Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 31
 One of rock's all-time classic albums May 8, 2004
Docendo Discimus (Vita scholae)
15 out of 17 found this review helpful
On their third album, Creedence Clearwater Revival finally got rid of the sometimes directionless five-minute jams that weighed down their first two records.
"Green River" is probably their tightest album, and their best as well. There is virtually no filler here - the singles are magnificent, and even the album tracks are great.
It opens with the title track, a concise 2 1/2 minutes of tough, "swampy" backbeat and vivid imagery, highlighted by the pithy, intertwined guitar figures of John and Tom Fogerty, and John Fogerty's brief, melodic, less-is-more solo.
Other highlights include the classic rockabilly of "Bad Moon Rising", the melancholy "Lodi", the sinister, soulful blues "Tombstone Shadow", and the slow, mournful "Wrote A Song For Everyone".
But everything is good, really, including the brisk, semi-acoustic country-rocker "Cross-Tie Walker" and the album's only cover song, an energetic rendition of "The Night Time Is The Right Time".
The musicianship is excellent, too. Doug Clifford's stop-start drumming on "Wrote A Song" and "Sinister Purpose" is among his best and most imaginative. John Fogerty plays fiery lead guitar on "Tombstone Shadow", and he and his brother complement each other superbly on the appropriately dark blues-rocker "Sinister Purpose".
Both "Green River" and "Bad Moon Rising" made it to #2, and the album itself was a #1 record back in the autumn of 1969.
There is not a single weak moment on this magnificent fusion of rock, blues, R&B, folk and country, and "Green River" is not just Creedence Clearwater Revival's best album, it is by far the best American rock record of the 1960s.
Green River August 7, 2001
Paul
9 out of 11 found this review helpful
Green River has always been a album that brings back fond memories for me. I first bought it on 8 track in 69 when it came out and it had "Bad Moon Rising", on the tape twice. I still remember the first time that I heard "Bad Moon Rising". I just stopped what I was doing and listened to the song. Not many songs have gotten my attention that way. Those were definitely turbulant times and this album helped lighten the mood. For those of you who were there and to those who weren't, I would highly recommend this album as one of CCR's best.
CCR #3: On a roll and picking up speed! February 20, 2000
Henry R. Kujawa ("The Forbidden Zone" (Camden, NJ))
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
"Bad Moon Rising" has long been my favorite CCR song; I still recall how its appearance in the COMING ATTRACTIONS for "American Werewolf In London" practically evoked a standing ovation in a movie theatre in '81 (which was cool, but started a really bad trend in advertising). Anyway, GREEN RIVER is just packed with great songs, including "Commotion", "Wrote A Song For Everyone", "Lodi" (another personal fave of mine), "The Night Time Is The Right Time" and "Green River". Fogerty stands in FRONT of his bandmates on the cover; no wonder, as besides producing & singing lead he wrote 8 of the 9 songs here! Many have been inspired by his songs; for some strange fun, check out the cover of "Sinister Purpose" by Zacherle and Southern Culture On The Skids on the HALLOWEEN HOOTENANNY album!
First of a great trilogy. December 19, 1999
grundle2600 (Pittsburgh, PA)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Three consecutive albums, "Green River," "Willy and the Poorboys," and "Cosmo's Factory," mark the artistic highpoint of Creedence's career. This is the first of those three. "Green River" flows from start to end with one great song after another, all of them propelled by that super awesome trademark Creedence sound. This album is an essential part of any good rock and roll collection.
Possibly their best! June 7, 2001
Jim Toms (W. Frankfort, IL (USA))
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Although it lacks as many recognizable radio hits that dominate "Cosmo's Factory", this is probably the album with their BEST songs overall. The opening title track was a radio hit and is followed by the heartpounding "Commotion" and then the great "Tombstone Shadow". More good stuff is here in "Lodi", "Bad Moon Rising", and "Wrote a Song for Everyone".
Showing reviews 1-5 of 31
|
