Search - John Fogerty :: The Blue Ridge Rangers Rides Again

The Blue Ridge Rangers Return...sort of

J. Allen | 09/01/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Like many Fogerty fans, I was thrilled to see that John was again digging into his roots and influences to produce an album as his alter ego, the Blue Ridge Rangers. That original album holds a special place for me, as it was a window into the very foundation of Creedence Clearwater Revival, one of the greatest American rock bands of any era.



Many folks forget that when the original album was released in 1973, it was not a John Fogerty album. The band was "The Blue Ridge Rangers"(no reference to Fogerty at all), the songs were all covers, and CCR was nowhere to be found. It was not promoted as a Fogerty project. I won't go into the well-known contract hassles and history of Fogerty, Fantasy and CCR, or why this was so. It really doesn't matter here. What does matter is that the original album was a brilliant effort entirely crafted by John Fogerty and it was clearly a love letter to the music that inspired him. Yet, when it was released, he was completely absent despite the fact that the record yielded two hit singles. No glory, no spotlight, nothing. The cover showed the band in silhouette standing on a ridge with the sun setting behind them. To make such an obviously personal record, a record that required an extraordinary effort in engineering and recording talent and technique, and then release it under the name of a fictitious band is hard to imagine even today.



What a record that first Blue Ridge Rangers album was. When I hear the loose gospel harmonies, accompanied by a tentatively rattling tamborine, at the beginning of "Workin' On A Building" I get goosebumps. This was not the era of ProTools and digital recording. This was John Fogerty going into the studio with tape and reel and creating an aural movie. All by himself he became a gospel choir, riffing and rolling, clapping and stomping. You close your eyes and you are in the dream. There is John, sweat and passion, harmonizing and jamming with himself on the resonator slide. It is an absolute masterpiece. Listen to John drag the beat in "Blue Yodel #4," listen to the Dixieland breakdown in the solo. Listen to the pedal steel and piano intro to "Please Help Me, I'm Falling" and you are belly-up-to-the bar in a dusty roadhouse calling for a cold beer and a shot. The original album is literally a one-man history lesson in American roots music, from string band, to gospel, to blues, to country.



The new album, on the other hand, seems more like Fogerty has gone into a studio with other musicians that he respects and said, "I really enjoy these songs and think I can add something to them." You hear the band go to work, and good work it is. However, it is a very different effort than the original Blue Ridge Rangers recording. It is a pleasure to listen to, and it is clear that Fogerty has a fondness for the music and the original artists he covers here. What is missing is the passionate genius of the original. Frankly, that would have been too much to ask. It is unfair to expect "Rides Again" to take us back to 1973. Fogerty has changed and so have we as an audience. The window that he opened for his fans on the musical influnces that infused CCR created a wonder in the early 1970's that we cannot expect today. Today, roots albums have been done, and done again. To some extent, we have become jaded. We expect too much



Taken for what it is, "Rides Again" is an excellent album of great songs performed by one of American music's true genius synthesists. Let's enjoy it for what it is, not what it cannot be."

4.5 stars; Fogerty fans will love it

Phil (San Diego, CA) | San Diego, CA | 08/31/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I really enjoyed the original Blue Ridge Rangers album so with a bit of trepidation I downloaded the new album. Would it be able to live up to its namesake? The original focused on roots country and a touch of gospel, delivering a classic equal to the legacy of CCR. (Creedence fans unfamiliar with that album will be exhilarated to discover that priceless little gem tucked away in Fogerty's catalog.)



This new release brings the timeline up to, more or less, the seventies, where Fogerty pays tribute to many of his favorites. Right off the bat, if you're just looking for a couple downloads, he knocks "Haunted House" right out of the park. In looking at the song titles I thought it might be the old Loretta Lynn weeper but this is the Jumpin' Gene Simmons song that appears on so many Halloween compilations. The audio sample doesn't do this justice; it belongs in Fogerty's top tier right next to covers like "I Put A Spell On You".



So many others could be selected for individual download. A quick guideline for sampling first might include "Paradise", "I Don't Care", "I'll Be There", "Fallin' Fallin' Fallin'" and the ominous Fogerty original, "Change In The Weather". I wasn't a big fan of John Denver's quavering voice so Fogerty's rendition of "Back Home Again" really, so to speak, brings this one home for me.



"Moody River" is one of those late 50's - early 60's death songs that were so prevalent back then. Pat Boone has been unfairly maligned as time has passed since he wasn't rock and roll, but by old school pop standards he was an impressive vocalist. Fogerty makes the song grittier than the original but this particular death song has a peppy hook similar to Brook Benton's "Boll Weevil Song" that just subverts the darker edges of this song.



Stylistically the Blue Ridge Rangers span the gap between rock and 1960's era country. If you haven't picked up a John Fogerty album since "Centerfield" and the song samples pass your taste test I'd recommend the album as a whole rather than just select downloads."

Ridin' Off With The Blue Ridge Rangers

prisrob | New EnglandUSA | 09/08/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The first thing you notice on this CD is how happy John Fogerty sounds. Well, he should, these are all the songs he loves- he says if he had to get up and sing in a bar, these are the songs he would choose. The history of the Blue Ridge Rangers has been told many times-when it was time to hang up the Cleerance Clearwater tunes, he took some time off, but then recorded again. Not knowing how to sing without a group he named his group the Blue Ridge Rangers. However, he made up all the members and played every instrument. That was years ago, and when he resurrected the group, he got some real good time players. This CD is the best, you are so gonna like it!



These tunes of Fogerty's are some of the ones I love. The biggest and best surprise to me is Ricky Nelson's old 'Garden Party'-I have loved that song forever and John F says he can relate to it- he and Ricky were very smart men. Fogerty chose Don Henley to help him with this one- play it over and over. 'Never Ending Song Of Love' an old timer incarnate! 'Back Home Again' didn't we all love John Denver at one time? Ray Price, 'I'll Be There If Ever You Need Me'-ya gotta love it- what a tune. 'Change In The Weather' is an original of John Fogerty's. I know you're gonna be shocked by this one' Moody River' originally sung by Pat Boone- it is marvelous!!! 'Heaven's Just A Sin Away' by the Kendalls- whoopee! And, to top this marvelous CD off, Bruce Springsteen joins John Fogerty with the Everly Brothers 'When Will I Be Loved'- never, ever heard it any better, never eva!



LA Times says "By nearly any measure, Fogerty belongs on the A list of rock musicians who matter. As Credence's chief songwriter, lead singer and guitarist, he created a remarkably deep body of work in an astonishingly short period from the 1968 release of the band's debut album through the group's 1972 swan song." Couldn't have said it any better myself!



This is a mix of country, folk, rock n'roll and one of the best CDs I have heard in a long time. Can't wait to tell my best friend, so we can listen to it together!



Highly Recommended. prisrob 09-08-09



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