REVIEW: John Fogerty, Premonition (Reprise)
- Bill Holmes
Fresh off the Grammy success of Blue Moon Swamp, John Fogerty has finally wrestled his Credence catalogue demons to the ground and is comfortable - no, make that excited - about performing some of the best American rock and roll music ever made for a whole new generation. If you lived from single to single with Creedence thirty years ago like I did, the music is as vital and refreshing as ever. And if you're a new y'alternative sort checking out this fossil (although besides Jeff Beck, few sixties rockers look better), put those Wilco and Son Volt CDs down for a minute and hear what Tweedy and other current purveyors cut their teeth upon.
Aerosmith proclaims themselves the best rock American rock band, but for a few short years there was no band more productive, successful or dynamic than Credence. Fogerty's songs were playful or joyous or sometimes pointedly painful, but behind it all a rhythmic pulse churned away. The bass player never funked out, the drummer kept time in best Charlie Watts tradition, and the guitar work steered the ship rather than ignite the engines. Thankfully, Fogerty hasn't forgotten what made those great songs so great three decades later. The band on this live CD is crackerjack, but the song is the star of the show, not the solo. Kicking off with a vibrant "Born On The Bayou" (which, ironically, he wasn't!), Premonition rips through eighteen tracks including a dozen hits, his popular solo efforts "Centerfield" and "The Old Man Down The Road", and a touching ode to his wife, "Joy Of My Life". Fogerty is in great voice, and if you have seen the VH-1 special that most of this was recorded at, his guitar playing is better than ever.
Well, okay, it would be nice to have "Who'll Stop The Rain" or "Sunday Never Comes", but rather than complain, why not appreciate the killer renditions of "Almost Saturday Night" (he must have heard Dave Edmunds' version!) and "Rockin' All Over The World" that are here? And, sure, perhaps "Fortunate Son" isn't as angry or volatile as it was the first time around, but how could it be? The original was released during the peak of the Vietnam War as one of the most literate and emotional reactions of its time. It's still a great song, and features one of Fogerty's best vocal performances on the record.
Through it all, John sounds like he is celebrating the joy of sharing his music once again. But rather than an artist recalling his career at day's end, he seems more like a man setting the standards for what he'd like to do in the future. Bring a nickel, tap your feet.
