paul, George and Ringo – almost got there John). There are photos of the band in the studio and repro’s of rare 45 picture sleeves for "Hey Tonight" and "Have You Ever Seen The Rain". There is discussion on the rare CCR promo '45 Revolutions' - Doug Clifford imitating Top 40 bay Area DJ Tom Campbell - the boys giggling and goofing off. A three-piece band fronts the Previously Unreleased "Hey Tonight" recorded in Hamburg on the band's final tour for the "Live In Europe" album (which would turn out to be the band's last performance). There are reissue credits and colour photos - very tasty...

Side 1 opens with a total kick-ass winner - the brilliant riff of "Pagan Baby" - 6:23 minutes of pure Creedence genius. In truth it probably goes on for a little 'too' long - but I've always loved it and the remaster here is magnificent. By immediate contrast we get the keyboard choogle of "Sailor's Lament" where the boys sing "shame...it's a shame..." as a refrain throughout.  Fogerty gives it some brass fills on the hugely likeable "Chameleon" - but classic status has to go to the gorgeous and simple strum of "Have You Ever Seen Rain" (with or without a question mark). We get a bit Hammond B-3 organ on the Bluesy "(Wish) I Could Hide Away" - and again a fabulous remaster brings it to life.

Side 2 opens with another crave of mine "Borne To Move" - surely the great unreleased 45 that never happened - boogieing and strutting like only CCR could. What a winner - and all of it sounding fresh as a newly minted decimal pound coin (dig that Bass and Drum break). There can be few CCR fans who don't get a rush to the solar plexus at the opening seconds of the brilliant "Hey Tonight" - relegated to the B-side of "Have You Ever Seen The Rain" in the UK on Liberty LBF 15440 (released March 1971 in the UK). Sounding not unlike The Moody Blues - the organ of "It's Just A Thought" expands their sound beyond that of just guitar and drums. Both it and "Molina" sound stupendous here. And it ends on their "Tomorrow Never Knows" Psych/Prog freak out moment - "Rude Awakening No. 2" - a cacophony of backwards Guitars and strangulated Keyboard sounds that left many baffled and perhaps a tad disappointed.

If you wanted more - "Pendulum" has been thrown into two worthy Box Sets – June 2009's 7-disc replica sleeves of "Creedence Clearwater Revival (40th Anniversary Editions)" on Fantasy/Concord Music Group. Inc. 0888072315716 - or the March 2015 6-disc Box Set of "1961-1972" - that contains the pre-CCR Gollywogs material and some Previously Unreleased. But bluntly with this album and the other five studio album slices on Amazon at less than four quid each – complete with booklets, extras and that gorgeous sound – I find these single disc reissues are the simplistic ones for me...

"...You keep on changing your face..." - John Fogerty sings on "Chameleon". Nothing changes my love for this band or this great album. I know it's not all genius and some even dislike it - but I'm a sucker for CCR and this '40th Anniversary CD Edition' of "Pendulum" is the one to nab...

"No. 1 Record" by BIG STAR (2009 Universal/Concord 'Expanded Edition' CD – 2004 George Horn Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"…Finest In The World…"

If you can't get your grubby paws on the April 2004 'Hybrid SACD' release of both 'No. 1 Record" and "Radio City" by BIG STAR (2LPs onto 1CD - see separate review) – a stunning audio treat on Stax/Fantasy/Universal SXSA-60025-6 (Barcode 025218732369) that also contains a standard CD layer – then opt for the Universal/Concord Music Group 2009 stand-alone CD reissues.

Each carries a very reasonable price tag, half-decent liner notes from the Editor of the superb Zig-Zag Magazine and uber-fan KRIS NEEDS (a six-leaf inlay) and best news of all - that same awesome audio done by GEORGE HORN at George Horn Mastering in California. They even sport a relevant bonus track.

If you're a newcomer - you've probably heard of their legend - or clapped your ears on one of their ballads that frequent so many Indie movies as badge of cool (like say Nick Drake or Patti Smith). Musically – it beggars belief even now that BIG STAR famously didn’t fare well at the box office – barely scraping above chart position No. 400 on initial release in 1972 and 1974. Their record company suffered distribution problems (Stax was on the wind-down) and even knowledgeable record stores found it hard to procure copies. Years after its release - it was still something of a hushed collectable. Like so many hard-luck stories of bands that 'should have been huge' - BIG STAR really were the very definition of 'criminally overlooked'. Here are the big details for the CD reissue of their wonderful debut album "No. 1 Record"...

