I did CCR mid 2020 right about when quarantine started.
Bayou Country (1969): B*
Green River (1969): A
Willy and the Poor Boys (1969): A+
Cosmo’s Factory (1970): A-
Pendulum (1970): B-
Mardi Gras (1972): C+
Live in Europe (1973): B-
Live at Woodstock (2019): B
Green River (1969):
Their first two album certainly had moments, but this is an artistic leap that makes me very excited for their future albums. Cut for cut, it's extremely strong and the writing is excellent. A
Willy and the Poor Boys (1969):
While the idea of making a concept album was dropped quite quickly, this is their most cohesive album with "Down on Corner" sounding right at home with Lead Belly's "Midnight Special" and "Cotton Fields." The result is quite astounding. A+
Cosmo’s Factory (1970):
With their signature sound epitomized on "Who'll Stop the Rain" and "Long as I Can See the Light," it's no small feat that the album's best works are the psychedelic "Ramble Tamble" and the country "Lookin' Out My Back Door." For a band which has until now insisted on working in one genre at a time, hearing them all over the place is a real treat. A-
Mardi Gras (1972):
For an album Fogerty hoped would fail (just look at the sickly child on the cover!), the album's quite decent. The understated country, which is what Cook and Clifford write, is usually okay although Fogerty's contribution are the only takeaways. Also, the album is only 28 min long, which is all you can ask for from a "bad album." C+
