The Blue Ridge Rangers

 

 

Create your own review

John Fogerty, the reigning frontman to one of the best and most influential rock bands of the mid to late '60's, had left the band and had gone solo. No surprise there. When he did leave, one wondered what the next step his career and sound would take. Would the Creedence music and sound(all due to Fogerty)continue?. Yes. But what did Fogerty do when he went solo and released his first solo record in 1973?. He delivered a hardcore country album. This is by no means a real departure for John or from some of the music of CCR. There was a lot of country in their sound and that type of music. It had always been done in the band, but never a full album of it. There are a couple tunes that are straddling the line of traditional country and the country/rock sound of some of CCR's songs. But it's mostly stone cold country. Something Fogerty is a master at, and something most country fans probably wished he did more of since country is filled with generic soft pop/rock. The albums opens with the toe tapping jumbo blaster, "Blue Ridge Mountain Blues", a traditional old number Fogerty makes his. He then covers "Somewhere Listening(For My Name), which was a song done by Archie Branlee of the Mississippi Blind Boys. "You're The Reason" is a classic sounding country tune, originally done by Bobby Edwards, and it fits perfectly to Fogerty's voice. The best track on the album is "Jambalaya(On The Bayou", an old Hank Williams classic. A teriffic song that sounds as if John could of written it himself. Surprisingly, it was a top 20 hit on the Billboard singles chart, and the other hit here was the harder sounding "Hearts Of Stone", which was a top 40 hit at #37. He also covers the classic George Jones hit, "She Thinks I Still Care", yet another song that seems custom made for John. The last song is a song written by Merle Haggard, a real country chestnut called "Today I Started Loving You Again". The traditional "Have Thine Own Way, Lord" is also included. The two best tracks here are the smooth and undeniably groovin' "California Blues(Blue Yodel #4)", a perfect song for Fogerty. One of the best Fogerty songs that's not his. And the traditional "Workin' On A Building". It is surprising to hear how many people were turned off by the country turn of Fogerty, when a lot of his CCR work is rooted in souther/country-ish type tunes. The music is not far off from each other at all. Cover albums are touch and go, but this is one of the best cover albums I've heard. Sometimes it just works and sometimes it doesn't. It obviously does. The only other cover album that rocked my socks was Paul McCartney's "Run Devil Run", which just rocked harder than anything he's done in years. I hear some people complain when cover albums have songs that go so far back that they have never heard of them and what was the point. A cover album just covers songs that the artists wants and likes. No one said it has to be well known songs. In fact, songs not as well known are better because it brings great work into the light. This album is a little known gem that should of been as equally well known and successful as some of his other albums. It's a little buried treasure that should have a second coming.

Fogerty's first solo album was started concurrently with the last CCR album. While it's nice to have it in print on CD, it's desperately in need of remastering. Fogerty aquits himself quite well on these remakes of classic country & western and gospel tunes. The arrangements don't necessarily improve the originals but have Fogerty's classic sound crafted around the original songs.

While his one man band isn't perfect, there's a charm and some very nice playing throughout the album. A suggestion to Fantasy Records--since you don't have enough material to do a Fogerty box set why not reissue the album with the follow up Blue Ridge Rangers single Back in the Hills/You Don't Owe Me as bonus tracks and reissue it in state of the art 24 bit sound (or in the SACD format).

Since Fogerty's self title debut isn't available in the US but is available as an import, I'd suggest doing the same with that album. Fogerty cut a strong single prior to the release of John Fogerty (Comin' Down The Road/Ricochet). Adding that single to Fogerty's second solo album (the first offically issued under his name) with enhanced sound would be greatly apreciated by CCR/Fogerty fans.

John Fogerty's first solo album turned out to be one of the best buys that I have ever made in my life. Hearing his version of the the classic Webb Pierce song "I Ain't Never" is worth the price alone. In fact Fogerty was able to make each of these songs "his own." I wish he would do another album like this again.

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review

› See all 22 customer reviews on Amazon.ca

 

5.0 out of 5 stars A Concept Album? Not Quite, but Close...
With or without his bandmates in Creedence Clearwater Revival, Mr.Fogerty has always been one of the most artless performers that I've ever known; he's certainly never tried to be... Read more

Published on Mar 11 2005 by Christopher Xavier Cross

1.0 out of 5 stars JOHN FOGERTY "BLUE RIDGE RANGERS" 1973
An established musician/songwriter and the heart of Creedence Clearwater Revival, John Fogerty disbanded CCR in 1972 after his brother Tom had left not long before. Read more

Published on Mar 9 2004 by Joel Sprague

4.0 out of 5 stars Uniquely sweet
The history of rock is often the history of roads not taken, ideas picked up and then dropped, "side projects" that suggested new horizons that were scarcely explored... Read more

Published on July 14 2003 by John Stodder

4.0 out of 5 stars A weird, yet quite wonderful, solo debut
I've always had a soft spot for this album.
Not a genuine rock song among the lot, this is all country and spirituals, yet Fogerty makes the whole thing sound sincere and... Read more

Published on April 17 2003 by Docendo Discimus

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic Album
As stated by many reviewers and by the title of the album, this is John Fogerty's legendary One Man Band (meaning he played all the instruments and sang all the vocals) album from... Read more

Published on Feb 12 2002 by Bradley Olson

4.0 out of 5 stars CCR's leader's solo debut
This must have seemed like a real oddity - to both Fogerty's fans and his record label - upon its release in 1973. Read more

Published on Feb 9 2002 by hyperbolium

5.0 out of 5 stars Instant favorite
I don't remember the last time I listened to a CD that I liked as much as this one. Every song is a classic. I listen to this over and over and over again. Read more

Published on Oct 2 2001 by Mark Wilden

2.0 out of 5 stars I love country song.
I very love country country.Since I can remember I had listened country.Until now I still like that song.

Published on Sep 19 2001

3.0 out of 5 stars Bluegrass Fogerty ? !!
This CD became available again when Fogerty rose to the top of the charts in the 1980's with "Centrefield" (Even knocked Bruce's "Born In The USA" off the... Read more

Published on Jun 1 2001 by Peter Stirling

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing journey to the past of bluegrass/Country best music!
This is of course one of the best albums i've heard until now, in my entire life.I think that this album influenced me in a great way to be a bluesfan today!! Read more

Published on Mar 13 2001 by Ricardo Neves Gonzalez

Search Customer Reviews
Only search this product's reviews

› See all 22 customer reviews on Amazon.ca

Search Listmania!