USA released 14 September 2009 – "No. 1 Record" by BIG STAR on Universal/Fantasy/Concord Music Group, Inc. 0888072315730 (Barcode 888072315730) features 2004 Remastering, a Bonus Track and plays out as follows (40:01 minutes).

1. Feel

2. The Ballad Of El Goodo

3. In The Street

4. Thirteen

5. Don't Lie To Me

6. The India Song

7. When My Baby's Beside Me

8. My Life Is Right

9. Give Me Another Chance

10. Try Again

11. Watch The Sunrise

12. St 100/6

Tracks 1 to 12 are their debut album "No. 1 Record" - released June 1972 in the USA on Ardent Records ADS-2803.

BONUS TRACK:

13. In The Street (Single Mix)

NOTE: their second album "Radio City" followed in January 1974 on Ardent ADS-1501 – but neither LP received an original UK vinyl release at the time. However, they were both clumped together as a budget-priced double-album package on Stax SXSP 302 in July 1978 - their first official British release on record. There have been various CD reissues of the albums ever since - most notably by England's Ace Records on their subsidiary label Big Beat and Rhino's superb 2009 American 4CD Box Set "Keep An Eye On The Sky" which features outtakes and alternates from both of these recording sessions.

As I said before in my review of the 2004 'Hybrid SACD' reissue - the big news here is a beautifully sensitive GEORGE HORN remastering that has brought a warmth and delicacy to already gorgeous music.

Lead singer and Guitarist ALEX CHILTON had been in THE BOX TOPS and along with CHRIS BELL (Guitar and Vocals), ANDY HUMMEL (Bass and Vocals) and JODY STEPHENS (Drums) - they wrote all their own songs (mostly Bell-Chilton compositions except "The India Song" by Hummel and "My Life Is Right" by Chris Bell and Thomas Eubanks of 'Rock City') and made a glorious racket.

Back to the audio - the bass, acoustic guitars and sublime harmony vocals on "The Ballad Of El Goodo" for instance are thrilling to hear as is the sweetness of "Thirteen" - surely one of the loveliest Alex Chilton songs. The jangling power-pop guitars of "When My Baby Needs Me" sound fantastic and "Try Again" reminds me of a band I loved called SMITH-PERKINS-SMITH who made only one album (a self-titled debut) in 1972 on Island Records (yet to make its way onto CD) - a sort of CSYN alternative. In fact the musicality on display here brings in mind that other tragic band BADFINGER.

Their record company tried two 45s in the USA - "When My Baby's Beside Me" b/w "In The Street" on Ardent ADA-2902 in August 172 - and a belated "Watch The Sunrise" b/w "Don't Lie To Me" on Ardent ADA-2904 in April 1973 - but neither charted. Songs like "My Life Is Right" are upbeat jangly rockers that straddle Country Rock and Pop - while the ache in "Give Me Another Chance" is just plain beautiful and moving. And to this day both "Thirteen" and "Try Again" make me weak at my ageing knees...

BIG STAR were always a little bit special and hold a cult status to this day that grows with the passing of time - like NICK DRAKE, JUDEE SILL or JOHN MARTYN.

"...Won't you tell your Dad...get off my back...tell him what we said about 'paint it black'..." - Chilton sang on the beautiful acoustic adolescence song  "Thirteen".

You and me kid against the world...

"The Singles Collection" by CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL (2009 Fantasy/Concord Music Group 2CD/1DVD Remasters) Including US and UK 7" Singles Discography - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With 300+ Others Is Available In My

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1960s and 1970s MUSIC ON CD - Volume 2 of 3 

- Exceptional CD Remasters

As well as 1960s and 1970s Rock and Pop - It Also Focuses On

Folk, Folk Rock, Country Rock, Reggae, Punk and New Wave

Just Click Below To Purchase for £3.95

Thousands of E-Pages - All Details and In-Depth Reviews From Discs

“…I Can Hear The Bullfrog Calling Me…”

Released November 2009 in the USA on Fantasy FAN-31752 (use Barcode 888072317529 in Amazon's search bar to get the right issue) – “The Singles Collection” by CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL is a fabulous release and one that’s answered many fan prayers. There’s a wad of stuff to get through so let’s get into the swamp details right away. 

30 tracks across 2CDs (49:47 and 45:55 minutes) will allow you to sequence their 45s as follows…

USA:

1. Porterville b/w Call It Pretending (November 1967, Scorpio 412)

2. Suzie Q. (Part 1) b/w Susie Q. (Part 2) (September 1968, Fantasy 616)

3. I Put A Spell On You b/w Walk On The Water (November 1968, Fantasy 617)

4. Proud Mary b/w Born On The Bayou (January 1969, Fantasy 619)

5. Bad Moon Rising b/w Lodi (May 1969, Fantasy 622)

6. Green River b/w Commotion (July 1969, Fantasy 625)

7. Down On The Corner b/w Fortunate Son (October 1969, Fantasy 634)

8. Travellin’ Band b/w Who’ll Stop The Rain (January 1970, Fantasy 637)

9. Up Around The Bend b/w Run Through The Jungle (April 1970, Fantasy 641)

10. Lookin’ Out My Back Door b/w Long As I Can See The Light (August 1970, Fantasy 645)

11. Have You Ever Seen The Rain b/w Hey Tonight (May 1971, Fantasy 655)

12. Sweet Hitch-Hiker b/w Door To Door (July 1971, Fantasy 665)

13. Someday Never Comes b/w Tearin’ Up The Country (May 1972, Fantasy 676)

14. I Heard It Through The Grapevine [Edit] b/w Good Golly, Miss Molly (March 1976, Fantasy 759)

15. 45 Revolutions Per Minute (Part I) b/w (Part II) (1970 USA PROMO-ONLY US 7” single on Fantasy F-2833

UK:

1. Proud Mary b/w Born On The Bayou (May 1969, Liberty LBF 15223)

2. Bad Moon Rising b/w Lodi (August 1969, Liberty LBF 15230)

3. Green River b/w Commotion (November 1969, Liberty LBF 15250)

4. Down On The Corner b/w Fortunate Son (February 1970, Liberty LBF 15283)

5. Travellin’ Band b/w Who’ll Stop The Rain (March 1970, Liberty LBF 15310)

6. Up Around The Bend b/w Run Through The Jungle (June 1970, Liberty LBF 15354)

7. Long As I Can See The Light b/w Lookin’ Out My Back Door (August 1970, Liberty LBF 16384)

8. Have You Ever Seen The Rain b/w Hey Tonight (March 1971, Liberty LBF 15440)

9. Sweet Hitch-Hiker b/w Door To Door (July 1971, United Artists UP 35261)

10. Someday Never Comes b/w Tearin’ Up The Country (May 1972, Fantasy F 676)

11. Born On The Bayou b/w I Put A Spell On You (December 1972, Fantasy FTC 101)

12. It Came Out Of The Sky b/w Side O’ The Road (February 1973, Fantasy FTC 104)

13. I Heard It Through The Grapevine [Edit] b/w Good Golly Miss Molly (March 1976, Fantasy FTC 142)

14. Bad Moon Rising b/w Proud Mary and Green River (July 1977 3-track EP, Fantasy FTC 142)

15. Who’ll Stop The Rain b/w Proud Mary and Hey Tonight (November 1978 3-track EP, Fantasy FTC 164)

USA Notes: initial pressings of Fantasy 634, 637, 641, 645, 665 and 759 all came in rare Picture Sleeves and are pictured in the foldout poster that accompanies this release along with many other Worldwide rarities. All 28 single-sides are presented in their original 7” single MONO mixes – and are therefore exclusive to this release. Tracks 13 and 14 on Disc 2 are from a Promo-Only 7” single and are in STEREO. This uber-rare Promo has Doug Clifford impersonating an interview with the band – aping the voice of the then famous Bay Area DJ Tom Campbell. There are 4 other CCR single releases in the States on Fantasy 908, 917, 920 and 957 from 1981 but they’re not covered here. And Creedence’s earlier Sixties incarnations as THE BLUE VELVETS and THE GOLLIWOGS are not dealt with on this compilation either.

UK Notes: because this is a US-based release – it unfortunately doesn’t include “It Came Out Of The Sky” British 45.

The presentation is first rate – a gorgeous fold-out colour poster of singles from around the planet, a 20-page colour booklet with tremendous liner notes by BEN FONG-TORRES – the text peppered with rare picture sleeves, USA Top 50 charts and an advert for the limited edition 45’s Box Set version. The DVD called “The Video Collection” has 4 tracks - “I Heard It Through The Grapevine”, “Bootleg”, “I Put A Spell On You” and “Lookin’ Out My Back Door” and it played perfectly on my UK (non-chipped) Sony BLU RAY player without any Region Coding problems.

The first thing that clobbers you is the sound – MONO! Having spent my life listening to the STEREO album versions – these MONO mixes are a sonic assault of a different kind. In absolute truth I’d say some of the earlier cuts feel weedy to me and I personally prefer the Stereo album cuts – but others have extraordinary punch. The lethal double-whammy of “Up Around The Bend” b/w “Run Through The Jungle” sounds just fantastic while the one-channel aural muscle given to “Sweet Hitch-Hiker” is just amazing. “Green River” – I’ll adore it until I croak and the 7” edit of “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” is fascinating. You also have to say that GEORGE HORN - who oversaw the 2009 remasters of the album catalogue – has done another bang-up job here. Great stuff…

To this day – and as you play through each disc – you’re hit with the simplicity – the great songs – that unique CCR sound. And a final thought – what a band!

"No. 1 Record/Radio City" by BIG STAR (2004 Stax/Fantasy 'HYBRID SACD' with George Horn Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With 300+ Others Is Available In My

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CLASSIC ROCK & POP 1970 to 1974 - Exceptional CD Remasters  

Just Click Below To Purchase for £3.95

Thousands of E-Pages - All Details and In-Depth Reviews From Discs 
(No Cut and Paste Crap)

"…Finest In The World…"

I'm amazed this sonic nugget seems to have eluded so many - especially given the reputation these two stunning Seventies albums have. But if you're on the fence as to how good a CD (or SACD) can sound - then look no further.

USA released April 2004 - "No. 1 Record/Radio City" by BIG STAR on Stax/Fantasy/Universal SXSA-60025-6 (Barcode 025218732369) offers 2LPs onto 1CD - 

a 'HYBRID MULTICHANNEL SACD/CD' Reissue that will play on standard CD players as well as those encoded with Super Audio CD Playback (73:38 minutes).

1. Feel

2. The Ballad Of El Goodo

3. In The Street

4. Thirteen

5. Don't Lie To Me

6. The India Song

7. When My Baby's Beside Me

8. My Life Is Right

9. Give Me Another Chance

10. Try Again

11. Watch The Sunrise

12. St 100/6

13. O My Soul

14. Life Is White

15. Way Out West

16. What's Going Ahn

17. You Get What You Deserve

18. Mod Lang

19. Back of A Car

20. Daisy Glaze

21. She's A Mover

22. September Gurls

23. Morpha Too

24. I'm In Love With A Girl

"No. 1 Record" (tracks 1 to 12) was USA released June 1972 on Ardent Records ADS-2803 while "Radio City" (tracks 13 to 24) followed in January 1974 on Ardent ADS-1501. Neither LP received an original UK release at the time - but both were clumped together as a budget-priced double-album package on Stax SXSP 302 in 1978. There have been various CD reissues of the albums ever since - most notably by England's Ace Records on their subsidiary label Big Beat and Rhino's superb 2009 American 4CD Box Set "Keep An Eye On The Sky" which features outtakes and alternates from both of these recording sessions.

But back to 2004 and the big news here is the beautifully sensitive GEORGE HORN remastering that has brought a warmth and delicacy to already gorgeous music. The bass, acoustic guitars and sublime harmony vocals on "The Ballad Of El Goodo" are thrilling to hear as is the sweetness of "Thirteen" - surely one of the loveliest Alex Chilton songs. The jangling power-pop guitars of "When My Baby Needs Me" sound fantastic and "Try Again" reminds me of a band I loved called SMITH-PERKINS-SMITH who made only one album (a self-titled debut) in 1972 on Island Records (yet to make its way onto CD) - a sort of CSYN alternative. In fact the musicality on display here brings in mind that other tragic band BADFINGER.

"O My Soul" opens "Radio City" with rocking guitars while pretty melody returns with the oddly titled "What's Going Ahn". "September Gurls" and "Back Of A Car" set the template for THE JAYHAWKS and so many harmony rock bands that have followed in Big Star's illustrious footsteps. But for me the huge song here has always been the showstopping "I'm In Love With A Girl" - used to devastating effect in umpteen modern-day growing up movies with an Indie leaning. I'll bet it makes men of a certain age weep and tingle - and think about that one who stole your heart when you were 16 and bright-eyed (lyrics from it title this review).

BIG STAR were always a little bit special and hold a cult status to this day that grows with the passing of time - like NICK DRAKE, JUDEE SILL or JOHN MARTYN.

A beautifully realized transfer and a CD you need in your home...